In 2005, the celebrated scholar of Japanese literature Haruo Shirane published
Classical Japanese: A Grammar
. Now, with
Classical Japanese Reader and Essential Dictionary
, he completes his two-volume textbook for learning classical, or literary, Japanese—the primary written language in Japan from the seventh to the mid-twentieth century. The text contains carefully selected readings that address a wide array of grammatical concerns and that steadily progress from easy to difficult. The selections encompass a wide range of historical periods and styles, including essays, fiction, and poetry from such noted works as
The Tale of Genji
,
The Tales of Ise
The Pillow Book
The Tales of the Heike
, and
Essays in Idleness
, and such authors as Ihara Saikaku, Matsuo Basho, Ueda Akinari, Motoori Norinaga, and Fukuzawa Yukichi. Each reading is accompanied by a short English introduction, a vocabulary list, and extensive grammatical notes, and ends with a comprehensive grammatical annotation.
The classical Japanese-English dictionary composes the last third of the book and features approximately 2,500 key words, highlighting those used most frequently. The first of its kind, this volume is a vital tool for students, scholars, and translators of classical Japanese.