First book I've read on Geisha's and I loved it so much it has fueled my need to get to Japan and my fascination with all things Japanese.

I thought this was a fantastic book and a great insight to the culture although I am aware of the controversy surrounding it and the liberties the author took but this will still remain an all time favorite for me.

“Contándote mi vida, la he vuelto a vivir”; dice la protagonista. Y también nos ha permitido revivirla junto a ella como lectores gracias al particular estilo de narración que nos ofrece la voz de Sayuri, tan colorido como transparente.

Me parece increíble que este libro haya sido escrito por un hombre blanco occidental, pero me complace que, pese a las diferencias entre su cultura y la de Japón, haya sido capaz de retratar toda una vida ficcional con un realismo desconcertante a partir de eventos históricos y una rica documentación que viene de diversas fuentes: desde libros hasta entrevistas con mujeres que se dedicaban a prestar sus compañía en las casas de té entre los años 30 y los 60. Se nota la dedicación y el empeño que invirtió tanto a la historia de Sayuri como a la investigación que necesitaría para dar voz a las geishas, a su rol en la historia de Japón y del mundo, a sus conflictos propios y al desarrollo de su identidad, sin caer en estigmatizaciones ni clichés. Qué refrescante se siente conocer la historia a través de un personaje tan real, guiado por la pluma de un autor que sabe hacer justicia a las costumbres, la cultura y la perspectiva femenina en ese contexto, a la par que evidencia el impacto de la mirada masculina en el mundo de las geishas.

Golden hizo un trabajo admirable y me ha hecho sentir partícipe de estas memorias. Es verdad que hay puntos en los que la cantidad de descripción puede ser algo agobiante, pero si ustedes aman las historias de este estilo, con un ritmo reposado y que se disfrutan más leyendo entre líneas, valdrá la pena, porque al final habrán experimentado una vida más: la de Sayuri, su historia con “el Presidente" y, en suma, el conjunto de grandes y pequeñas casualidades que la llevaron a convertirse en una geisha como pocas.

P.D.: Ahora por fin voy a ver la peli

So some have issues with this book. Even the former geisha who consulted on it. There was some cultural kerfuffle.

Whatever. It's good. I liked it. Sure, it's no handbook to feminism, but the title is Memoirs of a Geisha, not Memoirs of a Subversive Warrior Lady Light Years Ahead of Her Time.

So. Two very enthusiastic thumbs up. Fine holiday fun.

A pleasing mix of Great Expectations and Little Orphan Annie but all mixed up in Japanese Geisha society.

Full disclosure: I, like many westerners, believed that geisha were a high end version of prostitutes. Sophisticated, talented and very excessively priced – but prostitutes all the same.

Golden’s book has afforded me some erudition and I now know that is not the full story … except, well … there are still some elements of prostitution in the story. The fictional geisha first person narrator describes her own role as akin to a mistress rather than a wife, with formal rules that for the most part established that a geisha was connected to her “danna” or patron. It’s all very complicated and I never fully understood what was going on. To be fair, looks like the intricate etiquette rules confuse many Japanese as well.

My usual genre is science fiction / fantasy so this was something of a departure for me, but honestly, the description of Japanese culture, particularly Geisha culture, might as well have been something dreamed up by Jack Vance or Robert Silverberg it was so alien to me.

Golden describes the “memoirs” of a fictional geisha, Sayuri, and her ascent to the role of geisha in a bildungsroman style. We also share in Sayuri’s animosity with rival geisha Hatsumomo and her complicated relationships with patrons and sponsors.

Entertaining and provocative, this also sheds light on a time and place, Japan before, during and after WWII.

Loved this.
Don't know why it took me so long to pick it up.
Favourite of the year so far.

This is not a memoir. Do your research people! Arthur Golden invented it all, and shamelessly used up Mineko (the retired geisha) who trusted him enough to tell him her life story. A real story and not the fiction printed on these pages. Mineko received death threats because of his lies. These are serious things. Many Asian women were sexually assaulted by Western man because of books like this one, books that paint them as promiscuous prostitutes.

This author was sued for breach of contract for mentioning Mineko in the acknowledgements and as they came to some kind of agreement in the court, I don't think the author still advertises this novel as a true story, but didn't he use to do in the past? At any rate, a lot of people think that was Golden wrote was based on a real life account and that is definitely not the case.

