"Memoirs of a Geisha", which is set in early 20th Century Japan, is a story about Sayuri, a woman who was born in a fishing village and sold to an okiya (geisha dwelling) at the age of nine. She starts out as a maid, taking some very serious abuse from the resident geisha and the owners of the okiya. She grows up to become a renowned and respected geisha in her own right, and discovers a lot about herself in the process.



The title of the book is a bit misleading, though, in that Sayuri and her story are fiction. However, the historical details and facts - including the custom of auctioning off a young apprentice geisha's virginity - are true to life, which gave the book a lot of believability. It was so believable, actually, that I was quite amazed to discover that Golden is in fact an American man. His ability to bring forth the voice and mindset of a Kyoto geisha is absolutely uncanny. As you read the book, you will be nearly convinced that you are reading the words of Sayuri herself.



The book's authenticity will not only astound you, but it will also debunk a lot of popular "geisha" myths. For example, contrary to what a lot of people outside of Japan believe, a geisha is not exactly a prostitute. Yes, sensuality is a very important part of the geisha trade. And yes, many geisha took wealthy men as their patrons - he would cover the geisha's living expenses, and get certain *ahem* benefits in return. But a true geisha would NEVER sell herself to men in quite the same manner a prostitute does. Above all, a geisha is an entertainer - a musician, a dancer, a beguiler, and a master of the art of conversation.



I don't want to spoil such a beautiful book by revealing too much of the story - you're just gonna have to go out and get it yourself. But I will say that I highly recommend it!

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Created Apr 29, 2003 at 6:02pm • Submit your own review...