Geisha of Gion
The True Story of Japan's Foremost Geisha
Mineko Iwasaki author Rande Brown author
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Simon & Schuster Ltd
Published:8th Jul '21
Should be back in stock very soon
'A glimpse into the exotic, mysterious, tinged-with-eroticism world of the almost mythical geisha' Val Hennessy, Daily Mail
'[An] eloquent and innovative memoir' The Times
The extraordinary, bestselling memoir from Japan's foremost geisha.
'I can identify the exact moment when things began to change. It was a cold winter afternoon. I had just turned three.'
Emerging shyly from her hiding place, Mineko encounters Madam Oima, the formidable proprietress of a prolific geisha house in Gion. Madam Oima is mesmerised by the child's black hair and black eyes: she has found her successor. And so Mineko is gently, but firmly, prised away from her parents to embark on an extraordinary profession, of which she will become the best. But even if you are exquisitely beautiful and the darling of the okiya, the life of a geisha is one of gruelling demands. And Mineko must first contend with her bitterly jealous sister who is determined to sabotage her success . . .
Captivating and poignant, Geisha of Gion tells of Mineko's ascendancy to fame and her ultimate decision to leave the profession she found so constricting. After centuries of mystery Mineko is the only geisha to speak out. This is the true story she has long wanted to tell and the one that the West has long wanted to hear.
'Honest and authentic and entirely believable, a good read' Adeline Yen Mah 'It does offer readers a glimpse into the exotic, mysterious, tinged-with eroticism world of the almost mythical geisha' * Daily Mail *
'This eloquent and innovative memoir from a woman who threw herself with energy, dignity and unwavering commitment into the exacting demands of the geisha lifestyle should be recieved with nothing but respect' * The Times *
'A fascinating account...Her storytelling is charming and filled with fascinating details of her clients, her colleagues and Japanese cultural life' * Big Issue *
'This beautifully written book gives a truly fascinating insight into a secretive world' * Company Magazine *
'This marvellous factual memoir is written by the woman who inspired Arthur Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha' * Good Book Guide *
'The extraordinary life of the Japanese geisha holds an air of fascination . . . To read this is to dip into the Japanses psyche and glimpse a world which Westerners still find difficult to understand' * Worcester Evening News *
'Wonderfully romantic' * TLS *
'I was left feeling both respect and sorrow for Mineko...her courage and fortitude at revealing what she has experienced and, myself personally, revulsion at the contrived and exploitative expectations imposed on someone at such a young age' * Belfast Telegraph *
'Her memoir provides some startling details and wonderful insights...This superb translation is full of emotional ups and downs...very hard to put down' * Tribune *
ISBN: 9781471195105
Dimensions: 198mm x 130mm x 22mm
Weight: unknown
352 pages
Reissue