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According to Arthur Golden's absorbing first novel, the word "geisha" does not mean "prostitute," as Westerners ignorantly assume--it means "artisan" or "artist." To capture the geisha experience in the art of fiction, Golden trained as long and hard as any geisha who must master the arts of music, dance, clever conversation, crafty battle with rival beauties, and cunning seduction of wealthy patrons. After earning degrees in Japanese art and history from Harvard and Columbia--and an M.A. in English--he met a man in Tokyo who was the illegitimate offspring of a renowned businessman and a geisha. This meeting inspired Golden to spend 10 years researching every detail of geisha culture, chiefly relying on the geisha Mineko Iwasaki, who spent years charming the very rich and famous.
The result is a novel with the broad social canvas (and love of coincidence) of Charles Dickens and Jane Austen's intense attention to the nuances of erotic maneuvering. Readers experience the entire life of a geisha, from her origins as an orphaned fishing-village girl in 1929 to her triumphant auction of her mizuage (virginity) for a record price as a teenager to her reminiscent old age as the distinguished mistress of the powerful patron of her dreams. We discover that a geisha is more analogous to a Western "trophy wife" than to a prostitute--and, as in Austen, flat-out prostitution and early death is a woman's alternative to the repressive, arcane system of courtship. In simple, elegant prose, Golden puts us right in the tearoom with the geisha; we are there as she gracefully fights for her life in a social situation where careers are made or destroyed by a witticism, a too-revealing (or not revealing enough) glimpse of flesh under the kimono, or a vicious rumor spread by a rival "as cruel as a spider."
Golden's web is finely woven, but his book has a serious flaw: the geisha's true romance rings hollow--the love of her life is a symbol, not a character. Her villainous geisha nemesis is sharply drawn, but she would be more so if we got a deeper peek into the cause of her motiveless malignity--the plight all geisha share. Still, Golden has won the triple crown of fiction: he has created a plausible female protagonist in a vivid, now-vanished world, and he gloriously captures Japanese culture by expressing his thoughts in authentic Eastern metaphors.
Book Description
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.
Download Description
Nitta Sayuri tells the story of her life as a geisha. In Memoirs of a Geisha, we enter a world where appearances are paramount; where a girl's virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder; where women are trained to beguile the most powerful men; and where love is scorned as illusion. Sayuri's story begins in a poor fishing village in 1929, when, as a nine-year-old with unusual blue-gray eyes, she is taken from her home and sold into slavery to a renowned geisha house. Through her eyes, we see the decadent heart of Gion - the geisha district of Kyoto - with its marvelous teahouses and theaters, narrow back alleys, ornate temples, and artists' streets. And we witness her transformation as she learns the rigorous arts of the geisha: dance and music; wearing kimono, elaborate makeup and hair; competing with a jealous rival for men's solicitude and the money that goes with it. But as World War II erupts and the geisha houses are forced to close, Sayuri, with little money and even less food, must reinvent herself all over again to find a rare kind of freedom on her own terms. Memoirs of a Geisha is a book of nuance and vivid metaphor, of memorable characters rendered with humor and pathos. And though the story is rich with detail and a vast knowledge of history, it is the transparent, seductive voice of Sayuri that the reader remembers.
Customer Reviews:
Couldn't put it down.......2007-09-03
Absolutely one of the best novels I have ever read!!! I actually tried to get done at work as quickly as possible so I could get home and read this book. Such a wonderful story with compelling characters made me want to read and read and read this book. When I finished it, I was sad it was over. I'm still hoping for another page turner from this author.
Amazing storytelling.......2007-08-26
This was a fascinating book about the probable life of a successful geisha before and after WWII. I especially liked reading about the customs: the traditions, the ceremonies, the hierarchy of the okiya, the history behind the kimono and the symbolism behind the face paint and hair-dos. Made for a very interesting read and a great story, too!
I give very few books a rating of 5 !.......2007-08-06
I have given To Kill a Mockingbird a 5 and this book a 5. You may think they are nothing alike - but to an avid reader who reads everything from Dickens to Kellerman I look for a book to touch my soul, to peak my curiosities, to effect me. This book did that. I highly recommend it. Especially before watching the movie. I first read it many years ago, in a matter of a day or so. Just loved it. Then just recently watched the movie, which was slightly different but very well done. Romance, mystery, shock, laughter, tears, sadness, happiness. You will love, care about and hate the charachters. It will touch your heart.
