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I've read all three translations of The Tale of Genji. For those who don't know there are three translations so far, by Arthur Waley, Edward Seidensticker and this one by Taylor. All of them have their flaws. Waley's translation is known for being a beautifully written, but very freely translated, so free that he left out several chapters. Where Seidensticker's translation is known for being more accurate but the language is not as beautiful. Of all three I think I prefer Taylor's. In addition to the story, he gives an extensive description of the culture and a listing of the Japanese names of the characters which is very helpful for figuring out the intricate details of rank and social position. This may be a bit too much information for those who don't know very much about Heian culture. For those who don't know much about the plot, the Tale of Genji is divided into two almost completely separate stories. The first part of the story is about Prince Genji, the son of the emperor and a low ranking consort who dies due to her rivals' jealousy. The emperor griefstricken marries another much younger and higher born woman who looks very much like Genji's mother, who Genji falls in love with. Their doomed love affair and its consequences is at the center of this novel. However Genji has many other love affairs some of them with very destructive consequences. Genji's story is both tragic and also light hearted at times as well. Although the story is about Genji, the memorable female characters far outnumber the male ones. Heian Japan was a mostly matrilocal society, where the court was controlled by the grandfather or the father-in-law of the emperor. Women had much more power than in later eras, however, their independence depends on their wealth and social status but the heroines are distinct and have their own thoughts, feelings and personalities. The second part of the story are the grandchildren of Genji and it takes place after Genji has died. It is the story of the competition between Kaoru, Genji's "son" who is actually the son of Genji's principal wife and her lover, and Genji's grandchild, Niou, and their competition for the love of three sisters. It is very different from the first part of the story, much darker and obsessive. One reviewer described the two parts as Jane Austen and Wuthering Heights in the same novel. Taylor's translation is well written, informative, and beautifully packaged. I highly recommend it.