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Memoirs of a Geisha

4.01 of 5 stars 4.01 · rating details · 798,607 ratings · 18,561 reviews

Sayuri, one of Japan's most celebrated geisha, is both performer and courtesan, slave and goddess. At nine, in a 1929 poor fishing village, she is sold to a geisha house, the buyer attracted by the child's unusual blue-grey eyes. In Gion, the pleasure district of Kyoto, she works to pay back the price of her purchase, while learning music, dance, elaborate costumes and cos...more

Paperback, 499 pages

Published November 22nd 2005 by Vintage (first published September 23rd 1997)

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Mar 26, 2008 Juushika rated it 2 of 5 stars

Memoirs of a Geisha is an American novel, and as such the attempt at West does East, especially on the complex and delicate subject of the geisha, is compelling, interesting, but also heavy-handed and ultimately ineffective (even more so in the case of the film). It is a wonderful introduction to geisha, Japanese culture, and the East for the uninitiated Western reader, and I can see why the book is popular, but I found it disappointing. For the reader already familiar with the culture, western...more Memoirs of a Geisha is an American novel, and as such the attempt at West does East, especially on the complex and delicate subject of the geisha, is compelling, interesting, but also heavy-handed and ultimately ineffective (even more so in the case of the film). It is a wonderful introduction to geisha, Japanese culture, and the East for the uninitiated Western reader, and I can see why the book is popular, but I found it disappointing. For the reader already familiar with the culture, western influences are all too clear and the book comes off as a bit clunky and imperfect. I also had some problems with the general perception of the characters by readers versus the way the characters were actually portrayed in the book--Memoirs is far from the good-willed fairy tale that people assume it is. By all means, read it, but leave it open for critique and remember that a more authentic representation of eastern culture, especially in the details, will come from the east itself.

A lot of my critique stems from the fact that this movie has attained such wide-spread fame and been made into a movie, to be sure. I feel like it is being perpetuated as something it is not. Even the introduction to the book (a faux translator's note) perpetuates the myth that Memoirs is an accurate, beautiful, in-depth reflection of the life of a geisha, when in truth it is no more that historical fiction and is written by an outsider. Golden has done his research and is well-educated on his subjects, and I have no problem with people reading from, taking interest in, and even learning from this book; I do, however, think it is important that readers don't conflate the American novel with Japanese reality. They aren't the same thing, no matter how much research Golden did, and if we take the book as an accurate representation we're actually underestimating and undervaluing geisha, Japan, and Japanese culture.

Because Golden attempts to write from within the geisha culture, as a Japanese woman, he must do more than report the "facts" of that life--he must also pretend to be a part of it. Pretend he does, acting out a role as if he has studied inflection, script, and motivation. He certainly knows what makes writing "Japanese" but his attempt to mimic it is not entirely successful. The emphasis on elements, the independent sentences, the visual details are too prevalent and too obvious, as if Golden is trying to call our attention to them and thus to the Japanese style of the text. He does manage to draw attention, but to me, at least, what I came away with was the sense that Golden was an American trying really hard to sound Japanese--that is, the effect betrayed the attempt and the obvious attempt ruined the sincerity of the novel, for me. I felt like I was being smacked over the head with beauty! wood! water! kimono! haiku! and I felt insulted and disappointed.

The problems that I saw in the text were certainly secondary to the purpose of the text: to entertain, to introduce Western readers to Japanese culture, and to sell books (and eventually a film). They may not be obvious to all readers and they aren't so sever that the book isn't worth reading. I just think readers need to keep in mind that what Golden writes is fiction. Historical fiction, yes, but still fiction, therefore we should look for a true representation of Japanese culture within Japanese culture itself and take Memoirs with a grain of salt.