Heidi, avid reader
POSSIBLY THE BEST BOOK EVER WRITTEN.......2007-08-05
Okay, so after 2,400 reviews there's nothing that I'm going to be able to say that will ad to plot, character or even writing style. but trust me when I tel you that if you want a read that will absolutely consume you for three days or more (depending on how fast you read), you HAVE to pick up Memoirs of a Geisha. The narrator's voice sounds exactly like a child's would if she was telling this tale, and matures as the girl herself matures into a stunning young geisha. It's the best read of my year so far, and I probably won 't find another book I like as much for several years to come.
Less Hollywoodization than the movie.......2007-07-31
I must say many factual parts were well-researched, and the author succeeded in portraying a life of geisha who survived in the early 20th century. Overall, the story is entertaining and enjoyable even to Japanese. I was very impressed by how well the author described beautiful kimonos and how Japanese people behave.
However, as a native of Japan, I found some awkward descriptions here and there. I found it hard to believe that so much use of poetic metaphors from someone like Sayuri, a geisha. My guess is that the author elaborated most metaphor parts based on the facts in order to make the story more romantic. Some elaboration was O.K., but the author did too much of it and made the story less realistic. The author attempted to convince readers that all geisha are not prostitutes by explaining that there are classes of geisha ranging from lower class prostitutes to higher class successful geisha who had privilege of luxury and more freedom supported by their "Danna". It was nice of the author that he makes efforts to correct many foreigners' "misconceptions" about geisha to protect their dignity, but his novel failed to do it. Why "mizuage" was involved in exchange of money and the geisha's feelings are the least of concerns? Owned by "Danna", whom the geisya does not necessarily love, provided main source of income from him that allows luxurious life in exchange of her sexuality is no different from a definition of prostitute. Since it is a fictional story, I should not expect too much accuracy and understanding of Japanese from an American after all.
The movie was disappointing though I know many westerners loved it. I admit, the scenery and music was extraordinarily beautiful, but frankly, I was disgusted by Hollywoodization of the original. Ironically, the movie only strengthens my "stereotypes" of how western males think of Japan ( ;-P).
Book Description
Any single or married woman can find success in the pursuit of love, marriage, and happiness with these sensible, sexy, realistic tips from Py Kim Conant, who used them to find her own American husband. More practical than politically correct, her advice covers every aspect of landing and keeping a man. Developing “Geisha Consciousness,” she says, helps maximize a woman’s femininity. The author invites readers to become a “Younger Sister,” a geisha-in-training, and then proceeds into the four parts of this lively, provocative book: getting started as an American Geisha; sex secrets to bond him to you; planning for marriage; and keeping the marriage fresh and sexy. She suggests specific strategies for women including creating a bedroom shrine of worship to hubby’s manhood; learning to express femininity and sexuality; identifying and then dating their “Good Man.” An afterword on "Geisha Power," a glossary of terms, recommended reading, and resources help readers expand the experience.
Customer Reviews:
Cute.......2007-10-02
While I felt that I didn't learn as much about geishas as I expected, Py's book has a certain charm to it that makes it worth recommending. Drawing upon personal experience, she relays ideas for keeping your man happy. Not a work for feminists, it is a work well done despite Py's lack of training in this area and her failure to mention any academic resources.
I geisha just had to be there........2007-08-26
Kudos to Mrs. Conant for pursuing her love of writing and making this book a hit. Personally, I don't find most of her suggestions for building the ego of a man to be particularly controversial and I agree with her on a lot of points. I can honestly say I've practiced most of this philosophy before she gave a name to it and the results have been easy and positive.
However, there are a couple of facts that the potential buyer should know about. The first being the author does not have much experience with successful love affairs, by her own admission. She dated a few jerks and finally married, at the age of 36, a man more than 20 years older than she. At the time of this book's publication, he is 63. She admits he "has a very relaxed attitude toward work and money; he is more of a thinker than a doer" (page 120). Now, one of the author's promises is that if you follow her advice, you can be married in 12 to 18 months. I'm sure she and her husband are in love and it's not my business to pry into her personal life, but the question is: is the potential buyer impressed by her choices enough to subscribe to her advice in order to get similar results?
