Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10009 in Books
• Published on: 2003-05-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

The Times
'Eloquent and innovative ... It should be received with nothing but respect'

Daily Mail
'A glimpse into the exotic, mysterious, tinged-with-eroticism world of the almost mythical geisha'

Company Magazine
'This beautifully written book gives a truly fascinating insight into a secretive world'

Customer Reviews

Geisha of Gion
I was given this book by a friend and only started reading it because I had no other book to hand - to my suprise, I couldn't put it down! This book is beautifully written. As other reviewers rightly state, Mineko Iwasaki writes factually, however she offers insight beyond the phenomenon of Geiko; she helped me better understand the importance of 'honour' amongst the Japanese people and the impact of this way of thinking upon Japanese culture. A rare jewel of a book.

an interesting read
An intersting biography, very easy reading and a good introduction to the Geisha culture. Mineko describes the hard work that goes into her former craft, which seeks perfection. I found the detailed descriptions of clothing, ceremonies and training fascinating.

Mineko describes her very insular experience, she also does not shy away from describing some of her own worst aspects, refreshing in an autobiography.

Not a perfect book by any means, as at times it skims the surface, but a worthwhile and enjoyable read.

Hmm...
I didn't find this book to be particularly good in describing the details of a life; it offers some insight into a different culture, but there are better examples out there...