# Memoirs of a Geisha



## kitaria (Jan 11, 2005)

A very well written book on japanese prostitution... 

i read it a long time ago so can't really remember it well, but before reading this book i thought that prostitution was an easy life for those who accept it.. but in japan it's a whole new story... 

the book shows the life of a girl who becomes a geisha, who has to go through training and fights to become the most popular geisha, and you also get to read through the moments in her life i.e losing her virginity, seeing to men, and finally a man who wishes to keep her for himself... 

please read it and add to my comment...


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## lisajane (Jan 11, 2005)

My brother brought me the book a long time ago, but I never read it.


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## Crunchy Hamster (Jan 12, 2005)

Great book, but it is not a book on Japanese prostitution, it is a story about geisha and the story itself shows this distinction. 

The book describes the life of a young girl who becomes a Geisha - lit. talented person - someone who entertains by pouring drinks, telling stories, conversing with guests, dancing, playing music and singing. This is what the main character does for a living. In the story, she sleeps with the person she gives her mizuage (first time) to, her danna, one or two affairs and the man she falls in love with. Does that sound like a prostitute?

In contrast, the main characters older sister does become a prostitute. The only entertaining she did was most likely on her back. An interesting distinction mentioned in dress is also that, while a geisha has her elaborate kimono tied with an obi - like a sash - at the back, a prostitutes obi is tied at the front. While a geisha probably spends many hours putting on a kimono with the assistance of a professional kimono fitter, a prostitute would do it by herself as she would have to take it off many times in one night for many different men....


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## Londongrey (Jan 12, 2005)

This book although good never did quite satisfy me.  It failed on mant aspects including making me care about the character.

The one book that did manage this on Japanese culture was 'The Tale of Murasaki'.  

Alex


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## Creative_Insanity (Feb 17, 2005)

I'm reading that book right now. So far I like it. It's supposed to be somewhat of a "modern classic" from what I hear.


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## valeca (Feb 17, 2005)

This is one of my favourite books, but probably more because of the circumstances in which it came to be in my possession, than for literary reasons.
Crunchy is right.  It's not about prostitution.  
Geisha literaly translates to 'courtesan', not prostitute.  Being a Geisha was/is a noble institution.  
Equating it with prostitution is probably the biggest misconception people have about the art forms these girls study for years.


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## Crunchy Hamster (Feb 17, 2005)

valeca said:
			
		

> This is one of my favourite books, but probably more because of the circumstances in which it came to be in my possession, than for literary reasons.
> Crunchy is right.  It's not about prostitution.
> Geisha literaly translates to 'courtesan', not prostitute.  Being a Geisha was/is a noble institution.
> Equating it with prostitution is probably the biggest misconception people have about the art forms these girls study for years.



Thanks for the support, Valeca.

An interesting fact: the first Geisha were actually men. Similar to English theatre, there was a time that it was thought to be uncouth and slightly disgraceful for a woman to act or entertain, therefore it was men who did this - dressing as women for female roles. In Kabuki, this is still done today. Some male actors are specialists in this - just as is mentioned in the book...


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## LiberalDem (Feb 17, 2005)

I, too, loved this novel.  I was drawn completely in and couldn't put it down.

My only nitpick, and this has nothing to do with the novel--only with someone's post, is:



> i thought that prostitution was an easy life for those who accept it.. but in japan it's a whole new story...



 :shock: 

I don't even know what to say to this.  How could anyone think prostitution was an easy life?


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## Crunchy Hamster (Feb 17, 2005)

LiberalDem said:
			
		

> I, too, loved this novel.  I was drawn completely in and couldn't put it down.
> 
> My only nitpick, and this has nothing to do with the novel--only with someone's post, is:
> 
> ...



I own two copies.

I guess from one perspective, prostitition is a fairly easy job compared to many others. To spare the details, lets just say than there are not many jobs in which you are paid for lying down...I think I will leave it at that...think about it...


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## lisajane (Feb 18, 2005)

I doubt, very much, that prostitution is an easy life... if it was simply a matter of being paid to lie down, I assume many more people would be doing it.


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## Drzava (Feb 20, 2005)

I think prostitution might not be so bad if proper protection is used and you aren't taking the job to get money to spend on drugs.

I've never read Memoirs of a Geisha after I heard the woman it was based on was extremely displeased about it and wrote her own book.  

For the people that did like it, however, you might try reading Snow Country.  It offers more insight to the geisha lifestyle.


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## valeca (Feb 20, 2005)

Thanx Drz,
I'm going to look for that book


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## cwilson (Mar 8, 2005)

It is quite a great read, and a very good piece of writing that shone among all of the other books i have been reading. It helped to feed my fascination with the Japanese culture as well.