Another interesting point was that the fact that they live in a one bedroom apartment with lots of exercise equipment all over the place. Exercise is important to them. Great. No problem. Except the premise of her book is to ALWAYS be feminine and fresh as a flower for your man. My question is, can a geisha sweat like a banshee while doing crunches on the carpet in front of her husband and still keep her feminine mystique? Why doesn't she join a gym to preserve the allure she is so passionate about? This is a quibble, I know. But still.
Finally, the one idea she put forth that I do find unique, to say the least, was to make an actual shrine to your lover's nether regions. Yep. Display an explicit photo of his member. Surround the photo with candles, small offerings and incense. Perhaps add a poem written about it. Okay. I had to ask my husband, who is no shrinking violet in the alpha male department, what he thought of this. He cringed and said it would be embarrassing. We both hope she was joking around. But we're not sure.
Interesting.......2007-08-01
I have to say I wouldn't normally be reviewing a book like this, but recently won it as a prize at a bachelorette party. Curious, I took it home and thumbed through it, and found it entertaining but a mixed bag. There are some pearls of wisdom here, and some things I questioned.
Among the things I wasn't sure about - if sweet, attentive, always-available, always-ready-to-please type women are the ones who get the man, why does it seem to be a fact of life that confident-to-the-point-of-nonchalance, slightly-b(you know the rest of the word) women often get the desirable guys? Men, like women, seem prone to picking out those they perceive as 'alpha females', and often those aren't the nicest or most considerate girls on the block. The idea that you should shower your man with constant sex and praise regardless...there's something to be said for giving a guy a challenge and making them work to please YOU, and again, look at how many desirable guys seem to end up with high-maintenance ladies. Also, the idea that you should find a less demanding job in order to spend time hunting down your man...at odds with studies that show salary is one of the number one factors men name when choosing a spouse!
On the positive side, it was a great sex manual, and very specific. The tips on how to make yourself over and make yourself up were great, and the weight loss plan was so 'real world' and practical (black coffee and exercise!). There were a lot of great idea in terms of how to make a guy feel great and to spoil them, and just on the male mind in general. Overall I'd recommend it as a fun read.
Modern Geisah.......2007-06-27
This is a good book. She talks to you one-on-one basis just as if you where sitting down with Kim, the author, having a cup of tea. It helps the non-girlie girls adjust a couple things to look attractive to your man with out loosing face of whom you are.
A Wonderful Eye Opener!.......2007-06-25
I'm 24 and am currently searching for my Good Man. I was wandering through the book store after getting rejected by a Wrong Man that I had been chasing for months. I felt so humiliated and and depressed and kept wondering what was wrong with me. I stumbled across "Sex Secrets of an American Geisha" I grabbed it and sat down on a cushy couch with it and must have been there 2 hours before I heard the store was closing. I then decided I HAD to have this book and ran home to keep reading. Upon reading further, I realized my approach was all wrong. Like Py, I had almost always been the one doing the chasing, and the men I were chasing were Wrong Men and Bad Men. I kept wondering why "fate" was repeating itself and why I kept making up excuses to not cut ties with these men. Py's book was a real eye opener and I see that if I had not read it, I'd still be chasing after all the Wrong Men and Bad Men and I'd never be happy. I have learned not only to not be with a man who disrespects me, I learned too that I don't have to be gaurded in a relationship with a Good Man because he's good!. I have realized I don't have to be aggressive to get by as a single girl in this world and a Good Man will love me for who I am and I will never have to feel like it's him vs me in a relationship ever again. Thank you Py for showing us younger sisters that we can have much more out of life and believe again that we can find a Good Man because they do exist! And thank you for helping us understand how to please ourselves in the process :)
Book Description
"Rises above many of its competitors, thanks to its ambitious scope...The book's photos and illustrations are frequently stunning....Gallagher's writing style is straightforward and articulate, with so much intelligence and grace, it's difficult not to be charmed."--Publishers Weekly
Take a fascinating peek into the geisha's world of tradition and ritual with the help of a most unique book. Four see-through vellum sections, of four layers each, begin with a "naked" geisha; they show, stage by stage, how her distinctive costume and make-up are assembled. You'll view the subtle changes of appearance through the round of seasonal events, and the elaborate array of equipment in the geisha's wardrobe, as well as everything she needs to do her demanding jobs. Equally revealing is the incredibly detailed information about the women's training, lives, and history.
