Japanese noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu wrote The Tale of Genji in the 11th century to entertain the other women in the court. It follows the romantic exploits of the title character, an emperorâs son, as he navigates life within aristocratic society and eventually outside of it. Praised for its psychological insight into the charactersâ motivations, the book greatly influenced Japanese culture and is widely considered the worldâs first novel. In 1882, Suematsu Kencho translated a condensed version of the text into English, allowing this classic tale to reach a wider audience.