Memoirs of a Geisha
About this book
A literary sensation and runaway bestseller, this brilliant debut novel tells with seamless authenticity and exquisite lyricism the true confessions of one of Japan's most celebrated geisha.Speaking to us with the wisdom of age and in a voice at once haunting and startlingly immediate, Nitta Sayuri tells the story of her life as a geisha. It begins in a poor fishing village in 1929, when, as a nine-year-old girl with unusual blue-gray eyes, she is taken from her home and sold into slavery to a renowned geisha house. We witness her transformation as she learns the rigorous arts of the geisha: dance and music; wearing kimono, elaborate makeup, and hair; pouring sake to reveal just a touch of inner wrist; competing with a jealous rival for men's solicitude and the money that goes with it. In Memoirs of a Geisha, we enter a world where appearances are paramount; where a girl's virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder; where women are trained to beguile the most powerful men; and where love is scorned as illusion. It is a unique and triumphant work of fiction--at once romantic, erotic, suspenseful--and completely unforgettable.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Reader Profile
4.2/5 · 2141764 readers · 551 pages · ≈ 10 h 12 m · Moderate
How long does it take to read Memoirs of a Geisha?
About ≈ 10 h 12 m — 551 pages, assuming roughly 250 words per page at 225 words per minute.
How many pages is Memoirs of a Geisha?
551 pages in its most-read edition.
What genre is Memoirs of a Geisha?
It sits on the Historical Fiction, History, Fiction shelves.
Has Memoirs of a Geisha been made into a movie or TV show?
Yes — screen adaptations include Memoirs of a Geisha (2006), Memoirs of a Geisha (2005).
Is Memoirs of a Geisha in the public domain?
No — it is still under copyright.
Where does Memoirs of a Geisha take place?
It is set in Japan, Kyoto, Japon during 20th century, 20e siècle.
Who wrote Memoirs of a Geisha?
Arthur Golden.