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Memoirs of a Geisha
 

Memoirs of a Geisha (Vintage International)

by Arthur Golden

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... (read more)

Top tags: fiction,  historical fiction,  japan,  romance,  memoir (all tags)

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Other Reviews

Amazon Reviews
 

Most Helpful Reviews

Liked It

2 of 2 members found this review helpful.
maryam
  • Rated 4 stars

“Such a lovely, captivating read. Telling so much about the female condition, with the irony of being told by a man. The novel is very educational on Japanese culture. Beauty being a prominent theme. Beauty was something that I struggled with: natural vs. made beauty, how much beauty is determined by character in the book, how being unique in a way that Sayuri (the main character) always hated eventually made her who she was. The theme of beauty went well in telling the story of a geisha....”

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Didn’t Like It

1 of 6 members found this review helpful.
Raed A
  • Rated 2 stars

“I realy don't know what is so intresting about this book more than telling you what the GEISHA's are.”

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Community:
  • Rated 4.164234 stars
Amazon:
  • Rated 4.5625 stars
  

Newest Comments

  • Ariel C

    ariel c said:

    “Anyone who has read the part of the book where she goes to Nobu's house for the party, read on.

    When it's describing him undressing her, did he just look or did they have sex? I know she told her dresser that he just looked but I was confused by the images the author gave to me. I mean sure she had every right to cry but it seemed worse than it was.

    This probably makes no sense but can someone clear this scene up for me please.

    Thanks”

    posted Monday, October 13 2008 ( | view 3 replies )
  • Ariel C

    ariel c said:

    “I've had a few questions going through my mind as I've read such as, how is it that they make money? I know they have patrons but I don't understand how that works. Can someone help me with that concept? Also another question was what is purpose of the house the geisha lives in? Why don't they live on their own?”

    posted Sunday, September 21 2008 ( | view 2 replies )
  • emsgurl

    emsgurl said:

    “Does anybody know what award this book has won? It's tagged as an award winner but I can't seem to find which one...”

    posted Saturday, September 20 2008
  • Wajeeha S

    wajeeha s said:

    “should i go for this book?”

    posted Sunday, September 14 2008 ( | view 11 replies )
  • Ariel C

    ariel c said:

    “I haven't finished the book quite yet but so far I have found it so unbelievable. The details and images I see in my mind are so different than the movie. The movie was great, of course, but through the book I have been able to feel what she was feeling. I never knew what a geisha was before and now I am intrigued. I can't wait to finish this amazing story.”

    posted Thursday, September 4 2008
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