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Summary: One of the best
Review: This book is absolutely fantastic. If the subject freaks you out, I would recomend this book just for the style of writing. Just read the first few pages and you'll know what I mean.
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Summary: if only there were more than 5 stars!!!
Review: There are no words to express how this book captured my heart. I really felt as if I was reliving Sayuri's life through her own words. The author, although a GUY, wrote masterfully, and totally convinced me that I really was reading a geisha's memoirs. He explained everything so beautifully, and the story unfolded so realistically, that I couldn't help but cry when I finished the book. It became a part of my life for a few days, and really has changed the way I view life. I really can't explain what I mean (which is quite obvious), but let a sentence suffice. I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!
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Summary: A Fire Beneath the Kimono....
Review: I read this book on my sister's recommendation, with much hesitancy. I don't usually go for the "book of the week" but was intrigued by the geisha culture, so I gave it a shot.
The first thing that shocked me was that "Memoirs..." was written by a man. Arthur Golden's ability to paint this culture and their womens' strength is staggering. The politics and cutthroat behind-the-scenes drama take the reader to a world where virginity is given to the highest bidder, and love is set aside for duty. Behind the richness and beauty of these women lie dreams and wishes that must be hidden away in order to survive.
Read this book and you will look at our freedoms and traditions in a new light. Women the world over aren't that different after all. Just ask a guy named Arthur.
- Another great read along these lines is "The Red Tent" by Anita Diamant.
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Summary: Easily one of my favorite books
Review: I was recommended this book by the manager of a local (store) who said this is her favorite book. And now it's one of my favorites, as well. It's delightfully poetic and kept me completely enthralled from start to finish. Sometimes I just couldn't put it down. I simply had to know what Sayuri was going to get into next. While extremely entertaining, it was also fascinating to learn so much about the Japanese aristocracy and the old traditions of the geisha during the Great Depression. Some chapters, particularly the ones toward the end involving Pumpkin, made me laugh and smile; others made me tear up. I would recommend this to anyone.
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Summary: An insightful look into the life of a geisha.
Review: This novel ranks within my top five novels of all time. Not only is the story captivating and engrossing, it's very well written! The prose is neither cumbersome nor abstruse, and I love the metaphors Sayuri uses to describe things and people (I can't think of any offhand!).It is the story of a poor Japanese peasant girl named Chiyo who is whisked away to a geisha house by a well-meaning but thoughtless village bigwig. She is accepted into a Kyoto okiya, or geisha house, and put to work as a servant girl while she attends geisha school. The condition is that if she can prove she has what it takes to be a geisha, she will not have to work as a servant any longer; if, however, she fails in her geisha studies, she will remain a servant for the rest of her life. Chiyo gives the geisha thing a go but is not really successful at it: Not only does she pine for her family and her old life, but she also is tormented at every turn by Hatsumomo, the principal geisha in the okiya who, but virtue of her status, holds the power of life and death over Chiyo. A thwarted escape attempt from the okiya effectively squashes Chiyo's geisha aspirations. She is removed from geisha school and forced to live out her life as a servant. Until one day when a chance meeting with the Chairman defines Chiyo's destiny. She makes the only choice available to her to improve her quality of life: She puts her heart and mind into becoming a geisha. Fate plays wonderfully into her hands when Mameha, Hatsumomo's hated rival, takes Chiyo under her wing and molds her into one of Japan's most famed geisha. Renamed Sayuri, Chiyo is the talk of Kyoto. Even Hatsumomo, her tormentor, is slowly and gradually vanquished by Sayuri's increasing power and fame. The only part of Sayuri's life that saddens her is her unrequited yearning for the Chairman, a man she loves whom she believes she can never have and who, as far as we can tell, regards her as just an acquaintance. The story picks up momentum as it races ahead to World War II. While it doesn't disappoint in its description of how Sayuri and her geisha peers survived during this dark time in history, the action and excitement level off after this. Though it continues to be a fine story, things work out a little too conveniently in the end. But, all in all, a very fine and entertaining effort. Like SHE'S COME UNDONE, the reader will marvel that this story was written by a man peering through a woman's eyes.
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Summary: Educational and entertaining
Review: Did not excpect to enjoy this book as much as I did. I just wanted to read more and more. I would recommend it to anyone.
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Summary: Our Second Reading Selection
Review: Memoirs of a Geisha was book of the month for May 2002 and the one word all of us used to describe it was excellent. We all enjoyed reading this book and all of us agree that this book was a true 5 star book. We were all captivated in the transformation of Chiyo into the Geisha, Suyuri and enjoyed rivalry between her and Hatsuomo. All of the descriptions in the book were excellent from the land, culture, homes and especially the clothing. It was interesting to learn more about the life of the Geisha and we all thought Arthur Golden did his research pretty well. This is the first book we were all in complete agreement on and its highly recommended.
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Summary: Window to another world
Review: I have little interest in Japan, even less in romance, and I normally run shrieking from anything that looks like Oprah might recommend it. I read this book because my wife told me I would. I am mightily glad she did. One of my greatest pleasures in reading is to have an author convincingly open another culture to me, and Golden has done so in spades. He has clearly painstakingly learned his subject; much as Tolkien wrote his works as an afterthought to his great academic passion (languages), this book appears to have emerged incidentally to Golden's immersion in Oriental culture. It shows in the wealth of detail and in his ability to make bizarre (to me) circumstances and decisions feel right. I won't venture to guess how he not only portrayed a convincing Japanese perspective, but a woman at that. What could have been a cheap romance turns out to be a memorable read. Remarkable. Travel broadens one's horizons, and a good book can do so as well. I must admit, after reading this I'm interested in a culture that held no interest to me before.
I hope Golden doesn't succumb to the pressure to capitalize on his success by churning out a less lovingly detailed work.
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Summary: A Wonderful Read
Review: Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden is a wonderful novel. Golden did an excellent job at really letting you enter a Geisha's life, and what it was like through his use of imagery. Many descriptive words are used that paint a picture for the reader's imagination to visualize. The descriptions is what made the book so wonderful and enjoyable to read
The novel is strengthened very much with Golden's use of imagery. Each word plays an important role in what the sentence or paragraph is describing. No detail was left out so that a true understanding of every situation Sayuri encounters on her journey of life was stated. When the story first starts out it moves slowly and there is not much going on. However, as the story goes along Sayuri comes upon more elaborately set scenes and situations. In these scenes and situations, Golden includes every detail in his writing so that you can relate, as the reader, to how each character is feeling.
Memoirs of a Geisha is an all time favorite of mine. It was and unforgettable book that would be impossible to forget about what was read. Almost every page has a lasting impression especially on how to view life. When at first when Sayuri was taken from her family she thought that she could never live fully again, later she realizes that there is always something in life to live for even if it is not what you wanted it to be, you just have to find the good in it. I recommend reading this novel, especially if you enjoy reading historical fiction; it is one of the better of the novels out there.
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Summary: Could not put this eloquently writen book down!
Review: I felt like I was the one living in the lives of the characters of this novel. The images are so clear. The language is lovely and truly captures the eloquent and cordial manner that in wich Japanese speak and the richness of ritual that is a part of everyday life in japan. Just lovely!
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