And as far as prostitution goes, i wouldnt think it would be an easy life at all. Perhaps it *could* be, but in the conditions most of the prostitutes work, and with the type of men who go to them (in the united states at least -- in china i hear prostitution is quite a popular form of entertainment for bussiness men), it isnt all pillows and giggles. Also, though prostitution may be easy on your mind (requiring no more skill than knowing how to undress -- and half the time even this is done for you), it takes its toll on your soul. I don't mean that in a religeous way (hell, i cant even spell the word), and dont believe it will mark you as a "sinner" or whatnot, but i for one know that i would have a heavy wieght on my conscience if i resorted to prostitution.


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## Gruush (Apr 13, 2005)

Valeca:



Snow Country, wow, what a great book in terms of descriptive power. That's the kind of book that you can think of later and recall the overall "feel" of the whole novel. I highly recommend it. The translation is kinda stinky though.

We could start a whole thread on Japanese literature.

I liked "Memoirs" too. (How's that for deep literary analysis?)


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## Drzava (Apr 13, 2005)

heh, I hated Snow Country personally :lol:


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## Bethan (Apr 14, 2005)

> I've never read Memoirs of a Geisha after I heard the woman it was based on was extremely displeased about it and wrote her own book



Actually I don't think she ever read it - the author didn't publish it until after her death - because that is the condition she made him agree to before she would tell him her story.

I thought the book was amazing - a very good insight into the thinking of Japanese women of that era and the importance that they place on reputation.

Hmmm not sure about this prostitution = easy life tho'....


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## Drzava (Apr 14, 2005)

http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/japano/0111/011130ex-geisha.html


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## Bethan (Apr 20, 2005)

Oops I apologise Drzava!

I wish I could remember where I read the bit I posted all I remember was it was online - if I find it I'll post....


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## mistress_batty (Jul 23, 2005)

is this fiction or nonfiction? And if nonfiction, is it mainly about her becoming a geisha and going through that whole geisha 'job'? I ask because I'm taking a class write now about people and the work they do (i read books then write my own work related pieces and I'm looking for new books to read...)
  ^v^


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## styx (Aug 10, 2005)

mistress batty, Memoirs of a Geisha is fiction, but according to all the reviews/lit criticism it is very well-researched and accurate.

I believe this book is being made into a movie due out in winter 2005 or 2006.  I think the writing style is pretty cinematic, so it might be translate well into another medium.


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## The Cactus (Aug 15, 2005)

^ Yes, movie will star Zhang ZiYi (there was much uproar about a non-Japanese actress as the lead role, but I really don't see what the fuss is about) and will be directed by Steven Spielberg. Will look forward to it.

As for the book, I had to read it two times to fully get the meaning (there's a lot of subtlety). But now that I understand it, I'll say that it's actually a very tragic story. Despite the charmed life Sayuri leads as a geisha, her lifestyle is actually very oppressive in a lot of not-immediately-seen ways. A commentary on the culture, maybe? Who knows.

Highly recommended.


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## valeca (Nov 22, 2005)

I just saw the trailer for it, and it looks very good.  
I'm looking forward to watching it.


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## eleda (Nov 22, 2005)

I loved this book. I consider it a treasure, a story depicting a lifestyle chosen for young girls whose parents were too poor to care for them. The life of the Geisha was all that these little girls knew. The imagery of this story came to life in my mind, the silk kimonos, the land, the theater, their living quarters, the bitchiness of the geishas, trying desperately to outdo eachother, trying to hold onto their youth and to their clientele for fear of being thrown out because they're too old, back into a life that they had escaped from in the first place. The main character had no choice but to surrender to this fate. She was bought and sold. Her body was no longer her's' it belonged to the house. 

I've seen the trailer to the movie as well. It looked pretty good to me.

Thanks for bringing this up.


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## krazyklassykat (Dec 2, 2005)

Ooh, I really want to see the movie.  Tell me, should I read the book first?  I'm usually one for that, but I'd never heard of the book until I heard of the movie.


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## VinrAlfakyn (Dec 11, 2005)

krazyklassykat said:
			
		

> Ooh, I really want to see the movie.  Tell me, should I read the book first?  I'm usually one for that, but I'd never heard of the book until I heard of the movie.



Same here.


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## Verkleefd (Dec 11, 2005)

*I think that this book, though good and realistic, can't be turned into one of the greatest contemporary novels. It's a book. In fact, there is a more wider depiction of geishas in some of the works of Japan's greatest writers. Even more fruitful for the writing process of everyone.*


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## Indigo (Jan 11, 2006)

I really enjoyed this book, I read it in a day and a half. I find it incredible how an American man can get so into the mind of a Japanese girl, it was very well written and I can't wait for the film to come out.


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## Londongrey (Jan 11, 2006)

I thought this was a good book till I read The Tale of Murasaki.


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