What do I think about his actions? Not only did the author trivialize and insult Japanese culture but he invented the whole thing. It is fiction, not memoir. Obviously nobody cares about that. What interest me is how readers be so stupid (or perhaps better to say culture ignorant) as to think this is a memoir? Haven't you noticed passages literally rewritten from Gone with the Wind? That episode when the heroine hides her hands after having to work during the war. Gone With the Wind rip off for sure. There are other Western movie references that I can think of but forgive me if I don't feel too inclined to overly analyze this excuse for a novel.

So, what do I think about this novel? If the author wasn't so immoral in advertising it falsely, had he been clear it was all invention- it would still be a terrible and shameless book. I mean maybe I could give it two stars if it was placed in an imaginary land. The story isn't great as such, but apart from being wildly racist, it's somewhat readable. Nevertheless, it is a shameless and racist attack on Japanese culture. The author should be ashamed of himself.

There are two distinct schools of thought about this famous novel. One says it’s page-turningly brilliant and the other says it’s pernicious nonsense and dull to boot. Naturally, being very grumpy, I am of the second school of thought. Sophia’s review from 2011 perfectly sums up all the problems

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

So I won’t repeat all her points. I quit on page 138. To begin with I was fairly uneasy about the whole idea of a white Western man writing as an Eastern woman but I still believe an author can’t be confined to their own time & place, that would be absurd. But this was pushing the boat out more than somewhat. In the acknowledgements printed at the back Mr Golden is most respectful of all his great Japanese informants, as well he might be. His main informant sued him for misrepresentation (settled out of court).

SOME OF THE DIALOGUE IS RIDICULOUS

This is a 12 year old girl speaking :

I’m no more a rival to her than a puddle is rival to the ocean.

I’d give anything to undo my mistakes. I’ve waited so patiently in the hopes that some opportunity might come along.

I’m like a river that has come up against a dam, and that dam is Hatsumomo.

Doesn’t sound like any 12 year old girl I ever heard, but maybe they all talked like this in 1920s Kyoto.

BUT MAINLY

Whereas many people in their enthusiastically describe this as compelling, I thought it was really not compelling. I was uncompelled. I was like a river that came up against a dam, and that dam was the remaining 290 pages of Memoirs of a Geisha

تا قبل خاطرات یک گیشا فکر می‌کردم گیشاشدن خیلی باحال و جذابه. اما نمی‌دونستم گیشاشدن یه انتخاب نیست، یه جور بی‌چارگیه...

برخلاف خیلی‌ها که از جزییات خسته می‌شدن برای من خیلی دلنشین بود. چون کلاً به فرهنگ شرقی علاقه دارم- به جز این نگاه وحشتناکی که به زن دارن و خیلی خیلی غمگینم می‌کرد. اما توصیفات رو دلم می‌خواست هزاربار بخونم و یادم نره، می‌دونم از همین الآن هم یادم رفته. ولی تجربه تکرارنشدنی‌ای بود. یه رمان رو این‌قد با حوصله و ریز به ریز بخونم و فقط بذارم وقتی که فکرم آزاده، فقط وقتی که می‌تونم حسابی روش تمرکز کنم. از کِش دادنِ مدت کتاب اصلاً خوشم نمی‌آد. ولی این انگار هرچی بیشتر طول می‌دادم بیشتر توی ذهنم حک می‌شد. یه تیکه‌هایی رو ول می‌کردم و تا یه هفته تو فکرش می‌رفتم. مثل قضیه خواهر سایوری- که دیگه هیچ‌وقت ازش خبری نشد و تا پایان داستان نامعلوم موند... یا مامه‌ها، شخصیت مامه‌ها واقعاً یه حالت فرشته‌گونی داشت. چطور می‌تونی یه غریبه رو پیدا کنی که این‌قدر خالصانه برات وقت بذاره؟ اونم برای چیزی که همه طردش کرده‌ن و به وضعیت رقت‌انگیزی افتاده؟

من حتی نوبو رو هم دوست داشتم و راستش درک نمی‌کنم چهره عشق اول آدم این‌قد برای سال‌ها- پونزده‌سال فکر کنم، بشه همه هم و غمت. به نظرم انگیزه‌های بیشتری هم دخیل بوده اما به خاطر کلیشه‌های سنتی و جامعه مردسالارانه و وضعیت سایوری... قابل درکه این تصور. و ریسکی که کرد هم خیلی منو ترسوند. حتی کتابو بستم بلند شدم یه چرخی بزنم سرم گیج رفت :)) و برام سنگین بود که به خاطر عشقت به دوستت، جدا از علاقه‌ای که بهت داره، به خاطر اون همه محبت، بازم بهش خیانت کنی. گرچه می‌دونم آدم تو زندگی‌ش با سفت‌ترین موازین اخلاقی هم اشتباهات وحشتناکی می‌کنه و خودمم خیلی وقت‌ها طبق پیش‌بینی‌ها و هنجارهای خودم رفتار نکردم. بنابراین اینم قابل درک بود.

