Maureen Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 In my opinion, it's enjoyable, but I would not classify it as awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted January 15, 2007 Author Share Posted January 15, 2007 I agree with Maureen - I enjoyed it a lot, but there were others I enjoyed more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 I read this a few years ago... and although I enjoyed it, it hasn't stayed with me like some books do. Definitely worth reading though. I'd like to see the film version, but I'm waiting for it to be on TV! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lofusexy Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 ive seen the film , but havnt read the book yet. Its on my shelf waiting to be read. The film was very gd so the book is sure to be a winner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 The film was very gd so the book is sure to be a winner. it does not work out the same vice versa............... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilou Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 Read the Geishe a few years ago also. I liked it despite it being slow and obvious. Did you find the story to follow Sex and the City's Carrie 's destiny? I was disappointed with the end. Would love to see the film though for the photographic perspective of it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAY Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Nearly finished it and it has been amazing. Its been like being in a different world. Absolutely fascinating. Anyone else read it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~V~ Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Thread here Kay, if you can't see a thread, just go to the 'search' link at the top, put the main words in (in this case; 'memoirs geisha') and you should find every thread with the words in question. This book gets mentioned a lot - it's exceptionally popular Wonder if a mod will now merge this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nici Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Thanks V, I have now merged them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~V~ Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 No problems. Just proving I'm awake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottishbookworm Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 I've never read the book yet:readingtwo: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethany725 Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Old thread, but just picked this up from the bookstore today, so bumping this up in case anyone has recently read it and wants to share any thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 I keep running into this book in one of my favorite charityshops and I always pick it up and wonder whether I should buy it. But it's like 4 euros or so and I'm used to getting my books cheaper, and this one's really not on my TBR so I hesitate and then I hesitate some more and always end up putting it back I hope you enjoy the book! (And I hope that if it's any good the book hasn't disappeared from the charityshop by then...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethany725 Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 I did the exact same thing.. picked it up and put it down for months! I found it today for $1USD so I figured I might as well get it.. I'm probably not going to find it for a better price than that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 That's not a bad price at all Are you going to read it soon? Remember to post your thoughts afterwards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethany725 Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Yep.. I think it's next in line after "Anne of Green Gables" I'll make sure I post what I think as I go along and, of course, after I'm done as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 I've had this book for over a year and not gotten around to reading it, not sure why, I love Geisha's, but I think I just have so many other books I want to read more, so I never bother with it, I'm determined to read it by the end of the year though! Hope you enjoy it Bethany! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 I read this about 10 years ago, and thought it was a very good book indeed. I do, however, remember enjoying the first half of the book slightly more than the second, as I felt the descriptions of the training and early life of the main character as a Geisha were extremely interesting. For some reason, whether it was my naivety as a reader back then or not, I'm not sure, but I was about three quarters of the way through the book before looking at the cover and realising it was actually written by a male author. I thought the voice of the female character was truthful and convincing, and very well written overall. In fact, seeing this thread has reminded me of the book, and I wonder why I never bothered to look for any more books by the same author! I'm off to do that now ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceinwenn Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 I read this a fairly long time ago & loved it. Just googled it & found an article on Wikipedia & saw this bit: "Controversy After the Japanese edition of Memoirs of a Geisha was published, Arthur Golden was sued for breach of contract and defamation of character by Mineko Iwasaki, a retired geisha he had interviewed for background information while writing the novel. The plaintiff asserted that Golden had agreed to protect her anonymity, due to the traditional code of silence about their clients, if she told him about her life as a geisha. However, Golden listed Iwasaki as a source in his acknowledgments for the novel, causing her to face a serious backlash. She even received death threats.[1]. Arthur Golden of his behalf countered that he had tapes of the conversations [2]. Eventually, in 2003, Golden's publisher settled with Iwasaki out of court for an undisclosed sum of money. Iwasaki later went on to write her own autobiography, an account different from Arthur Golden's novel, thus proving that Golden's was a work of fiction and not based on Iwasaki's life. The book was published as Geisha, a Life in the U.S. and Geisha of Gion in the UK." I think I must go find this book & see what it is like compared to Memoirs of a Geisha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Kell read Geisha of Gion a few years ago, her review is here. I think I may have to get that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natty Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 I wrote my dissertation on women in China 1845-1926 by looking at literature and history. Originally though I wanted to look half at Chinese women and half at Japanese women - just so I could fit geisha in. I read Memoirs of a Geisha in preparation and then never used it. However, I was really glad I did because it's super! I'd encourage anyone to give it a go because despite being written by Golden who's a man writing about a) a completely different culture and about a world which is entirely female he's really convincing and as it's something which I've researched it's accurate. If you enjoy that I'd recommend Liza Dalby's Geisha. It's a true story about a western woman who went to Japan to "become" a geisha. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCee Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 I read this when it was first out and loved it. It came out at a time when I wanted to read anything at all about Japan and think I read it in a weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightwish Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Reading all of these positive views on the book really makes me want to read it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Iwasaki later went on to write her own autobiography, an account different from Arthur Golden's novel, thus proving that Golden's was a work of fiction and not based on Iwasaki's life. The book was published as Geisha, a Life in the U.S. and Geisha of Gion in the UK." I think I must go find this book & see what it is like compared to Memoirs of a Geisha! I read Memoirs of A Geisha a few years ago and couldn't put it down! It was brilliant! I'm definitely adding this book to my 'must buy asap' list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 I've got the film of this on my "too watch" pile, I really should get around to it sometime! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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