Customer Reviews:
warhorse41.......2007-08-05
great transaction.recommend seller.I have studied Japanese culture and music.I keep it out for company to enjoy. It is one of my favs.
A thoroughly entertaining coffee table book on geishas.......2007-06-28
As a child I always been fascinated by Japan. I always loved Japanese culture from its rich history to its tapestry of fashion,pop culture, and its people including geishas. My interest in geishas really didn't hit its peak until I read Arthur Golden's novel "Memoirs of a Geisha". After the novel, I went out and bought or checked out any and every book about geishas.
I finally got around to checking out the John Gallagher coffee table book on geishas "Geisha: A Unique World of Tradition, Elegance, and Art". I personally enjoyed reading this book and looking at the gorgeous pictures. I loved the illustrations that dissected the geisha's wardrobe and makeup. I found the book pretty informative but there were times when I felt like the author was straying away from the topic of geishas and more into Japanese history. Was it really that necessary to go into the Heian and Edo periods? The author also does a bit of name checking but never get the people he name checks to say anything in his book. Liza Dalby gets a brief mention and that is about it. If anything Liza is the go to expert on geishas, not John Gallagher who I suspect is more familiar with Japanese history than with geishas. If John really knew a lot about geishas, why on earth did he use a lot photos of tourists dressed up as maikos? Think about it.
For a reference book on geishas, John Gallagher's book sure as heck isn't it. Go read Liza Dalby's "Geisha". For beautiful color photos, "Geisha: a Unique World of Tradition, Elegance, and Art" is the book for you.
Excellent Book.......2007-01-10
My daughter loved the book. It is filled with remarkable photographs, drawings and excellent information about the world of Geisha. Would recommend.
Real geisha.......2006-07-30
Memoirs of a Geisha is a poorly written and pathetic work that somehow became a Best Seller and is now an equally pathetic film which only goes to show that anyone with the right connections gets things published and can make a movie.
However it has shown people something about the orient and has caused interest in the subject of these women.
This book is certainly a good result. It is extremely well written and very well illustrated. Quite a bargain in matters of content and price.
A must have for anyone interested in these women or merely Japanese history.
very good for those into art, photography, or japanese culture..........2006-03-11
This book is extremely inexpensive for the number of pages and high quality photos. I found the captions and photos to express much meaning about the lives of geishas and it gave a look into the japanese culture, as well. I highly recommend this book as one for enjoyment and relaxation, as well as for research and such studies. Everyone of all tastes will enjoy this.
*To those who stated that this book doesn't give a look into the dark, seedy world of geishas -- geishas are different from prostitutes...geishas express art, dance, and culture and aren't trained to be prostitutes...several geishas have innocently entertained famous, powerful people such as Prince Charles, and other dignitaries in the past...*
Book Description
Forget the stereotypes. Today's Japanese women are shattering them -- breaking the bonds of tradition and dramatically transforming their culture. Shopping-crazed schoolgirls in Hello Kitty costumes and the Harajuku girls Gwen Stefani helped make so popular have grabbed the media's attention. But as critically acclaimed author Veronica Chambers has discovered through years of returning to Japan and interviewing Japanese women, the more interesting story is that of the legions of everyday women -- from the office suites to radio and TV studios to the worlds of art and fashion and on to the halls of government -- who have kicked off a revolution in their country.
Japanese men hardly know what has hit them. In a single generation, women in Japan have rewritten the rules in both the bedroom and the boardroom. Not a day goes by in Japan that a powerful woman doesn't make the front page of the newspapers. In the face of still-fierce sexism, a new breed of women is breaking through the "rice paper ceiling" of Japan's salary-man dominated corporate culture. The women are traveling the world -- while the men stay at home -- and returning with a cosmopolitan sophistication that is injecting an edgy, stylish internationalism into Japanese life. So many women are happily delaying marriage into their thirties -- labeled "losing dogs" and yet loving their liberated lives -- that the country's birth rate is in crisis.
