In this episode of pplpod, we travel back to the Heian period to profile Sei Shōnagon, the sharp-witted author, poet, and court lady best known for writing The Pillow Book. We explore her time serving Empress Teishi around the year 1000, where she documented the elegance and scandals of the Imperial Court through a collection of essays, lists, and gossip known as zuihitsu,.

Tune in as we discuss:

• The Pillow Book: How Shōnagon captured daily customs with a unique, sometimes scathing point of view, covering everything from "Things That Make One Nervous" to proper etiquette for "morning-after letters",.

• Court Rivalries: Her famous tension with contemporary writer Murasaki Shikibu, author of The Tale of Genji, who acknowledged Shōnagon's literary gift but criticized he ...