I also had problems with the rushed end of the book, the belief that Sayuri is a honest, good, modest, generous person when she really acts for herself and at harm to others throughout much of the book, the perpetuation of Hatsumomo as unjustified and cruel when she has all the reason in the world, and in general the public belief that Memoirs is some sort of fairy tale when in fact it is heavy-handed, biased, and takes a biased or unrelatistic view toward situations, characters, and love. However, all of those complains are secondary, in my view, to the major complain above, and should be come obvious to the reader.

Memoirs goes quickly, is compelling, and makes a good read, and I don't want to sound too unreasonably harsh on it. However, I believe the book has a lot of faults that aren't widely acknowledged and I think we as readers need to keep them in mind. This is an imperfect Western book, and while it may be a fun or good book it is not Japanese, authentic, or entirely well done.(less)

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Oct 24, 2012 Sophia. rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bilingual, booooooring, disappointing, good-settings, interesting-idea-or-concept, life-lessons, made-into-a-movie, pretentious-writing, plot-what-plot, say-hi-to-mary-sue, slowwww, smoke-sex-alcohol, unconvincing-romance, unsatisfaying-ending, useless-and-ineffective, yawn-booring

So.. Memoirs of a Geisha. I'd been wanting to read that one for a very long time. I had heard so many good things about it. It's supposed to be awesome, and deep, and beautiful, right?
Wrong. It's not.

The writing was what bothered me the most. It's pretentious and superficial, and sloooooww and it goes on and on and on and on and on and still, very little happens. In some sort of weird combination, the writing is both superficial and cliché. It feels like Golden thought it would be a good idea...more

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view all 18 comments

Meghan Anderson I just want to explain that a Japanese woman would not have tried change her fortune. Duty, honor and obedience were very real.

And comparison to natu...more
Feb 23, 2013 10:09pm

Madison Turner I agree with Meghan. You really have to understand the culture before you make your judgements. Nature is extremely important in Japanese culture, and...more
Apr 26, 2013 07:58am

Sep 09, 2007 Liz Lynch rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Like eating fancy dessert at a gourmet restaurant, Memoirs of a Geisha is beautiful, melts lightly off the tongue and will be forgotten shortly after it's done. The language is strikingly lovely, and Golden paints a remarkable picture of a time and place.

If you're looking to learn something deep about the psychology of Japanese culture, or meet nuanced characters, then I'd steer you elsewhere. The story only skims the top of the more complicated aspects of a Japan in decline, focusing mostly on...more

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Feb 13, 2008 Megan B. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone

