Memoirs of a geisha by arthur golden discussion guide. Memoirs of a geisha is a book that is based on a true story and lets us catch a glimpse of the world where the women paint their faces and dont deserve to love. I asked my parents and they were under a similar impression, but of course they arent experts. Memoirs of a geisha is a book of nuances and vivid metaphor, of memorable characters rendered with humor and pathos. Chapter one begins with a bit of an homage to dickens. In memoirs of a geisha, arthur golden has done a very daring thing. Memoirs of a geisha is an american novel, and as such the attempt at west does east, especially on the complex and delicate subject of the geisha, is compelling, interesting, but also heavyhanded and ultimately ineffective even more so in the case of the film. And years later, he became her friend in new york city. Jun 16, 2018 memoirs of a geisha book vs movie duration. Memoirs of a geisha is a captivating look into the world of geisha that was so popular among japanese so many years ago. After reading memoirs of a geisha, do you see the geisha of gion as prostitutes. If you would like to volunteer as read runner for this book, please contact the. The only novel ive ever wanted to read twice in my life, memoirs of a geisha is considered by many to be a historical fairy tale that paints a.
The questions, discussion topics, and suggested reading list that follow are intended to enhance your groups experience of reading arthur goldens memoirs of a geisha. It was then made into a movie that was released in 2005. Memoirs of a geisha by arthur golden, paperback barnes. Memoirs of a geisha has been translated into thirtythree languages, and rights were sold for an american film adaptation in 997 to. Discussion at our book club also centered on the lives of the japanese in the novels time period. The novel, told in first person perspective, tells the story of a fictional geisha working in kyoto, japan, before, during and after world war ii and ends with her being relocated to new york city. Memoirs of a geisha is a 2005 american epic drama film based on the novel of the same name by arthur golden, produced by steven spielbergs amblin entertainm. It is also, and unforgettably, a dazzling portrait of a singular and most seductive woman who tells her story in a compelling first person voice. The first is memoirs of a geisha has very much like cinderella in japan.
Discussion questions for memoirs of a geisha are listed. The film was directed by rob marshall and released in theaters december. Memoirs of a geisha mass market paperback book discussion. It begins in a poor fishing village in 1929, when as a nineyearold girl she is taken from her home and sold to a renowned geisha house. Nitta sayuri tells the story of her life as a geisha. But as world war ii erupts and the geisha houses are forced to close, sayuri, with little money and even less food, must reinvent herself all over again to find a rare kind of freedom on her own terms. Memoirs of a geisha was recorded as an audiobook, random house new york, ny, 997. Full text of memories of a gheisa internet archive. Reading guide for memoirs of a geisha by arthur golden. Based in the 1920s in kyoto, japan a young girl named chiyo lives with her sister satsu, in a poor town called yoriodo along with her sick mother and elderly father. Book clubs will be able to discuss how the geishas life was actually a step up from.
Memoirs of a geisha a talk with arthur golden march. We witness her transformation as she learns the rigorous arts of the geisha. The food of memoirs of a geisha by arthur golden bryton. Both its very exotic setting, with its extremely different value system, and its fascinating plot, which grabs your interest early on and keeps you waiting for more all along, contribute to making this novel a special book worthy of reading. Interestingly, in geisha if gion, mineko iwasaki says geisha didnt do this. Memoirs of a geisha is a book full of history, romance and life in another culture.
Suggested book and reading club discussion questions for memoirs of a geisha. The story was a typical cinderella love story with a predictable ending. November 2019 memoirs of a geisha by arthur golden. What is the difference between being a prostitute and being a kept woman, as sayuri puts it p. The novel, told in first person perspective, tells the story of a fictional geisha working in kyoto, japan, before, during and after world war ii and ends with her being relocated to new york city in 2005, a. He wrote the memoirs of his friends who once ever served herself as a geisha. Memoirs of a geisha is a book of nuances and vivid metaphor, of. Not everyone will be interested in the person, so getting a consensus is. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Memoirs of a geisha will be adapted for a film directed by steven spielberg. The story begins when the girl chiyo is sold to a representative of a geisha house, who is drawn by the childs unusual bluegrey eyes. I read this for a book club discussion in the late 90s.
Check out these 10 book club discussion questions for. A westerner named jakob haarhuis includes this note as preface to the main attraction. There was a coming of age ceremony, called mizuage, but it had nothing to do with virginity. Many people in the west think of geisha simply as prostitutes. Memoirs of a geisha begins with a translators note. Ive found that the best book club discussion questions are ones that are openended and that get people to share their personal opinions. So, you voted, and the selection for september is arthur goldens memoirs of a geisha. If youre new to the club and have questions about the book list and other things, or if youre just looking to join, go to the welcome blog to read more. The life of a famous kyoto geisha from her painful apprenticeship in the early. Memoirs of a geisha vintage contemporaries kindle edition.
Youll also find printable book club questions at the end of this post to bring to. Memoirs of a geisha, published in 1997, is arthur goldens debut novel. Memoirs of a geisha a talk with arthur golden march 23. Memoirs of a geisha arthur golden about the book the strikingly pretty child of an impoverished fishing family, chiyo is taken to faraway kyoto and sold into slavery to a renowned geisha house where she is renamed sayuri.
