Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973 – c. 1014 or 1025) was a Japanese novelist, poet and lady-in-waiting at the Imperial court in the Heian period. She is best known as the author of The Tale of Genji, written in Japanese between about 1000 and 1012. She became a lady-in-waiting to Empress Shōshi at the Imperial court around 1005, and continued to write during her service, adding scenes from court life to her work, reflected in The Diary of Lady Murasaki. After several years, she left court and retired with Shōshi to the Lake Biwa region. Within a decade of its completion, Genji was distributed throughout the provinces; within a century it was recognized as a classic of Japanese literature and became the subject of scholarly criticism. The Tale of Genji was translated into English in the early 20th century; scholars continue to recognize the importance of her work, which reflects Heian court society at its peak.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murasaki_Shikibu

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1898:

The Fashoda Incident ended with French forces withdrawing after several months of military stalemate with the British in Fashoda (now in South Sudan). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fashoda_Incident

1942:

World War II: U.S. Marines and U.S. Army forces began an attempt to encircle and destroy a regiment of Imperial Japanese Army troops on Guadalcanal. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koli_Point_action

1948:

The Chicago Daily Tribune published the erroneous headline "Dewey Defeats Truman" in its early morning edition shortly after incumbent U.S. president Harry S. Truman officially upset the heavily favored governor of New York Thomas Dewey in the presidential election. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewey_Defeats_Truman

1957:

The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 2, carrying the space dog Laika as the first living creature to enter orbit around Earth. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laika

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

aid and abet: 1. (transitive) 2. To assist (someone) in an illegal act as an accessory or accomplice. 3. To assist someone in (an illegal act) as an accessory or accomplice. 4. (intransitive) To be an accessory or accomplice to someone in an illegal act. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/aid_and_abet

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Now and then I miss you Oh, now and then I want you to be there for me Always to return to me I know it's true It's all because of you And if you go away I know you'll never stay.   --John Lennon https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Lennon