TLS touts UC expert's take on Japanese classic
The Times Literary Supplement calls UC associate professor Gergana Ivanova's latest book 'a work of immense value'
The Times Literary Supplement wrote about University of Cincinnati author Gergana Ivanova's book Unbinding The Pillow Book, a critique of a Japanese literary classic.
Ivanova's 2018 book (Columbia University Press) examines the changing ways in which people have related to Sei Shonagon's classic The Pillow Book.
UC professor Gergana Ivanova's "Unbinding The Pillow Book."
"Ivanova describes the ways Sei and her work have been depicted, interpreted, marketed, enjoyed and disliked over a thousand years," The Times' Claire Kohda Hazelton wrote.
Hazelton called Ivanova's literary criticism "a work of immense value." Ivanova's book has received strong reviews elsewhere as well.
"Meticulously researched and persuasively argued, Unbinding The Pillow Book offers a dynamic portrait of one of the most important works of world literature and of the woman who wrote it more than a millennium ago," wrote Michael Emmerich, professor of Asian languages and cultures at the University of California, Los Angeles.
"Unbinding The Pillow Book is an erudite and often entertaining guide to the persona of Sei Shonagon and her peripatetic text, The Pillow Book," Rutgers University professor Paul Schalow wrote. "I cannot think of a better match between a scholar and her subject. It is a dazzling accomplishment."
Become a Bearcat
- Apply online or get more information about undergraduate enrollment by calling 513-556-1100.
- Learn more about UC's many undergraduate and graduate programs.
Related Stories
Love it or raze it?
February 20, 2026
An architectural magazine covered the demolition of UC's Crosley Tower.
Discovery Amplified expands research, teaching support across A&S
February 19, 2026
The College of Arts & Sciences is investing in a bold new vision for research, teaching and creative activity through Discovery Amplified. This initiative was launched through the Dean’s Office in August 2024, and is expanding its role as a central hub for scholarly activity and research support within the Arts & Sciences (A&S) community. Designed to serve faculty, students, and staff, the initiative aims to strengthen research productivity, foster collaboration, and enhance teaching innovation. Discovery Amplified was created to help scholars define and pursue academic goals while increasing the reach and impact of A&S research and training programs locally and globally. The unit provides tailored guidance, connects collaborators, and supports strategic partnerships that promote innovation across disciplines.
Niehoff Center for Film & Media Studies kicks off 2026 series
February 16, 2026
The Niehoff Center for Film and Media Studies at the University of Cincinnati invites the campus and community to delve into the thought-provoking “2026 UC European Film Series: Perspectives on Our World.” Five recent films will be screened, with introductions and discussions led by UC faculty. Using a variety of genres and forms, these films encourage audiences to think about their place on the planet, in relation to civic engagement, to the natural world, to others, and even to space aliens in Moravia. “The series is a mix of realism, reality, comedy, and escapism that we hope will make you see things differently,” said Michael Gott, Neihoff Center director of programming and College of Arts and Sciences professor. “Film can make us rethink our ideas about the world and see things from different perspectives.” Past topics have ranged from artificial intelligence to migration, urban spaces, and women in film. Following each screening, discussions with filmmakers and UC faculty aim to spark meaningful conversations.