Memoirs of a Geisha

Popular books always disappoint and this book is no exclusion. The fictional story centers around a poor Japanese girl who struggles through life, who is sold at an young age, endures cruel treatment at the Okiya, leads a maid' life but suddenly her life is transformed by Mameha(her older sister) and under her guidance her life changes and she become a successful Geisha. She yearns for the...more

Popular books always disappoint and this book is no exclusion. The fictional story centers around a poor Japanese girl who struggles through life, who is sold at an young age, endures cruel treatment at the Okiya, leads a maid' life but suddenly her life is transformed by Mameha(her older sister) and under her guidance her life changes and she become a successful Geisha. She yearns for the Chairman while the Chairman' best friend yearns for her and the story takes a dramatic twist in the final 2 chapters. The author does a remarkable job of providing exquisite details not only on what it takes to become a Geisha but also about the life of a typical Geisha...At the end of the novel, one is happy that the Geisha tradition no longer exists Generally, as you read a book, you feel strongly about certain characters but in this book no one comes out as having a half-way decent character other than probably Mameha. One learns that Geisha' are not only talented, suave etc but these women are crafty and shrewd and probably as cunning as foxes are. By no means, can one call the protagonist (Sayuri) as a poor little girl though that was how she portrayed herself in this story which was said in first person. The climax and the anti-climax of the book lies in the last two chapters..I say Climax cos the final chapter is all about powerful, hard-hitting truths that resonate. The one statement where Arthur Golden says that one can’t speak about pain as long as they are enduring it , was so on the mark...The other part of how people remain with us till the end of life as memories was again right on the money. I loved the last chapter so much that I re-read it. All in all, I rate it at 3 on a scale from 1 to 5   hide

'Al tempio c'è una poesia intitolata "la mancanza", incisa nella pietra. Ci sono 3 parole, ma il poeta le ha cancellate. Non si può leggere la mancanza, solo avvertirla.' 'La parola "geisha" significa "artista", ed essere geisha vuol dire essere valutata come un'opera d'arte in movimento' 'Non puoi considerarti una vera geisha,...more

'Al tempio c'è una poesia intitolata "la mancanza", incisa nella pietra. Ci sono 3 parole, ma il poeta le ha cancellate. Non si può leggere la mancanza, solo avvertirla.' 'La parola "geisha" significa "artista", ed essere geisha vuol dire essere valutata come un'opera d'arte in movimento' 'Non puoi considerarti una vera geisha, finché non riuscirai a fermare un uomo per la strada con un solo sguardo.' 'Non si può giudicare la potenza di un uomo solo dalla sua prestanza.' *Se un albero non ha né foglie né rami, si può ancora chiamarlo albero?* "Non dobbiamo aspettarci la felicità, Sayuri. Non è una cosa che ci è dovuta. Quando la vita va bene, è un dono improvviso, non può durare per sempre" "Mia madre diceva sempre che mia sorella Satsu era come il legno: radicata nel terreno come un albero Sakura. Ma a ne diceva che ero come l'acqua. L'acqua si scava la strada anche attraverso la pietra, e quando è intrappolata l'acqua si crea un nuovo varco." 'Non si può dire al sole "più sole". O alla pioggia "meno pioggia". Per un uomo, la geisha può essere solo una moglie a metà. Siamo le mogli del crepuscolo. Eppure appendere la gentilezza, dopo tanta poca gentilezza, capire come una bambina con più coraggio di quanto creda, trovi le sue preghiere esaudite, non può chiamarsi felicità? Dopo tutto, queste non sono le memorie di un'imperatrice, né di una regina. Sono memorie... di un altro tipo.' 'Lei si dipinge il viso per nascondere il viso. I suoi occhi sono acqua profonda. Non è per una geisha desiderare. Non è per una geisha provare sentimenti. La geisha è un'artista del mondo, che fluttua, danza, canta, vi intrattiene. Tutto quello che volete. Il resto è ombra. Il resto è segreto.'   hide

The strikingly pretty child of an impoverished fishing family, Chiyo is taken to faraway Kyoto and sold into slavery to a renowned geisha house where she is renamed Sayuri. Initially reluctant, Sayuri must finally invent and cultivate an image of herself as a desirable geisha in order to survive in Gion's cruel hierarchy. Through her eyes, we are given a backstage view of the ancient and...more

The strikingly pretty child of an impoverished fishing family, Chiyo is taken to faraway Kyoto and sold into slavery to a renowned geisha house where she is renamed Sayuri. Initially reluctant, Sayuri must finally invent and cultivate an image of herself as a desirable geisha in order to survive in Gion's cruel hierarchy. Through her eyes, we are given a backstage view of the ancient and secretive geisha district, Gion, and of the lives of the women who learn and practice the rigorous arts of the geisha. Behind its facade of haunting beauty the district turns out to be a viciously competitive place where women vie desperately for men's favor and largess, where a young girl's virginity is auctioned off to the highest bidder, where personal trust is almost nonexistent, and where no woman can afford even to dream about love or happiness. A timeless pocket of the world, Gion cannot remain cut off from the bustle of the modern era forever. When Japan enters the Second World War, Gion's isolation is finally breached and Sayuri must once again reinvent herself and her way of existence. Memoirs of a Geisha is a treasure of a book, an unparalleled look at a strange and mysterious world which has now almost vanished. It is also, and unforgettably, a dazzling portrait of a singular and most seductive woman who tells her story in a compelling first person voice   hide