With her keen eye for all facets of Japanese life, Veronica Chambers travels through the exciting world of Japan's new modern women to introduce these "kickboxing geishas" and the stories of their lives: the wildly popular young hip-hop DJ; the TV chef who is also a government minister; the entrepreneur who founded a market research firm specializing in charting the tastes of the teenage girls driving the country's GNC -- "gross national cool"; and the Osaka assembly-woman who came out publicly as a lesbian -- the first openly gay politician in the country.
Taking readers deep into these women's lives and giving the lie to the condescending stereotypes, Chambers reveals the vibrant, dynamic, and fascinating true story of the Japanese women we've never met. Kickboxing Geishas is an entrancing journey into the exciting, bold, stylish new Japan these women are making.
Customer Reviews:
At , last, a look beyond stereotypes.......2007-03-04
Very good book. Reccommended for anyone interested in Japan, or travelling in Japan -- esp for people who might be travelling or living there an extended time. We lived in Tokyo for nearly three years during the late nineties, and the complexities and surprisingly strong push for change that you notice if you talk a lot to women are very accurately described in this book. This book really belies the largely Western stereotype of submissive, traditional women. The book is also quite sympathetic and insightful in describing some of the difficulties of Japanese men in a changing society. Anyone interested in getting a feel for possible future directions of Japanese society should read this book.
Average customer rating:
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The Collector's Encyclopedia of Geisha Girl Porcelain
Elyce Litts
Manufacturer: Collector Books
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0891453539 |
Customer Reviews:
Not Stranger Than Fiction.......2007-08-17
What bothers me reading some of these reviews is that they lack a clear understanding that "Memoirs Of A Geisha" is fiction, with poetic liberties taken and "Geisha Of Gion" is non-fiction. While I do believe that Mineko Iwasaki kept certain things private, she IS the Geisha whom Author Golden based his now famous novel on. The similarites between the women is as clear as the diffrences. If you want an illuminating look into the Gion district and life as a Geisha, you won't be disapointed. This book is an engaging read from front to back with a smooth even flow.
Wonderful Book.......2007-01-09
"Geisha of Gion" is a WONDERFUL book that is worth a read. Although it is non-fiction, I found it just as riveting as "Memoirs of a Geisha" and actually laughed a couple of times. If Liza Dalby had written her book in this fashion, perhaps it would have been a better read.
At any rate, I am thankful that Mineko chose to share her story (and pictures!) with the world. It paints geiko in a real, human light without the weight and darkness presented in "Memoirs". I learned a lot about geiko by reading "Memoirs", but "Gion" was able to correct my knowledge and add a little more.
If you're interested in geisha/geiko, then "Geisha of Gion" is a must-purchase book.
a sad star rises and softy lands.......2007-01-04
How sad a beginning and wonderful end. I enjoyed it much more than MEMOIRS. A little slow but lifes low spots always seem that way. I know that she showed up at the films wrap party in KYOTO and you could hear a pin drop. SHe was as beautiful that night as any.
Robin Cahill
The Kimonocollector
The truth behind geisha-hood........2006-09-19
I recently heard of Iwasaki's accusations against the author of "Memoirs of a Geisha". Since I've read "Memoirs" and seen the movie, I wanted another viewpoint, that of a geisha's, which is the reason I purchased this book. Iwasaki's book recounts her life before, during and after being a geisha. Now only does it contain information about what a geisha really does, she also includes amusing tidbits of her daily life. She also explained the general misconception that geishas sell the virginity. Overall, this book is englightening with regards to not only geishas but also the Japanese culture. The story is autobiographical and less dramatic than "Memoirs", which is fiction. Also, Iwasaki's writing style can be a tad monotonous at times. This is a great read for those who want a peek into the lives of geishas, but not suitable for those who want drama.
Geisha of Gion: The Memoir of Mineko Iwasaki.......2006-07-08
Book was received ontime and in good condition.