Recommended to Megan B. by: no one

Shelves: april-22-book-review

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The world of Geisha is a secret and forbidden world. The shell is beautiful and seems to be a life of luxury, but the core is pure suffering. Geisha do not love, they do not choose their fate, and their life is owned by the men they entertain. They are not meant to feel. The very word geisha means moving art. That’s all they’re meant to be. Not humans but paintings. Like a sculpture, beautiful but cold as the stone their made of. Memoirs of a Geisha is a book that is based on a true story and le...more The world of Geisha is a secret and forbidden world. The shell is beautiful and seems to be a life of luxury, but the core is pure suffering. Geisha do not love, they do not choose their fate, and their life is owned by the men they entertain. They are not meant to feel. The very word geisha means moving art. That’s all they’re meant to be. Not humans but paintings. Like a sculpture, beautiful but cold as the stone their made of. Memoirs of a Geisha is a book that is based on a true story and let’s us catch a glimpse of the world where the women paint their faces and don’t deserve to love.
Based in the 1920’s in Kyoto, Japan a young girl named Chiyo lives with her sister Satsu, in a poor town called Yoriodo along with her sick mother and elderly father.
Her father sells Chiyo and her sister to Mr. Tanaka to be taken to an office where they decide that Chiyo will become Geisha for her good looks and blue eyes but Satsu will be taken to a prostitution house in the pleasure district. Chiyo is taken to the Nitta okiya (Geisha House) to become a Maiko (apprentice geisha). She breaks her leg from trying to run away and her training is stopped. Chiyo is then told that both of her parents have died. She meets the Chairmen of Iwamura Electric Company and falls in love with him. She dedicates her life for him to become her danna (not a husband but similar, the danna gives geisha kimono, and money to afford an apartment. Danna are usually wealthy men). Hatsumomo is the lead Geisha in the Okiya and is jealous of Chiyo’s good looks and the attention she gets. Thus, she treats Chiyo like the dirt she walks on. The only person in the okiya kind to Chiyo is Pumpkin, an aspiring geisha the same age as Chiyo. Her dream is to be adopted by oka-san (owner of the okiya) and be the lead geisha of the okiya. Mameha, a renowned geisha, comes to the okiya to offer to be Chiyo’s onee-san (older sister). She teaches Chiyo all of the secrets to becoming a great geiko or geisha. She is no longer known as Chiyo but, Sayuri. Sayuri meets Mameha’s danna, the Baron. He takes an unusual interest in Sayuri, and when she goes to the cherry blossom festival held at his estate he brings her into his quarters. He presents to her, a beautiful kimono. He offers to give the kimono to her if she merely would take hers off. Sayuri panics and the Baron starts removing her obi. He did not violate her, just merely looked at her. Rumors spread that Sayuri is now a worthless Meiko (Meiko must be virgins for their mizuage; their first sexual experience which is sold to the highest bidder). With her debut not far away Sayuri has to mend all wounds with the patrons who heard the rumors that Hatsumomo spread. The bidding begins and Dr. Crab, one of Sayuri’s patrons, wins her mizuage. Sayuri then becomes a geisha, and unexpectedly is adopted by oka-san and is the head of the okiya. Pumpkin is extremely upset for that was her dream. Sayuri is given yet another name, Nitta Sayuri (taking the name of the okiya is a custom in the geisha world). She then obtains a danna, a general in the army whom she doesn’t really like.
War is declared on Japan. Sayuri’s danna leaves to fight in the war and is killed. Nobu, a patron and good friend, takes Sayuri into hiding in northern Japan. She lives there for years working at a dye factory owned by Nobu’s friend. Nobu comes for her and offers to become her danna. Sayuri, still in love with the Chairman, doesn’t know what to say. Nobu says that before she answers Sayuri and Pumpkin need to entertain a party with an American general to try and make peace. She accepts and tries to look like the geisha she was years before. Nobu clearly doesn’t like the General so Sayuri uses the general to make Nobu hate her. Sayuri tells Pumpkin to bring Nobu to the warehouse later at night. Sayuri brings the General with her and starts to be intimate with him. The door opens and instead of bringing Nobu as Sayuri asked, Pumpkin brought the Chairmen! The Chairmen sees and walks away. Sayuri runs to Pumpkin and asks why she would bring the Chairmen. Pumpkin says that Sayuri stole the one thing that she wanted, to be adopted by oka-san. She took what Sayuri wanted as vengeance.
Sayuri is depressed. She almost certainly lost the one she loved. She gets invited to a small get together and is surprised to find that the only person in the tea house is the Chairmen. He begins by saying that Nobu was supposed to come but heard about what happened and now is livid at her. He continues that he was the one who told Nobu because he understood Sayuri’s intentions. He says that Pumpkin explained and begins to kiss Sayuri. He confesses his love to her and offers to become her danna.
A danna is not a husband. Danna’s are usually married and have a geisha as a mistress. No matter how much she would like to marry the Chairmen she can’t. Sayuri moves to America because of a feud with who would inherit the Iwamura Electric Company, the Chairmen’s son-in-law married to the daughter he had with his wife or a rumored son with his mistress, Sayuri. She moves to New York and the Chairmen visits regularly.
The book ends with Sayuri saying that the day Mr. Tanaka took her away was the worst and best day of her life. She says, “As a young girl I believed my life would never have been a struggle if Mr. Tanaka hadn’t torn me away from my (house Yoriodo). But now I know that our world is no more permanent than a wave rising on the ocean. Whatever our struggles and triumphs, however we may suffer them, all too soon they bleed into a wash, just like watery ink on paper.”
I would highly recommend reading this book. It’s a window into a different world and makes you admire but pity the geisha. ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’ is an empowering novel that every person should read to appreciate what they have.

