A literary sensation and runaway bestseller, this brilliant debut novel tells with seamless authenticity and exquisite lyricism the true confessions of one of Japan's most celebrated geisha.
In Memoirs of a Geisha, we enter a world where appearances are paramount; where a girl's virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder; where women are trained to beguile the most powerful men; and where love is scorned as illusion. It is a unique and triumphant work of fiction—at once romantic, erotic, suspenseful—and completely unforgettable.
Editorial Reviews
"Captivating, minutely imagined . . . a novel that refuses to stay shut." —Newsweek
"Part historical novel, part fairy tale, part Dickensian romance, Memoirs of a Geisha immerses the reader in an exotic world. An impressive and unusual debut." —The New York Times
"Enthralling...Draws the reader in from the very first page." —USA Today
"Astonishing...breathtaking....You are seduced completely." —Washington Post Book World
About the Author
Arthur Golden was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and was educated at Harvard College, where he received a degree in art history, specializing in Japanese art. In 1980 he earned an M.A. in Japanese history from Columbia University, where he also learned Mandarin Chinese. Following a summer at Beijing University, he worked in Tokyo, and, after returning to the United States, earned an M.A. in English from Boston University. He resides in Brookline, Massachusetts, with his wife and two children.
