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"Memoirs of a Geisha"
by Arthur Golden
reveiwed by Judy Lewin
If you want to read one of the best novels written in the last 25 years, indulge yourself and escape with "Memoirs of a Geisha" by Arthur Golden. This remarkable first novel has so much going for it, it is difficult for this reviewer to know where to begin. Golden has artfully crafted an authentic masterpiece celebrating the exotic and erotic world of Japan's geishas. The novel describes this special, secluded world where "what you see" has no relation to "what you get" Appearance is all and the ability to create and use illusion is paramount in this closed society.
Golden is a true master- a man of America in the 20th century writing as if he were Sayuri, who starts out as a poor ignorant, untutored fisherman's daughter. This unique woman with a strong desire to become someone and something else captures the reader's imagination. After an amazing amount of hard work (which is clearly described), some luck, and chance, she develops herself into one of the top Kyoto geisha. We get to meet her before, see her during, and commiserate with her, after her career. We cheer her on.
The book's rich detail and many accurate descriptions made me feel I was once again in Japan- a land of intriguing possibilities. Golden has studied art history at Harvard, and spent considerable time in Japan and it shows. I don't know if his most remarkable feat is transporting me back to Japan or his amazing, uncanny ability to get into the mind of his main character-not only a woman, but a woman of a completely different time and cultural milieu. We feel her curiosity, intelligence, fear and ultimately her triumph.
The clever literary device of introducing the book as the work of a biographer and historian who meets Sayuri and is charmed by her helps to draw us into her world while legitimizing the work as a "real" biography. We meet her family (briefly) her friends, enemies, teachers, tutors, instructors and the rich, powerful men whom she entertains.
I do not suggest beginning this book unless you have several hours to devote to it. Be ware, once you arrive in this unique Japanese world, leaving is very difficult. Putting this book down is almost impossible. It is a great companion for a long trip, or a weekend. Because it is so absorbing you will want your own copy and it is now available in paperback. This will be a great gift for all the armchair travelers you know, people who are fascinated by Japanese culture, the relationships between men and women, the question of appearance vs. reality, or someone who enjoys reading. Be warned-you will be swept away!
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