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Apr 15, 2007 Khalid rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: already-read

Memoirs of a Geisha is an amazing novel that discusses the life of a Geisha, a Japanese artist-entertainer. Both its very exotic setting, with its extremely different value system, and its fascinating plot, which grabs your interest early on and keeps you waiting for more all along, contribute to making this novel a special book worthy of reading.

The best quality in this novel, in my opinion, is the way the narrator (Chiyo), tells the story. Her reflections concerning much of the events in the n...more Memoirs of a Geisha is an amazing novel that discusses the life of a Geisha, a Japanese artist-entertainer. Both its very exotic setting, with its extremely different value system, and its fascinating plot, which grabs your interest early on and keeps you waiting for more all along, contribute to making this novel a special book worthy of reading.

The best quality in this novel, in my opinion, is the way the narrator (Chiyo), tells the story. Her reflections concerning much of the events in the novel are very similar to those of the reader. At least I felt I could connect with her, and approved of – even if I didn't always agree with – many of her actions. The pain she suffered is well-depicted in the novel, we almost start to feel that pain with her; we often share the same surprises with her about the different things a geisha should or should not do, and even share the pleasures of success regardless of the fact that most of us despise the geisha way of life.

A slave, sold by your own family, and trained for the sole purpose of pleasuring men, whether you like it or not. Imagine living such a life; I know I cannot. Yet, at some point, you are happy that Chiyo succeeded in becoming a geisha. If that's an indication of anything, it's the skills of the author.

They say a geisha is no prostitute; well, that may be true, but as the story truly shows, the main revenue for a geisha is through sex, at least when she is a successful one. To me, sex for money, no matter how much you sugar coat it, is still some form of prostitution.

I don't like what she did with Nobu, but I understand her perspective. Our emotions are not necessarily affected by how other people treat us, but by how we feel about their behavior. The chairman in my opinion was much more the Chiyo type than Nobu is, and her dedication to reach him amazes me, though not the methods she used to achieve it after her desperation.

The destruction of Hatsumomo was, in my opinion, the brightest point in the story. I feel that the story, and the geisha life, has changed forever after the Second World War, so Chiyo, or any other geisha at the time for that matter, could not have been more successful after the war, nor could the story be more fun.

Yet, another bright point was the encounter with the Chairman. Since Pumpkin caused the Chairman to run into Chiyo and the Minister, I knew the Chairman and Chiyo are going to have a future together. In fact, when Iwamura Electric called for Chiyo to the Ichiriki Teahouse, I guessed – correctly – that Nobu won't be there, but the Chairman.

The most disappointing thing in this novel, in my opinion, is the way the author talked about the US. If the novel had talked about any other place than his country, this might have been tolerable, but when an American author, writing a novel that takes place in Japan for the most part, makes the main character fall in love with the US, and talks about it like a country much better than Japan, there is something wrong. Unless, and I hope this is the case, he did this mainly because the actual geisha upon which he based his novel had described this to him. Then I might accept it.
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Mar 22, 2013 Jason Koivu rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction

A Cinderella romance that unexpectedly swept me away! Memoirs of a Geisha is a very picturesque and dramatic tale of a young village girl taken from her family and raised in Kyoto as a geisha.

Usually I don't go in for romance. Don't get me wrong, I love love. But I prefer my love stories to be true. There is something immensely powerful about real love. As far as I've been able to discover, much of this story is based on the actual events of the life of former geisha Mineko Iwasaki. Why do I th...more

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Jan 03, 2008 Denise rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Denise by: Book Group

Shelves: made-into-movie, bookgroup

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

19 likes · like · see review

Aug 20, 2008 Katie rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I've read this book 3 times now and each time I pick it up, I forget how much I disliked reading it the last time. On the surface, the book presents an interesting subject. The life of a geisha is fascinating, especially to a westerner who has little knowledge of Japanese culture. Golden does do a fine job describing the day to day rituals, life and culture of a Kyoto geisha in the 1930's.