Book Description
Japanese geisha and courtesans intrigue and fascinate Westerners. During the mid-nineteenth century, Japan opened its doors to the world and became an essential destination for travelers. Tourists desired images of landscapes and traditional Japanese culture, which Japanese photographers provided. They created souvenir albums consisting of hand-colored photographs individually chosen by the tourist. Many are so beautifully painted that they challenge modern sensibilities familiar with color photography. The photographic conventions were inspired by the aesthetics of the noted colored woodblock print medium of ukiyo-e and the privately published surimono. These works depicted the "floating world"—courtesans, geisha, and entertainments—which also were intriguing subject matter for tourists.
In the seventeenth century, the social category of entertainer, or more exactly hostess and companion for men, was established—the geisha, Japanese for "artist." Geisha are professional hostesses who train in the art of pleasing men, by performing traditional dance, playing instruments and singing, and intelligent conversation and humor. They were experts in tea ceremony and all aspects of dining. Their aim was to simulate the ambience and impression of Feudal Japan. It took years for an apprentice geisha (maiko) to learn the art, but the result was wealth, renown, and celebrity. This book, Geisha: A Photographic History, 1880-1910, documents the intimate life and culture of the nineteenth-century geisha. It portrays these artists in a cultural reality created by staged studio photography, private scenes, and rare outdoor images. The geisha is pictured performing her daily rituals and various arts—bathing, dressing, hair styling, dining, dancing, and playing instruments. Images of courtesans and other working women are presented alongside the geisha to show all sides of this enchanting aspect of Japanese culture. Completing the story are insightful essays on the history of nineteenth-century Japanese photography, the social history of the geisha, and the history of the opening of Japan.
Customer Reviews:
Geisha: A Photograpic History........2007-05-18
This is a wonderful book filled with great old photograpics and text. A book that anyone interested in other cultures would really enjoy!!!!
Stunning Photos, Insightful Essays.......2007-03-28
Dr. Stanley Burns is well known as the founder of the Burns Archive of Historic Vintage Photographs and as the author of several previous books about various niches within vintage photography. Here, Dr. Burns focuses on the representation of Geisha in photography during the peak of their popularity. This time period of photography in Japan is of increasing interest and popularity among museums and collectors, and several important books on the subject have been published recently. Burns take is a unique tact, though. He uses the photographs to tell the fascinating story of the geisha, but he does not dwell on details of individual photography studios. His is not a collectors guide, so he avoids the issue of attrubiton which drives so many such texts. And the production quality of "Geisha" comes closer than any previous works in truly representing the beauty of these hand-colored photographs.
Average customer rating:
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Geisha
Liza Dalby
Manufacturer: University of California Press
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ASIN: 0520204956 |
Amazon.com
In the mid-1970s, an American graduate student in anthropology joined the ranks of white-powdered geisha in Kyoto, Japan. Liza Dalby took the name Ichigiku and apprenticed in the famed Pontocho district, trailing behind "older sisters" bemused by this long-legged Westerner intent on learning their arts and customs. In Geisha, this observant ethnographer paints an intoxicating picture of the "flower and willow world" to which she gained entry. "Why are you studying geisha?" asks one slightly belligerent older sister. "Geisha are no different from anybody else." Not quite, says Dalby dryly, pointing out that geisha and wives play utterly divergent, though complementary, roles in traditional Japanese society. "Geisha are supposed to be sexy where wives are sober, artistic where wives are humdrum, and witty where wives are serious." While hardly feminists, they reap freedoms unknown to other women. Dalby illustrates broader cultural differences, too, with a million tiny details about boisterous customers, how many hundred-weight of tabi (split-toed socks) geishas go through, what defines iki (chic), why maiko (young apprentices) are drawn to the life, and what geisha wear, from the skin out. Acknowledging that her growing personal stake in the masquerade prevented objectivity, Dalby frees the reader to enjoy a fluid and fascinating look at one aspect of Japanese culture. --Francesca Coltrera
Book Description
In this classic best-seller, Liza Dalby, the only non-Japanese ever to have trained as a geisha, offers an insider's look at the exclusive world of female companions to the Japanese male elite. Her new preface considers the geisha today as a vestige of tradition as Japan heads into the 21st century.
