I kept re-writing my comments on this bit because I feel so conflicted that I can't write a comprehensive sentence about it. Likes: historical first person account. Original, native speaker. Detailed descriptions about unique aspects of cultural setting. Dislikes: the general personality of the ...
3,5/5Ho iniziato a leggere questo libro perché ho adorato "Memorie di una Geisha" di Arthur Golden, che si è rifatto proprio alla storia di Mineko Iwasaki. Di "Memorie di una Geisha" questo libro non ha poi molto, e per quanto la Iwasaki si sia lamentata per come Golden abbia stravolto la sua vita (...
crazy
"Geisha: A Life" is the autobiography of the woman in Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha. Liza Dalby's Geisha is however said to be more forthcoming about the reality of geishas' lives. Maybe read Dalby's and Iwasaki's together, to get a more accurate picture!
I found the storytelling stilted. Sometimes anecdotes were included for seemingly no reason. I also found it hard to follow the time line within the book at times. However, it was an incredibly interesting look into Japanese culture. I'd recommend it over Memoirs of a Geisha.
The culture Iwasaki reveals is more than enough for me to give her a pass on the somewhat stilted writing - she isn't an author by trade, after all. I especially enjoy the fact that she pretty much wrote this as a big "fuck you" to Arthur Golden, who ignored her request for anonymity when she helped...
Great book. I had finished "Memoirs of a Geisha" right before reading this and loved that one also. Memoirs is fiction, while this is autobiographical so there are differences in the details. The story is told beautifully and gives a great peek into the life of a real geisha. It dispels a lot of...
Ever since I read "Memoirs of a Geisha" I've wanted to read this one, as Arthur Golden mentions this book as being one of his inspirations. On my way to Italy I found it at the airport, and immediately bought it. It did not disappoint. Where MoaG takes place around World War 2, this one describes th...
One of my favourite books ever! Mineko's story is so fascinating, filled with tragedy, love and intrigue. Also great introduction to Japanese culture.
Not the sensationalist story you might expect, Geisha, A Life is actually a gentle look at a world most people know little about. I was captivated by this story.
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