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Search - Geisha : A Life
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Geisha : A Life Author: |
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Book Information
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Other Versions of this Book: Hardcover, Hardcover
Book Description:
No woman in the three-hundred-year history of the karyukai has ever come forward in public to tell her story -- until now.
"Many say I was the best geisha of my generation," writes Mineko Iwasaki. "And yet, it was a life that I found too constricting to continue. And one that I ultimately had to leave." Trained to become a geisha from the age of five, Iwasaki would live among the other "women of art" in Kyoto's Gion Kobu district and practice the ancient customs of Japanese entertainment. She was loved by kings, princes, military heroes, and wealthy statesmen alike. But even though she became one of the most prized geishas in Japan's history, Iwasaki wanted more: her own life. And by the time she retired at age twenty-nine, Iwasaki was finally on her way toward a new beginning.
Geisha, a Life is her story -- at times heartbreaking, always awe-inspiring, and totally true.
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Top Member Book Reviews
R. S. (
5 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is an interesting memoire in which a woman who describes herself as one of the pre-eminent geishas of post-war Japan describes how she came to be a geisha (or geiko) as well as what her training was to achieve the title. Since it isn't fiction it's devoid of drama but full of interesting facts about a life inside a compound of powerful women living much more complex and empowered lives than you might guess.
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
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 myths and misconceptions that people have. Definitely worth the read - especially if you are interested in that aspect of Japanese culture.
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
For those of you who have read "Memoirs Of A Geisha," this gives a fascinating account of a real geisha's life. It was fun to compare.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
LOVED this book. Amazing look into a culture & tradition far removed from my own.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
I found this very informative and help correct some wrong ideas I had about Geishas that the Movie "Geisha" would otherwise support. Very interesting.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
An interesting read. True story of a former Geisha in Japan with color photographs.
Keri (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I read this for a memoir swap and fell in love with all the characters. Very much like "Memoirs of a Geisha" but talks about what happened after WW2 instead of pre-WW2 which is what era Memoirs of a Geisha covered. I loved the pictures she included, and the ending as well. Highly recommended! I may have to buy another copy of it for my keeper shelf!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Geisha: A Life was a very good read... actually it is Mineko's biography from the time she was 5 years of age... Detailed life becoming a Geisha and the Japanese artistic culture... She also has questions and answers section as well a reader's club guide to help you along... Not to mention many photos in b/w as well as color... dg
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Please Rate these Book Reviews
This is a delightful story about a most successful woman who chooses to change her lifestyle at age 29. The author was trained from the age of 6, learned many lessons of life and talks in frankness about her life as a geisha. Very good read!
CHERYL M. (The life of a geisha was not what I expected. This is a story of a very young girl who goes to live in a geisha house to train to be a geisha - not a prostitute. I really enjoyed this look into a world surrounded in a mystery.
Jill G. (Interesting information on the life & lifestyle of a Geisha. Becoming a Geisha is an art & this book educates the reader on the history. Shocked by the amount of money Mineko Iwasaki made during her career. Good read!
Amber J. (I read this book after being introduced to the geisha (geiko) world by Memoirs of a Geisha. After reading this book, I realized that how geisha are portrayed in Western culture is not the real truth. For one thing, geisha are not "high-class prostitutes" as we are often lead to believe. I loved this book because it gives so many details into the geiko culture. I really enjoyed reading the detailed descriptions of hair ornaments and kimonos. The photo inserts were an added bonus, but poorly placed within the book. Most of the photos accompanied parts of the story later within the book so it ruined a bit of the surprise. Overall this was a very interesting story and very informative as well.
I enjoyed this book, it is amazing how different we all are.
Ivy Read All Book Reviews of "Geisha A Life"
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