This is by all accounts a painstakingly researched book. Golden's meticulous detail creates a 'pretty' picture and having spent 9 years travelling back and forth to Japan I wanted to enjoy the book a lot more than I did. It just didn't resonate emotionally as sincere or profound. I was hoping it would unfold like a superb piece of theater, where character would transcend the limitations of human...more

This is by all accounts a painstakingly researched book. Golden's meticulous detail creates a 'pretty' picture and having spent 9 years travelling back and forth to Japan I wanted to enjoy the book a lot more than I did. It just didn't resonate emotionally as sincere or profound. I was hoping it would unfold like a superb piece of theater, where character would transcend the limitations of human circumstance. It is very intimately a first person account of a uniquely female and Japanese experience. Unfortunately, it seems easy to blame the somewhat hollow resonance of the book on the limitations of it having been written by a white man from Harvard. Ha ha, maybe I just would have preferred it to be written by a white woman from Yale! I felt it was limited not just by its lack of authenticity, but also because of the somewhat tight writing style. Still, the effort put into the book is impressive and I think with moderate expectations it could be considered an interesting and informative read.   hide

This was a fascinating look into early twentieth century Japan and geisha culture. I've read very few books whose stories and characters have been so complex and nuanced as this one. On the one hand, you wonder about Sayuri's singular focus on a man who doesn't seem to notice her; on the other, you figure she's the product of her times and her society. Similarly, the traditions...more

This was a fascinating look into early twentieth century Japan and geisha culture. I've read very few books whose stories and characters have been so complex and nuanced as this one. On the one hand, you wonder about Sayuri's singular focus on a man who doesn't seem to notice her; on the other, you figure she's the product of her times and her society. Similarly, the traditions and practices of geisha culture seem to be brutal and severely damaging to the geisha; at the same time, they're empowering in their own way.On a more philosophical level, the story is an interesting reflection on fate, and the way we respond to what life offers us. Sayuri is depcited as a character who accepts her fate passively, on the whole, until the very end of the novel; and it turns out that the one act she finally takes is decisive in upending her life. I disagree with that portrayal, though, and I actually think she's a good example of a character who chooses the only fate available to her, several times - first in leaving her childhood home, then in becoming an apprentice geisha, and so on. The Dickensian twist at the end of the novel, in fact, reinforces this characterization. That's not to say she has much agency in affecting her life (she doesn't, since after all she's a slave), but that she has a certain dignity and ambition that allows her to survive extremely difficult circumstances.I've heard that this book is supposed to romanticize the lives of geisha, but that seems very far off the mark. I don't think there was a single moment when I thought, "these women were so lucky!" In fact there were a couple of scenes, toward the middle, which were impossibly painful to read.It's worth it to read the Wikipedia entry on this book (particularly the Controversy part), as it clears up some of the confusion caused by the translator's note at the beginning. The book is fiction, but it's written with a heavy dose of background research which makes it seem realistic. Considering the importance of perspective to the story, it's worth it to keep that in mind while you read.   hide

overall, this was a good read as it was easy to read and engaging. however, there are several things about this book that bother me. since, this is a fictional work written by 1) an American, 2) a man, how true is the protrayal of geisha and women in Japan of that time period?if at least somewhat accurate, it seems that the treatment of women has two sides to it. its interesting that the...more

overall, this was a good read as it was easy to read and engaging. however, there are several things about this book that bother me. since, this is a fictional work written by 1) an American, 2) a man, how true is the protrayal of geisha and women in Japan of that time period?if at least somewhat accurate, it seems that the treatment of women has two sides to it. its interesting that the sexuality of geisha was open, such that the lovers that they took was widely known and even consumated in ritual. most societies, even now in the West, regard sex as a taboo subject. its not always great to have as public knowledge the number of sex partners you've had, especially if you are a woman. also, many of the men that form relations with geisha are married! what about their wives? was it acceptable for them or in the culture that their husbands were cavorting about with other women? if that were the case, than what does this say about the sexual nature of men in general?oh, yeah, if you haven't watched the movie, yet, please don't! i saw snippets of it, and it just looked idiotic. i mean come on, japanese geisha, speaking in english with ridiculous accents.   hide

The story follows the life of a young Japanese girl, Chiyo, as she is sold into slavery during the Great Depression. It begins in a small fishing village as the 9-year-old's father sells her and her sister, Satsu, to a local businessman. Because of her unusual grey eyes, Chiyo is then sold to an okiya, a geisha house, while Satsu is sold into prostitution.It is amazing that Golden, an American...more

