Memoirs of a Geisha

· Sold by Vintage
4.6
783 reviews
Ebook
448
Pages
Eligible

About this ebook

A literary sensation and runaway bestseller, this brilliant debut novel tells with seamless authenticity and exquisite lyricism the true confessions of one of Japan's most celebrated geisha.

Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read

Speaking to us with the wisdom of age and in a voice at once haunting and startlingly immediate, Nitta Sayuri tells the story of her life as a geisha. It begins in a poor fishing village in 1929, when, as a nine-year-old girl with unusual blue-gray eyes, she is taken from her home and sold into slavery to a renowned geisha house. We witness her transformation as she learns the rigorous arts of the geisha: dance and music; wearing kimono, elaborate makeup, and hair; pouring sake to reveal just a touch of inner wrist; competing with a jealous rival for men's solicitude and the money that goes with it.

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. It is a unique and triumphant work of fiction—at once romantic, erotic, suspenseful—and completely unforgettable.

Ratings and reviews

4.6
783 reviews
A Google user
Oh my gosh, where can I start... I was totally engrossed in this book, I was unable to stop reading. What surprises me the most about the book, IS THAT A MAN WROTE IT!! It was as if I was looking straight through Sayuri's eyes when reading!! I recommend this book to any fellow bookworm or just any average reader. (BTW this book made me cry! XD)
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A Google user
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden is a novel that states the inner and outer conflict that a teenage girl from Japan has to undergo to be an independent girl. Golden majored in art history, specializing in Japanese art. This love for Japanese culture pushed him to write the novel. Golden actually lived in Tokyo for a brief period, so he incorporated the culture of the Japanese into the book which brought the book to life. The genre of the book is realistic fiction. Golden had an intended audience that was guided towards teenagers. He makes this known by using exquisite diction along with many different forms of figurative language that relates to the teenage life. Memoirs of a Geisha is written in first person. While reading the book, the readers could clearly see all the struggles Sayuri undergoes. The setting of the book begins before World War II. The story follows Sayuri, the Japanese girl, through most of her life. It begins in a small town called Kyoto, a small fishing village. All seems to be well until the Great Depression strikes, and Sayuri’s father sells her and her sister to a business man for money. One thing about Sayuri stands out, her grayish blue eyes, and she is sold to a geisha house. This splits her entire family up, and it left her to fend for herself. In the beginning of the book Sayuri starts having flashbacks to when she was a young child. It is very sad to see how faintly she remembers her parents. The novel makes the reader feel like they are going through the experiences with Sayuri. She tries to stay strong, but it doesn’t appear to be all that easy. Golden really emphasizes what the impact of being a free woman really is. In America, the local mom is very rewarded with her freedom. In other countries, such as Japan, women are owned by men, and sometimes are forced to do degrading things that this side of the world has never seen. For example, in the book Sayuri is forced to be a prostitute, and to sell her body for money. This might be a little disturbing for some readers, but if they can overlook that aspect then they should really enjoy the book. Golden entices the reader by adding good diction and using actual Japanese words. This puts the reader in the correct plot, because Golden makes sure he brings some of the real life and culture into his novel. Golden’s style is unique. I like the fact that he took so much time to learn about the culture and then put it on a piece of paper so that other people could learn about it. The style has an informal tent to it though. He makes it an easy to comprehend novel. Most people enjoy an informative, easy read, fun book. Being a well written writer, Golden knew when to add the correct amount of imagery, and when to let it fade. Golden still gave you a crystal clear setting, but when it got too inappropriate, he knew when to start slowly shutting it down. For example, “I watched him walk away with sickness in my heart...” This is a quote close to the one of the first times she actually had to be forced to have sex with a man. The reader can infer that Sayuri was disgusted with herself, but could not do anything about it. She wasn’t a free woman anymore. Once Sayuri lives though her first encounter she thinks it becomes easier and easier. She is ashamed of what she is doing, but has no choice but to suffer though it. Another piece of figurative language that Golden uses well is similes. For example, “Hopes are like hair ornaments. Girls want to wear too many of them. When they become old women they look silly wearing even one.” This is comparing hopes to hair ornaments. Sayuri is about to give up on all her hopes of being free again, but then she finds out some critical information about her family that pushes her to keep striving on. She is tired of suffering, and wants to be a normal girl again, but once you’re sold into being a geisha it is a long and tiring process of finding your way out. Normally I do not enjoy books about sex and prostitution, but Golden knows how to
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Carolyn London
August 1, 2013
Read geisha, a life by the woman he got his story from! He completely twisted her story into garbage and he completly disregarded her wishes to not be named in his book. His movie was pure crap too!
6 people found this review helpful
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About the author

Arthur Golden was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and was educated at Harvard College, where he received a degree in art history, specializing in Japanese art. In 1980 he earned an M.A. in Japanese history from Columbia University, where he also learned Mandarin Chinese. Following a summer at Beijing University, he worked in Tokyo, and, after returning to the United States, earned an M.A. in English from Boston University. He resides in Brookline, Massachusetts, with his wife and two children.

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