Memoirs of a Geisha: A NovelMemoirs of A Geisha is an epic drama about the remote and shimmeringly exotic world of Sayuri, one of Japan’s most celebrated geishas. The novel has been a beloved bestseller all over the world and is now set to become the major movie event of the year. The film stars Asia’s most celebrated movie stars including Zhang Ziyi (House of Flying Daggers; Hero), Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai), Gong Li (Raise The Red Lantern), and Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). In this literary tour de force, novelist Arthur Golden enters a remote and shimmeringly exotic world. For the protagonist of this peerlessly observant first novel is Sayuri, one of Japan's most celebrated geisha, a woman who is both performer and courtesan, slave and goddess. We follow Sayuri from her childhood in an impoverished fishing village, where in 1929, she is sold to a representative of a geisha house, who is drawn by the child's unusual blue-grey eyes. From there she is taken to Gion, the pleasure district of Kyoto. She is nine years old. In the years that follow, as she works to pay back the price of her purchase, Sayuri will be schooled in music and dance, learn to apply the geisha's elaborate makeup, wear elaborate kimono, and care for a coiffure so fragile that it requires a special pillow. She will also acquire a magnanimous tutor and a venomous rival. Surviving the intrigues of her trade and the upheavals of war, the resourceful Sayuri is a romantic heroine on the order of Jane Eyre and Scarlett O'Hara. And Memoirs of a Geisha is a triumphant work - suspenseful, and utterly persuasive. From the Paperback edition. |
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afternoon apprentice geisha Arashino ARTHUR GOLDEN asked Auntie Baron beautiful began Bekku bowed certainly Chairman Chiyo Crab dance danna Doctor door entrance hall entryway eyes face feel felt fish floor futon gave Gion girl Granny hair hallway hand happened Hatsumomo Hatsumomo-san heard Ichiriki imagine Iwamura Electric Japan Kabuki Kamo River kimono knew Korin Kyoto laugh lips look ma'am maid makeup Mameha Mameha-san mats mind Minister mistress mizuage morning Mother mouth never night Nitta Nobu Nobu-san okiya older sister once Osaka party Pontocho probably Pumpkin robe Saiho sake Satsu Sayuri seemed seen shamisen sitting smell someone sorry sort stepped stood stopped street Sugi sumo sumomo sure talking Tanaka tatami teahouse tell terrible thing thought told took Tottori turned underrobe waiting walked watched wearing week woman wooden Yoroido young