This volume covers 900 years of Japanese literature, beginning with early Heian works through the late 16th century, exploring works such as the Kojiki , The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon , and The Tale of Genji . In addition, Keene (Japanese literature, Columbia U.) evaluates diaries, Waka poetry, war tales, Buddhist writings, and No plays, creating a diverse collection of literary history and criticism. His discussion of the pieces is thorough, although there are not many excerpts from the selections themselves. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)