However, once you get past the exotic subject matter, the plot proves itself to be particularly trite and i...more

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May 13, 2008 T.J. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Damn if you aren't one of the most problematic things I've ever read, Memoirs of a Geisha.

Like much of non-Asian America, I was swept up in the delight of reading this book in 2000. I was fifteen and precocious, and the narrative was arresting. I couldn't put the book down. I wrote this in 2000:

"Golden has hit pay dirt with this masterpiece. An insightful, curious, and caring look into the mysterious world of geisha, Arthur Golden peels away the ignorance and labeling that westerners have covere...more

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Apr 02, 2007 Zara Aimaq rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I first read this book in high school, and although I remember liking it, I don't think I was paying very much attention because I seriously thought the book was just about a bunch of Japanese hookers. But I reread it a few weeks ago, and I loved the story. Memoirs is about the life of this peasanth girl, Sayuri, in pre and post-WW2 Japan who is sold into life as an apprentive Geisha, and then ultimately, an actual Geisha.

The novel is full of these really great, vivid details of a variety of ch...more

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Oct 07, 2012 Arah-Lynda Hay rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: top, i-said

A beautiful, poingnant story that is so incredibly, lyrically captivating you are seduced from the very first word. An absolute work of art, each page overflows with beautiful, sensual, evocative images.

Such is the skill and authority of Golden's writing, I feel as though I have spent hours, being entertained by the most gifted of all Geisha. Utterly Satisfying. I want to read it again for the very first time!

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Jan 12, 2013 midnightfaerie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, favorites

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden was phenomenal. One of my book clubs picked it this month and I just saw the selection and realized I owned it and it was already on my list but didn't think I'd have time to read it in the next two weeks. But just for the heck of it, I picked it up and decided to just read the first chapter to see how I liked it. It took me less than three days to finish it. I absolutely loved this book. It was well written and gave an eloquent and sometime graphic portrayal...more Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden was phenomenal. One of my book clubs picked it this month and I just saw the selection and realized I owned it and it was already on my list but didn't think I'd have time to read it in the next two weeks. But just for the heck of it, I picked it up and decided to just read the first chapter to see how I liked it. It took me less than three days to finish it. I absolutely loved this book. It was well written and gave an eloquent and sometime graphic portrayal of the lifestyle of a geisha. It was fascinating to learn about the culture through the eyes of this young girl. The way Golden describes the Japanese world is easy to picture and completely draws you in. You find yourself rooting for this girl as her life hits one roadblock after another. His beautiful descriptions of the setting and clothes is enough of a reason to read this book, but it offers so much more as well. I do think this is classic material. Although published not too long ago I think it has the potential to be around for awhile, therefore falling under the longevity category. I also think it's an original concept. Many books touch upon the culture and classes of the Japanese, but I'm unaware of one that writes about the taboo intimacies of a geisha. If there are, I'd have to read them, but I think this book is original enough to be the leader of that group. I also think it has the magic factor. The descriptions of the era, the dress, and especially the differences in facial features of the characters pull you into the story effortlessly. I highly recommend it and believe it's a classic, if not now, then one in the making.

As for the movie, I have mixed opinions. When I first saw it years ago before reading the book, I thought it was lovely and moving. Since I just finished the book I decided to watch it again. Once again, I feel like a movie pales in comparison to the book, lacking in definition and finesse. Yes, it's good for what it is, and the actors they choose to play the parts did exceedingly well, but I found myself dictating constantly to my husband who was watching with me, parts that were never explained. Things like why they spark a flint at a geisha's back before they leave the okiya or why the girls had they hands frozen numb while they practiced the shamisen. To me this was imperative in experiencing the richness that all the culture had to offer. But alas, it's the downfall of a movie representing a book. They can't put everything in so you just have to enjoy it for what it is. That being the case, it was an adequate representation of the book, with talented actors playing the parts well.