Customer Reviews:
Very Interesting.......2007-06-18
This book not only holds your attention, but it opens the doors that have been closed so long to outsiders, even most japanese, for so long. I bought this about a year ago, and i didnt put it down for 3 days, which was the amount of time it took me to finish it. I read this after memoirs of a geisha and i really loved it. Liza Dalby got the experience of a lifetime, one that many of us wish we could have. All in all i have to say this is one of the best books about geisha...or any other book for that matter, i have ever read.
the best I have read about Geisha.......2007-01-29
Liz Dalby's book from the late seventies is a portrait in time of the flower and willow world of Geisha that no other Western author has ever been able to capture. This makes Arthur Golden's book Memoirs of a Geisha laughable compared to the poignancy of the stories of real Geisha and the lives they led at the time of writing.
Dalby also gives plenty of history (she is an anthropologist) as well as becoming her own test subject by actually portraying geisha herself. These personal accounts are worth every penny for the privelage. I would have much rather seen a film of this book!
There is so much that is deeply moving about her relationships with the Geisha and the dramatic losses of real life that are interwoven throughout the book. I would love to see a follow-up to the book, to see how all of this ultimately became part of her life.
There are excellent photos throughout, though some in color would have been nice. This is a true anthropological memoir but it is never dry, never overly intellectual. Dalby is not a great writer but she is a terrific journalist.
I've read many books about Geisha and this stands alone as the finest.
geisha.......2006-09-05
This book by Liza Dalby is the most comprehensive book on geisha I have seen. Also, very readable.
Insightful.......2006-07-30
Picked this one up years ago after seeing the moving starring Pam Dawbar which I enjoyed.
I found it most interesting reading as far as cultural aspects go as well as most informative.
Very well written.
geisha.......2006-07-27
In "Geisha" Ms Dalby invites the reader to wander, with her, through ancient and modern day Japan. Through her eyes you meet and greet people from all walks of life. With dignity and honour she introduces you to her Geisha friends. Before you are aware you a transported into the world of Geisha, a world so different and yet so like your own. When you finish the last page, there is a sadness and a wish to know that the people you've come to care about "live happily ever after". Thank you Liz, your book opened my eyes and touched my heart.
Book Description
During World War II, Japan was vilified by America as our hated enemy in the East. Though we distinguished "good Germans" from the Nazis, we condemned all Japanese indiscriminately as fanatics and savages. As the Cold War heated up, however, the U.S. government decided to make Japan its bulwark against communism in Asia.
But how was the American public made to accept an alliance with Japan so soon after the "Japs" had been demonized as subhuman, bucktoothed apes with Coke-bottle glasses? In this revelatory work, Naoko Shibusawa charts the remarkable reversal from hated enemy to valuable ally that occurred in the two decades after the war. While General MacArthur's Occupation Forces pursued our nation's strategic goals in Japan, liberal American politicians, journalists, and filmmakers pursued an equally essential, though long-unrecognized, goal: the dissemination of a new and palatable image of the Japanese among the American public.
With extensive research, from Occupation memoirs to military records, from court documents to Hollywood films, and from charity initiatives to newspaper and magazine articles, Shibusawa demonstrates how the evil enemy was rendered as a feminized, submissive nation, as an immature youth that needed America's benevolent hand to guide it toward democracy. Interestingly, Shibusawa reveals how this obsession with race, gender, and maturity reflected America's own anxieties about race relations and equity between the sexes in the postwar world. America's Geisha Ally is an exploration of how belligerents reconcile themselves in the wake of war, but also offers insight into how a new superpower adjusts to its role as the world's preeminent force.
Book Description
Fascinating study of geisha, courtesans, kabuki performers as portrayed by masters of Japanese art from 1600 to 1868.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful prints, fascinating essays.......2000-08-09
It is difficult to find an art book that perfectly balances information and art; but Swinton has compiled a book which achieves this balance beautifully. Not only does the reader enjoy large, beautiful color prints of the floating world, but she also is presented with several entertaining and thoughtful essays that begin to demystify the world of the Japanese pleasure quarters. The essays deal with such subjects as the history of Kabuki theater, the life of geisha, and the function of the pleasure quarters in Japanese society. However, the art is not dealt with as mere illustration; the works are analyzed in terms of technique and art history, and the prints are catalogued with extreme care for the art scholar. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in art, Japanese culture, history, or women's studies.
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