پایان خیلی پایان خوشی بود که این‌قد خوش رو دوست نداشتم. اما همه‌ش سرگذشت شخصیت توی ذهنم دوره می‌شد و با اون خودمو توجیه می‌کردم. جدا از همه این‌ها، بیان و زبان نویسنده مسحورکننده بود؛ در عین سادگی بدون هیچ تکلفی با تصویرهای قشنگش- که نمی‌دونم دخالت سایوری چقد نقش داشت- خیلی گیراش کرده بود.

I finally got around to reading this book! I've had it sitting in the bookcase for time, so I'm glad to say I've read it. I was almost afraid it would disappoint, but I'm happy to say, disappoint it did not.
This novel really is quite something. The story is told in such an exquisite style, that it captures your interest from the very beginning. The story tells us of the life of a Geisha, called Chiyo. The setting in which the story is told is beautiful and I felt as if I was with Chiyo, in her story. Japan has always fascinated me, and this has just made me feel like I'd love to learn more.

As the reader, I felt rather connected to Chiyo somewhat, or at least to a certain extent. Many of the choices she made or was forced to make, I could certainly relate to, even if I didn't necessarily agree with them. When she felt pain, the narration was written in such as way, that you, as the reader, could prominently feel that pain too.

The life of a Geisha really interests me, and this book helped feed that interest. I simply cannot imagine what it would be like to be sold as a slave by your own family, just to be trained up, to live a life just pleasuring men. It sends shivers down my spine just to even think about it.
I do disagree with a Geisha not being classed as a prostitute. That may be how it is seen through their eyes, but a Geisha's main income comes from them having sex. I think sex, especially when it involves any kind of payment, is a form of prostitution.

The ending of the story I found to be rather abrupt, and I didn't feel fully satisfied when I'd closed the book. I think I still have a few questions that will remain unanswered. Overall though, it remains a remarkable book and I can understand why it is such a classic.

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 على طول الرواية من أوصل "سايورى " إلى مصيرها كجيشا , فالدنيا فاعلة و مشاركة بدور رئيسى فى تغيير النفوس و أتت "بومبكين" فى النهاية لتخبرنى بأننا لا نكون أشرارا دائما بإرادتنا بل و أن تفسير الشر يختلف فما أفعله لأحمى نفسي شر الدنيا قد يضر آخرون و يعتبرونه ذنبا بحقهم لا يغتفر.

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 doubt her existence.

For example, her brief encounter as a child with the  Chairman and the way this affected her for the rest of her life didn't seem very likable, and appeared purely added for romantic 'it's fate' impact. Then there was Hatsumoto's limitless - evil stepmother! - hatred for what was in the beginning hardly more than a poor little girl from the countryside.You'd think a woman in her position would choose her battles in the snake pit that comes with the profession more wisely.

It was the ending though that bothered me most. Golden either became bored or felt his publisher breathing in his neck and thus tried to wrap up the story quickly. It showed. The final pages were hardly worth reading. Also, this book could've been so much more intense if Golden had avoided that sugary Hollywood ending. .

But then...despite its flaws this was one of those 'hard to put away' books. Geisha's in general are a intriguing - and dying - subgroup of Japanese culture, so it was interesting to read about their world: their habits, ceremonies and make up rituals. Despite me being in no position to comment on the veracity of his research, the author offers nicely detailed descriptions that showcase a lot of research.

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 detract from a potentially fascinating story. (This may not present a major issue to a reader who has no prior knowledge of Japanese culture, but such a reader should also be warned NOT to take this book as a factual representation of life in Japan.)

Additionally, although the narrative starts strong, it loses momentum partway through the story. By the time the inevitable tremors of World War II began to shake the cultural bedrock of Japan, I was already beginning to lose interest in the artificial suspense.

Overall, the book is written fairly well, and I can see why some readers would like it... but even while I was reading, I couldn't help feeling that I should have enjoyed it more.