false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223649786m/4620.jpg 4620 18 In the mid-1970s, an American graduate student in anthropology joined the ranks of white-powdered geisha in Kyoto, Japan. Liza Dalby took the name Ichigiku and apprenticed in the famed Pontocho district, trailing behind "older sisters" bemused by this long-legged Westerner intent on learning their arts and customs. In <I>Geisha</I>, this observant ethnographer paints an intoxicating picture of the "flower and willow world" to which she gained entry. "Why are you studying geisha?" asks one slightly belligerent older sister. "Geisha are no different from anybody else." Not quite, says Dalby dryly, pointing out that geisha and wives play utterly divergent, though complementary, roles in traditional Japanese society. "Geisha are supposed to be sexy where wives are sober, artistic where wives are humdrum, and witty where wives are serious." While hardly feminists, they reap freedoms unknown to other women. Dalby illustrates broader cultural differences, too, with a million tiny details about boisterous customers, how many hundred-weight of <I>tabi</I> (split-toed socks) geishas go through, what defines <I>iki</I> (chic), why <I>maiko</I> (young apprentices) are drawn to the life, and what geisha wear, from the skin out. Acknowledging that her growing personal stake in the masquerade prevented objectivity, Dalby frees the reader to enjoy a fluid and fascinating look at one aspect of Japanese culture. <I>--Francesca Coltrera</I> 1815032 1983 Geisha total:350|5:97|4:150|3:82|2:17|1:4| 350 1369 538 49 3 1 false false Mon Jun 12 00:00:00 -0700 2000 Mon Feb 11 11:31:29 -0800 2008 Mon Feb 11 11:31:29 -0800 2008
Of course, it's now a full week after A&E aired _The Secret Life of Geisha_, a show nominally based on Dalby's 1983 account of her time...more...]]> 5 1 false false Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2004 Mon Jan 26 11:32:37 -0800 2009 Mon Jan 26 11:36:02 -0800 2009 memoirs of a geisha and went straight to dalby's anthropological account of living with geishas. the book is beautifully made and dalby describes geisha culture very accurately. i would guess ...more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Jan 17 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Fri Jan 16 17:12:10 -0800 2009 Fri Jan 16 17:19:56 -0800 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Sat May 02 23:10:16 -0700 2009 Sat May 02 23:14:14 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Jan 10 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Thu Jan 08 13:05:20 -0800 2009 Mon Jan 12 09:37:26 -0800 2009 more...]]> 2 0 false false Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2004 Sun Jan 04 13:12:31 -0800 2009 Sun Jan 04 13:12:50 -0800 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Wed Jul 08 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Oct 26 10:55:08 -0700 2008 Thu Jul 09 13:22:21 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Tue Jan 20 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sun Jan 11 06:56:31 -0800 2009 Wed Jan 21 08:36:44 -0800 2009 library at Amatsu-Shima in Second Life. Whether that's so or not remains to be seen. I liked the author's refusal to draw cheap conclusions, however. Thank heavens for anthropologists and the e...more...]]> 4 1 false true Wed Jul 18 12:22:18 -0700 2007 Sat May 10 01:57:53 -0700 2008 ...more...]]> 5 0 false false Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Fri Jan 04 19:36:51 -0800 2008 Thu Jan 10 14:45:49 -0800 2008 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Feb 28 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Fri Feb 27 12:34:26 -0800 2009 Sat Feb 28 05:41:30 -0800 2009 1 4 0 false false Sun Feb 13 00:00:00 -0800 2005 Tue Apr 21 07:24:42 -0700 2009 Tue Apr 21 07:24:55 -0700 2009 ]]> 4 0 false false Sun May 24 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sat Jul 11 06:18:28 -0700 2009 Sat Jul 11 06:18:28 -0700 2009
It is amazing how close Dalby got to this world as an outsider. ]]> 0 0 false false Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2006 Sat Feb 14 22:19:31 -0800 2009 Sat Feb 14 22:20:55 -0800 2009 3 0 false false Wed Feb 05 00:00:00 -0800 2003 Sun Mar 22 18:12:24 -0700 2009 Mon Apr 06 03:59:34 -0700 2009
]]> 4 0 false false Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 -0800 2000 Tue May 20 15:46:09 -0700 2008 Tue May 20 15:48:13 -0700 2008 Memoirs of a Geisha, but ti's still a bit problematic. A 1970's sociologist studying Japan's geisha culture, Liza Dalby presents an intriguing, nuanced look at the subject. Whether discussing the finer points of tying kimono or handling tipsy custom...more...]]> 3 0 false false Thu Dec 11 06:56:42 -0800 2008 Thu Dec 11 06:57:59 -0800 2008 3 0 false false Wed Oct 01 00:00:00 -0700 2003 Mon Dec 29 21:45:41 -0800 2008 Mon Dec 29 21:46:25 -0800 2008 5 0 false false Sun Jul 19 15:19:53 -0700 2009 Thu Jul 30 14:16:13 -0700 2009 3 0 false false Thu Feb 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Sun Dec 07 05:28:19 -0800 2008 Sun Dec 07 05:31:06 -0800 2008 1 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=4620