Geisha: A Life by Mineko Iwasaki Summary and Reviews
|
List Price: Our Price: $2.33 You Save: $13.67 (85%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Geisha: A Life
Book Review: Clears up misconceptions
Summary: 4 Stars
This book gives a full picture of a geisha's life from the beginning of a career until the end and shows the ups and downs. Mineko Iwasaki tells an interesting story of an exotic life, one that is commonly misconstrued in the west. Sometimes its difficult to keep track of all the Japanese names, because they all sound and look the same to me! Otherwise, a nice book! Enjoy.Book Review: Deserves a better translator/editor
Summary: 3 Stars
I enjoyed the story all right, but the many, many grammatical and word usage errors were so distracting that I was forcing myself to keep reading after only the first two chapters. As a Japanese translator and meticulous editor myself, I was deeply disappointed by the quality of this book; as a rabid reader, I don't think I'd ever seen such shoddy workmanship make its way to press.I'm not sure a better translation or edit would fix the problems other reviewers mentioned, but it would have helped keep me focused on the story, rather than on its poor presentation. Shame on Ms. Brown and Ms. Bestler for not doing a better job.
Book Review: Doesn't compare with Memoirs of a Geisha...
Summary: 3 Stars
OK, I had a couple of problems with Memoirs. But it couldn't compare to the problems I had with Geisha, A life. While the book was a fairly quick read (I finished it in less that 48 hours), it didn't quite captivate me like Memoirs did. Why?
My main problem was with Mineko. I never felt she suffered, or really felt at all. I never understood why she was so popular. Just because she worked a lot? To me, she seemed to be very sensitive and snapped at customers and onesan alike. So for the life of me, I could't understand why people would pay the 10s of 1000s of yen a night for her company.
Another problem I had was the inconsistency about the mizuage (spelled right?) and the danas. In Memoirs, the mizuage is a deflowering ceremony that goes to the highest bidder...for almost every geisha. In Geisha, that was reserved for prostitutes. In Memoirs, every successful geisha needs a dana to gain her financial independence. In Geisha...never mentioned.
Another gripe I had was with the style. Memoirs made everything come alive. The characters, the culture, and the tea house parties. In Geisha, we were never really given a glimpse into the sort of things a geisha must do. We were told they were supposed to be witty, but I never once saw any wit. We were told they were supposed to be poised and charming, but the one party situation that we were allowed a glimpse into, Mineko held a knife up to the throat of a customer. Hardly poised and charming.
Would my opinion have changed if I read Geisha before Memoirs? Quite possibly. Without anything to compare it too, it may not have seemed as empty. But I still think I would have felt Geisha was missing something.
Overall, a decent book to read if you are hooked on Japanese culture, but it is nothing that will change your life, or even your perception of things.
Book Review: Ego, ego and more ego...
Summary: 1 Stars
While true, this book is at a distinct disadvantage if you've come to it by way of reading Memoirs of a Geisha (as I had), in of itself it is a still a poorly written book by an author who is so completed enamored with herself that it makes for a pretty nauseating read. The warning lights went off when she describes her environment in great detail when she is simply a toddler. From that point forward, she paints herself in the best light possible, while taking cheap shots at most members of her family. If this woman could think of more ways to say "I'm wonderful, incredibly talented, insightful and amazing", I'm sure she would have. She must have very long arms to continually pat herself on the back as much as she does. Save yourself the time. This book did not offer the insights into the world of maiko and geisha as promised. Frankly, after a few pages into it, I simply didn't believe a great deal of what she wrote. It felt like contrived propoganda from a former diva.Book Review: Enchanting Memior
Summary: 5 Stars
I found much joy in reading this book, if you love history and art, this is a easy read and very educational, a wonderful story lined biography. What a life to have had.