ClassicsDefined.com (less)

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Dec 17, 2009 Fiona rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Fiona by: My sister

Shelves: books-i-own, setting-japan, bought-new, favourites

Four years ago, my sister sent me this book out of the blue. I admit, I wasn't sure to begin with that I'd like it. Of course any book coming through your letter box is very welcome.

I had no previous interest in Japan and it definitely isn't a novel I would have picked up on my own. Which just goes to prove what a hideous taste I have in books!

Anyway, I thought I'd see what it was like... so I sat down on the sofa by the window and opened the first page thinking I'd just get a feel of it and see...more

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Jun 28, 2008 Jillian rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

The book in itself presents an interesting story, and makes for an entertaining read, but what bothers me about this book is that the vast majority of Western readers interpret it as a historically accurate memoir, when in fact it was written by an American author for an American audience, and therefore has achieved its success through appealing to and reinforcing the stereotypes about Japanese culture in America. Another reviewer on this website writes, "It is a wonderful introduction to... Jap...more

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Feb 11, 2008 Alena rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Golden earns points for creativity, but loses them for inaccuracy.

The "memoir" of the elegant Sayuri, whose life as a high-class geisha is disrupted by the outbreak of war, is written in an intriguing and alluring monologue -- purportedly narrated by Sayuri herself to the author -- that pulls the reader in from the very beginning. Unfortunately, the real narrator, Arthur Golden, took some dramatic liberties with history and cultural practices, and the fallacious elements sprinkled throughout det...more

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Nov 09, 2007 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chicklits

I can't remember what made me pick up this book -- it must have been that edition's cover, which was highly gorgeous: bright bright white with big red geisha lips. I think part of me wanted to be above this kind of thing, but you know what? I thoroughly enjoyed it. Memoirs of a Geisha was a fairytale in novel form, and completely absorbing even when it got slightly ridiculous. It's one of those chocolate cake kind of books, descriptively rich, demanding your full attention and almost too sweet b...more

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Oct 12, 2007 Hannah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was well written, interesting, tasteful, and informative. It seems like the author really did his research.

The culture of this book is what interested me the most. The role women played and their place in society. Although this is merely "based on actual events", I kind of took a lot of it as what really went on. I've always thought of a Geisha like a prostitute, not as a companion/entertainer. I never thought about it being a career that they would have had special schools for young...more

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Apr 11, 2013 Rola rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

مازلت أتخبط فى رأيى.
ما بين الانبهار بحياة الجيشا و الدهشة حد الغيظ, تخيل فقط معى ما هو تعريف الجيشا "هن ببساطة محظيات الرجال فى اليابان" , طبقة إجتماعية معروفة بل أكاد أقول "راقية" , لوظيفتهن رتب و لأماكن تجمعهن مكاتب تسجيل و دفاتر و رسوم و لكل جيشا سمعة تسعى بتقاليد معينة للحفاظ عليها! !!!!!
كم الهوان فى الأمر رأيته من منظور مختلف , حيث الرجل ليس المتهم الوحيد , بل أيضا المرأة التى ترى فى كونها جيشا مدعاة للفخر و الشرف, هكذا صب فى أذنيها و هكذا آمنت على مر الأعوام.

و لأفسر كم الحيرة , لم أجزم ع...more

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Feb 05, 2011 Loederkoningin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: japan-and-japanese, coming-of-age, too-much-sugar, historical-romance, sugary-hollywood-ending

I got tricked into thinking this actually was Chiyo's biography. I read the preface by the imaginary professor matter of factly, not giving much thought to it. Of course the idea of reading an autobiography sparked my excitement. I liked the prose, the part of the book in which Chiyo was not yet abducted stood out and "felt" Japanese. What quickly brought me back on the right track again, was the formulaic style. Chiyo's life consisted of a little too many Cinderella ingredients to not make me d...more

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Nov 19, 2008 Anoud rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

Breaking my promise of keeping myself away from dramatic novels, I made up my mind to read this one, and just lucky me …….it was really worth it.

