Memoirs of a GeishaA 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. Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read 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. |
Contents
Section 16 | 244 |
Section 17 | 254 |
Section 18 | 265 |
Section 19 | 277 |
Section 20 | 288 |
Section 21 | 304 |
Section 22 | 317 |
Section 23 | 333 |
Section 9 | 139 |
Section 10 | 162 |
Section 11 | 176 |
Section 12 | 197 |
Section 13 | 209 |
Section 14 | 223 |
Section 15 | 234 |
Section 24 | 345 |
Section 25 | 357 |
Section 26 | 368 |
Section 27 | 378 |
Section 28 | 405 |
Section 29 | 419 |
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Common terms and phrases
afternoon already asked Auntie Baron beautiful began begin bowed called certainly Chairman changed closed coming couldn't course dance didn't Doctor don't door expected eyes face feel felt finally floor gave geisha Gion girl give hair hand happened Hatsumomo head hear heard hope imagine keep kimono kind knew Kyoto later laugh learned leave lived longer look maid Mameha mean mind Minister mistress moment months morning Mother never night Nobu Nobu-san okiya once party passed perhaps probably Pumpkin reached robe sake Satsu Sayuri seemed seen side sister sitting soon sort sound speak standing stepped stood stopped street sure talking Tanaka teahouse tell thing thought told took tried true trying turned understand waiting walked watched week woman wonder young