Golden more specifically in his novel entitled memoirs of a geisha. To ask other readers questions about memoirs of a geisha, please sign up. It is a wonderful introduction to geisha, japanese culture, and the east for the uninitiated western reader, and i can see why the. Memoirs of a geisha, published in 1977, is a historical novel written by arthur golden. Would you want to visit kyoto and see a geisha after reading this book. Memoirs of a geisha discussion jamie reads the classics. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading memoirs of a geisha vintage contemporaries. The life of a famous kyoto geishafrom her painful apprenticeship in the early. We hope that they will give you a number of interesting ideas and angles from which to approach this enthralling debut novel, which is the fictional true confessions of one of. Mar 11, 20 nitta sayuri tells the story of her life as a geisha. Cherry blossomdelicate, with images as carefully sculpted as bonsai, this tale of the life of a renowned geisha, one of the last flowers of a kind all but eliminated by ww ii, marks an auspicious, unusual debut. If you would like to volunteer as read runner for this book, please contact the moderators. Keeping your books varied and interesting is your number one aim in a book club as well as keeping it lighthearted and plenty of fun of course. Chiyo says this quote to the reader in the beginning to the book when she is already an experienced and successful geisha.
Memoirs of a geisha is a historical fiction novel by american author arthur golden, published in 1997. Memoirs of a geisha by arthur golden reading guidebook club. Because of national novel writing month nanowrimo, the discussion day for memoirs of a geisha will be postponed. Memoirs of a geisha by arthur golden is a novel about the life of chiyo, also known as sayuri once she becomes a geisha.
I enjoyed learning about the culture, as well as the life of a geisha, but i didnt feel a connection to any of the characters. A literary sensation and runaway bestseller, this brilliant debut novel tells with. The ragstoriches story of sayuri, the novels heroine, is a. What are the similarities, and what are the differences. It is an account of a young girl from a fishing village called yoroido, located on the sea of japan whose mother is very ill and whose father cannot fathom what he will do when. Discussion questions questions from the publishers reading guide. Memoirs of a geisha is a treasure of a book, an unparalleled look at a strange and mysterious world which has now almost vanished. Questions for book clubs about memoirs of a geisha. Mar 24, 2014 the food of memoirs of a geisha by arthur golden bryton taylor food in literature. This is where we will discuss the book for those of you who would like to.
In patriarchy, a social system positioning a man as a superior and a. Sep 23, 1997 memoirs of a geisha is an american novel, and as such the attempt at west does east, especially on the complex and delicate subject of the geisha, is compelling, interesting, but also heavyhanded and ultimately ineffective even more so in the case of the film. How does the memoir format make the book different than it would be if it were told in third person. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Arthur goldens novel is a work of art beautiful in prose and enchanting. While reading the novel, did you feel that you were hearing the genuine voice of. Young girls who aspire to be geishas are required to go to school for many years.
Memoirs of a geisha by arthur golden essay examples. If youre ready to start a book club, heres 40 of the best book club questions, for fiction and nonfiction alike. Memoirs of a geisha vintage contemporaries kindle edition by golden, arthur. All aspects of a geisha are very methodical, every part is planned out with a purpose. Japan is already changing, becoming industrialized and imperialistic, when in 1929 young chiyos fisherman father sells her to a house in kyotos famous gion district.
The teachers are very strict and embarrass the girls and sometimes even hit them. Memoirs of a geisha in this paper, i will be comparing the differences in both the novel and the movie of memoirs of a geisha. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. I asked my parents and they were under a similar impression, but of course they arent experts, and are just going by what typical japanese believes. Chiyo then goes on to tell us this is a technique she used when she entertains men at parties. Memoirs of a geisha has been translated into thirtythree languages, and rights were sold for an american film adaptation in 997 to red wagon productions. The themes of friendship and betrayal are both present in this novel, so i think that you have a good starting point for a possible thesis statement. Mar 12, 2020 the questions, discussion topics, and suggested reading list that follow are intended to enhance your groups experience of reading arthur goldens memoirs of a geisha. Memoirs of a geisha by arthur golden book club discussion. He had received a degree in art history, specializing in japanese art, therefore, producing a beautifully written novel about a geisha in japan during the times of before and after world war ii.
Memoirs of a geisha is an amazing novel that discusses the life of a geisha, a japanese artistentertainer. For some reason i thought that id scheduled the meeting at my house for next tuesday but i just checked and noticed id said tomorrow. It transports the reader into a bygone era where young girls are sold to be raised as geisha, and where their virginity is sold to the highest bidder. The book was written by arthur golden and published september 27, 1997. Book club autobiography questions what should you be discussing at your book club. Hopefully everyone has found a copy of memoirs of a geisha, by arthur golden, because the twoweek reading period has been set. A fictional jakob haarhuis, a professor of japanese history at the new york university tells how he met sayuri, a former geisha, and she wants him to write her story. He tells us that in 1936, he saw a dance performance in kyoto.
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