Memoris of a geisha is an astonishing novel that exposes the questionable secretive life of geisha specifically, and the superb Japanese culture in general. It's a story of Chiyo, a-nine-year-old girl, who had happened to be driven away from her own family, town and the spontaneous innocence of childhood, to be thrown in a curst, sickening life. In a w...more

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Aug 07, 2007 Marianne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: international, literature

I read this lovely novel on the plane home from Japan, finishing it upon my return to the US. I was surprised - given that it was written by a Western man - how accurately the Japanese culture was portrayed (at least from the limited knowledge I gleaned during my short time living there, and given that it was set in a time when Japan was, in many ways, very different from today).

Perhaps it was because I'd just left this beautiful country, but I was clearly able to imagine the vivid depictions de...more

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May 31, 2007 Budd rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: alsoamovie

Golden transports you back to the 20's to a time when the Japanese culture revered the women called Geisha. These are the memoirs of on such geisha Nitta Sayuri. These memoirs follow Sayuri from her sad youth were she is ripped away from her fracturing family to her being the proprietor of a tea house in New York in old age.

Sayuri, Chiyo in her youth, is adopted as her mother is on her death bed. She is sold to the Nitta Okiya, where she will one day train to be a geisha. Her sister is separate...more

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Aug 02, 2007 Wilson rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Alright, so if white people are not allowed to put on make up to try and make themselves look somehow like they are black people in movies (unless you're Ted Danson) without being wholloped on, why is it OK for Arthur Golden, who I don't know but I wager is not a Japanese geisha, to write a book that he passes off as the actual memoir of a Japanese geisha? And then have people say, "You know what, Arthur really captured the essence of the Japanese geisha." Why? Because he eventually had sex with...more

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Dec 24, 2007 Meirav Rath rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fiction lovers

Shelves: fiction, re-read

How honest and true a picture can an American man paint on the world of a geisha? Not much, in my opinion.
True, until the second world war starts, the book's a pretty nice window into that hidden world (as much as Golden's resources allowed him to know) but beyond that this book becomes another piece of American romantic kitsch trash as everything the main character ever wanted becomes reality and she moves to the mighty and wonderful America, to the country who flattened two of her nation's cit...more

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Apr 17, 2012 Kirk Plankey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had the (good, perhaps interesting fortune) to have not noticed that this book was a work of fiction until at the closing of the book. It was a fair bit of a disorienting dillema to have thought that I was listening to a real biography and that to have the veil lifted at the end to show the "man behind the curtain". It was actually a very great experiment, that one could not plan, in how our (read mine here) mindset behaves in certain, albeit subtle ways when we are reading a certain type of g...more

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May 05, 2008 Michi rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Very entertaining, but kind of made me gag. Everything was written in this faux-asian "My heart ached like cherry blossom petals floating on the river..." bullshit.

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Oct 19, 2012 Connie Cann rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoyed reading Memoirs of a Geisha because it feels authentic; the analogies and idioms Golden uses to describe Chiyo/Sayuri's experience remind me of the way Chinese women in my family tell stories. The memoir motif, though it feels personal and at times, poetic, is why I cannot rate this at five stars. It reads like a memoir, like Maxine Hong Kingston's Woman Warrior, but it is hard to get over that Memoirs of a Geisha was written by a white, American, middle-aged man, who went to Harvard a...more

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May 25, 2012 Jason rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I want to begin this review by stating that I thought this was an entertaining novel and I would be lying if I said that I wasn't captivated by the narrative. The plot was accessible and the novel contained many elegant turns of phrase that allowed for a memorable reading experience. I liked this book, I really did, and am certainly glad I finally read it.