The story follows the life of a young Japanese girl, Chiyo, as she is sold into slavery during the Great Depression. It begins in a small fishing village as the 9-year-old's father sells her and her sister, Satsu, to a local businessman. Because of her unusual grey eyes, Chiyo is then sold to an okiya, a geisha house, while Satsu is sold into prostitution.It is amazing that Golden, an American male, has so eloquently portrayed the life of a Japanese geisha. He captures the emotions of his characters perfectly while describing Japanese life.Chiyo initially rebels. But when she learns that her sister has escaped without her and her parents have died she accepts her fate. She struggles to find independence within the strict world of the geisha and climbs to the top of geisha society, only to crash during World War II. She then starts over and finds independence through her patrons.Golden fills the book with vivid images and subtle descriptions of the nuances of Japanese culture, and is absolutely brilliant in his description of the customs and rituals of the geisha. Through the meticulous detail the reader can fully understand the politics, rivalries, and traditions of the Japan geisha society.But while Golden captures your attention with information, this is also the book's minor downside. With so much detail you almost get bogged down by the numerous definitions of Japanese terms. But if you hang in, the action picks up and you will start to cheer for Chiyo as she continues her struggle. Golden explores the concept of freedom within a slavelike society as Chiyo uses her brains more than her beauty to make an independent life for herself.If you are interested in Japanese culture or in a girl's quest for independence, you must read this book. If you want to immerse yourself in a complex and mysterious culture, read Arthur Golden's first novel, "Memoirs of a Geisha".   hide

Arthur Golden's "Memoirs of the Geisha" was certainly thought provoking...Adapted from the oral history recordings of a real life geisha, Mineko Iwasaki, Golden intended to provide an insight into the closed world of the geisha. However, I felt that his novel may have reinforced the widespread misconception that the geisha are akin to prostitutes. For e.g., Golden's book cited numerous references...more

Arthur Golden's "Memoirs of the Geisha" was certainly thought provoking...Adapted from the oral history recordings of a real life geisha, Mineko Iwasaki, Golden intended to provide an insight into the closed world of the geisha. However, I felt that his novel may have reinforced the widespread misconception that the geisha are akin to prostitutes. For e.g., Golden's book cited numerous references to the geisha practice of adopting danna (i.e. husband, similiar to a patron). Just for the record, the geisha are NOT prostitutes. Separately, the setting of the book - the militarism (1930s-1945) of the Showa era (reign name for the Emperor Hirohito) in Japan, especially appealed to me because of my interest in that period of Japan's history. Golden's book accurately depicts the social, cultural and political conditions that were in existence then. I was also intrigued by the character of General Tottori Junnosuke, who was the head of the war procurements in the Imperial Japanese Army. Being Sayuri's danna, the general ensured that the geisha house that Sayuri belonged to could enjoy the common creature comforts that had become scarce during wartime. At the same time, through the general's patronage and influence, the geisha house was off-limits to harassment by local Japanese military policemen. Interestingly, I recounted a similiar tale that occurred in Singapore during the Japanese Occupation....A Chinese family that had connections to a Japanese general displayed/pasted a special (paper) pass (that was issued by the general) at the entrance of their house. Thereafter, this Chinese household was spared harassment by roving Japanese soldiers... In fact, when the Japanese soldiers saw this pass, they even bowed in respect towards it!   hide

In this literary tour de force, novelist Arthur Golden enters a remote and shimmeringly exotic world. For the protagonist of this peerlessly observant first novel is Sayuri, one of Japan's most celebrated geisha, a woman who is both performer and courtesan, slave and goddess.We follow Sayuri from her childhood in an impoverished fishing village, where in 1929, she is sold to a representative of a...more

In this literary tour de force, novelist Arthur Golden enters a remote and shimmeringly exotic world. For the protagonist of this peerlessly observant first novel is Sayuri, one of Japan's most celebrated geisha, a woman who is both performer and courtesan, slave and goddess.We follow Sayuri from her childhood in an impoverished fishing village, where in 1929, she is sold to a representative of a geisha house, who is drawn by the child's unusual blue-grey eyes. From there she is taken to Gion, the pleasure district of Kyoto. She is nine years old. In the years that follow, as she works to pay back the price of her purchase, Sayuri will be schooled in music and dance, learn to apply the geisha's elaborate makeup, wear elaborate kimono, and care for a coiffure so fragile that it requires a special pillow. She will also acquire a magnanimous tutor and a venomous rival. Surviving the intrigues of her trade and the upheavals of war, the resourceful Sayuri is a romantic heroine on the order of Jane Eyre and Scarlett O'Hara. And Memoirs of a Geisha is a triumphant work - suspenseful, and utterly persuasive.From the Trade Paperback edition. less   hide