A woman wrote the first novel!
Did you know! That a lady wrote the world’s first novel. Women also wrote the first two bestsellers in America, but WHO’S COUNTING (I am. I am always counting).
The Tale of Genji was written in Japan in the 11th century by lady-in-waiting at the Imperial court, Murasaki Shikibu. And when I say that’s her name, I mean it’s a descriptive name. If you’re wondering what a DESCRIPTIVE name is, I have a very tenuous grasp on it, but “Shikibu” refers to the ministry where her father worked, and “Murasaki” maybe has to do with “the color violet associated with wisteria.”
So we don’t know her “real” name, but we know her novel from over a thousand years ago is super famous and influential. Borges cited a translation of it as inspiring him, and it’s consistently been called the oldest and/or greatest novel in Japanese history. Which is super cool because again! Over 1000 years old! And by awesome Murasaki Shikibu.
The plot revolves around the son of an ancient emperor, his romantic life, and life at court. Fun things that people have loved in their fiction for centuries abound, like he falls in love with his stepmother and then embarks on a series of affairs to forget this forbidden love. Classic.
If you're interested in more Murasaki Shikibu knowledge, I advise THE ASCENT OF WOMAN on Netflix. Episode 2 discusses Shikibu and then host Amanda Foreman starts crying in front of what might have been Shikibu's writing desk, and I've never felt more seen.