However, there was still a level of discomfort and alienation I felt while reading this novel. The novel contains layers of storytelling that...more I want to begin this review by stating that I thought this was an entertaining novel and I would be lying if I said that I wasn't captivated by the narrative. The plot was accessible and the novel contained many elegant turns of phrase that allowed for a memorable reading experience. I liked this book, I really did, and am certainly glad I finally read it.

However, there was still a level of discomfort and alienation I felt while reading this novel. The novel contains layers of storytelling that complicate its reliability: Sayuri remembering and retelling her life as a geisha and then dictating it to a white male academic, who then has control of this woman's voice. This mirrors Golden's path in writing this novel, as he states in his acknowledgments, where he gives credit to Mineko Iwasaki for lending him her story and voice as inspiration. This is surely done in the purest and most respectful manner by Golden, but it remains problematic that the authentic voice of this woman and geisha is given to a man to reinvent and reinterpret. Even though this is a work of fiction, the responsibility and repercussions of this transfer of voice is important. Golden's enthusiasm and love for this topic is obvious considering his extensive research and dedication and it would be an injustice to fault him for this, but at the same time, it is a sensitive issue, in terms of both gender and culture.

This creates a character that is somewhat shallow - it presents Sayuri as the Japanese geisha that we, as readers, can observe and enjoy from a safe distance; she fits in the cultural role that we expect her to. It is important to note that this "Americanization" of another culture is unavoidable in this text: it is written by an American man and is written for a primarily North American audience, if for no reason other than economics - books are published to make money.

One particularly interesting part of this novel was actually in the fictional 'Translator's Note' that precedes the novel, where the man who is presenting Sayuri's memoir makes note of the gaps in historical record by saying that "a memoir provides a record not so much of the memoirist as of the memoirist's world."
Unfortunately, he barely skims this idea before moving on to the narrative. Interestingly, Golden seems to structure the novel after this idea. Golden is not so much giving a character a multi-dimensional identity, but seems to be using her to explore the world of the geisha with enough distance to entertain an audience for a brief amount of time.

I would give this 3.5 stars of 5.(less)

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Feb 28, 2013 Amalie rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, books-from-about-asia, 50-book-challenge, did-not-finish, i-regret-reading-this

It could've been a better novel or even a great novel but in the end, for me, it was nothing more than a Harlequin Romance. I guess that's the real reason behind the immense popularity. Reading this was a bad way to find why they call it a "Cinderella" story.

Golden is not a horrible writer but this does not seem spring from a desire for authenticity, it's like he's seeking attention like "look at me! I know everything" The "mizuage" practice really is a word as I learned from Wiki that stands fo...more

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Nov 08, 2008 Abdullah Suliman rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Ahmed therwi , Bader , HoPe , Nalsudairi , Heba , Ahlam

Shelves: favorites, audiobooks

It's my favorite novel. I consider it the best I have ever read. I love it so much that every time I read it I find myself living within it, as if I was one of the characters.
The movie wasn't as good as the novel. In fact it wasn't even that good ! I advise you to read the novel FIRST !

I highly recommend you to listen to the audio book for the novel, read by: Carole Boyd.
She did a great job. It's amazing the way she interacts with the characters, and also I love her accent !

-------------

طريقة س...more

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Should Sayuri have chosen Nobu or the Chairman?	100	762	Jun 07, 2013 03:56am
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Nothing but Readi...: Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden - Start Date May 2nd	58	154	May 15, 2013 07:57pm
Did anyone think it would have been better if it was really a memoir?	142	889	Apr 15, 2013 04:07am

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About Arthur Golden

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 in Beijing University, he worked in Tokyo, and, after returning to the United States, earned an M.A. in Engli...more

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Books by Arthur Golden

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“At the temple there is a poem called "Loss" carved into the stone. It has three words, but the poet has scratched them out. You cannot read loss, only feel it.” — 650 people liked it

“The heart dies a slow death, shedding each hope like leaves until one day there are none. No hopes. Nothing remains.” — 402 people liked it

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