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Madame Sadayakko. Gejsza, która uwiodła Zachód
Madame Sadayakko wywołała niesamowitą burzę podczas swojego tournee po Stanach Zjednoczonych i Europie w 1899 roku. Cały świat miał okazję poznać prawdziwą gejszę - a co więcej, była to najbardziej ubóstwiana gejsza kraju kwitnącej wiśni. Owa gejsza była tak piękną, że ówczesny premier wydał majątek, żeby pozbawić ja dziewictwa.
Sadayakko (1871 - 1946) jako pierwsza japońska gwiazda zdobyła międzynarodową sławę. Sympatie i podziw widzów zaskarbiła sobie hipnotycznym aktorstwem i wspaniałym tańcem. Występowała m.in. w Waszyngtonie dla prezydenta McKinleya, w Londynie dla księcia Walii, w Wiedniu dla cesarza Franciszka Józefa, a w Sankt Petersburgu dla cara Mikołaja II. Picasso uwiecznił ją na obrazie, zachwycał się nią Gide; była pierwowzorem Madame Butterfly. świat oszalał na jej punkcie, a ona wprowadziła nowe standardy do japońskiego teatru.
Sadayakko (1871 - 1946) jako pierwsza japońska gwiazda zdobyła międzynarodową sławę. Sympatie i podziw widzów zaskarbiła sobie hipnotycznym aktorstwem i wspaniałym tańcem. Występowała m.in. w Waszyngtonie dla prezydenta McKinleya, w Londynie dla księcia Walii, w Wiedniu dla cesarza Franciszka Józefa, a w Sankt Petersburgu dla cara Mikołaja II. Picasso uwiecznił ją na obrazie, zachwycał się nią Gide; była pierwowzorem Madame Butterfly. świat oszalał na jej punkcie, a ona wprowadziła nowe standardy do japońskiego teatru.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
191 people are currently reading
997 people want to read
About the author
Lesley Downer
28 books257 followersI write historical fiction set in Japan - women’s untold stories, largely true and based on meticulous and detailed research, though primarily, of course, good yarns. I’ve just finished The Shogun’s Queen, the fourth of The Shogun Quartet, four novels set in the nineteenth century during the tumultuous fifteen years when Japan was convulsed by civil war and transformed from rule by the shoguns into a society that looked to the west.
Preorder: http://bit.ly/TheShogunsQueen
The second, The Last Concubine, was shortlisted for Romantic Novel of the Year 2009 and translated into 30 languages. The other two novels are The Courtesan and the Samurai and The Samurai’s Daughter. My non-fiction on Japan includes Geisha: The Remarkable Truth Behind the Fiction and Madame Sadayakko: The Geisha who Seduced the West. I’m also a journalist and travel writer, give lectures and teach Creative Writing at City University in London.
Preorder: http://bit.ly/TheShogunsQueen
The second, The Last Concubine, was shortlisted for Romantic Novel of the Year 2009 and translated into 30 languages. The other two novels are The Courtesan and the Samurai and The Samurai’s Daughter. My non-fiction on Japan includes Geisha: The Remarkable Truth Behind the Fiction and Madame Sadayakko: The Geisha who Seduced the West. I’m also a journalist and travel writer, give lectures and teach Creative Writing at City University in London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
April 17, 2012
Others have pointed out how Ms. Downer blurred the line between biography and speculative fiction by guessing at how her subject, geisha Sadayakko, felt during her life. She also, in my opinion, blurred the line between the modern and the historical.
To be clear: I am a feminist, and would never criticize Ms. Downer for being one. However, Sadayakko did not live in a feminist era, and so Ms. Downer's constant insistence that Sadayakko wasn't the obedient woman her time would have expected her to be seemed suspicious to me, particularly when she had no proof beyond a couple of anecdones about things like Sadayakko briefly resisting her husband's infidelities at one point (and then giving in, but Downer glosses over that).
However, this book is entertaining, and an interesting look at the history of both Japan and Japanese theater. If you're interested in either, or enjoy rosy looks at history--think romance-novel whitewashing--this book should be perfect. Take it with a grain of salt if you're reading to learn about Sadayakko herself, but for historical study or entertainment value, there's a lot to enjoy.
-Elizabeth Reuter
Author, Demon of Renaissance Drive
To be clear: I am a feminist, and would never criticize Ms. Downer for being one. However, Sadayakko did not live in a feminist era, and so Ms. Downer's constant insistence that Sadayakko wasn't the obedient woman her time would have expected her to be seemed suspicious to me, particularly when she had no proof beyond a couple of anecdones about things like Sadayakko briefly resisting her husband's infidelities at one point (and then giving in, but Downer glosses over that).
However, this book is entertaining, and an interesting look at the history of both Japan and Japanese theater. If you're interested in either, or enjoy rosy looks at history--think romance-novel whitewashing--this book should be perfect. Take it with a grain of salt if you're reading to learn about Sadayakko herself, but for historical study or entertainment value, there's a lot to enjoy.
-Elizabeth Reuter
Author, Demon of Renaissance Drive
April 27, 2010
This could have been a lot more interesting if it didn't feel like the author's fantasy. It was often hard to figure out where facts stopped and conjecture began. Despite the fact that I know that every detail of Sada's life isn't going to be available, phrases that cropped up often--"You can imagine," "There might have been," &etc-- didn't help the feeling that this was more "based on" Sadayakko's story than even an attempt at a biography.
November 24, 2019
Me pareció muy interesante está biografía, como a pesar de que Sada tuvo una vida muy difícil y en muchas veces fue discriminada logró grandes cosas y tuvo muchos momentos felices y que bueno, lo mereció, lástima que a su muerte no se reconoció como debía o como fue para el inútil de su esposo pero hubo muchos factores que impidieron que así fuera incluida que pasaban por la segunda guerra para ese entonces.
El trabajo de investigación tras este libro de nota que fue extenso y tiene mucho mérito aunque personalmente la primera mitad del libro se me hizo muy pesada y lenta, hasta estuve a punto de dejar el libro de lado, pero al final se compuso.
PD. Que genial que la portada sea una pintura de Sada hecha por Picasso, eso dice mucho de ella.
El trabajo de investigación tras este libro de nota que fue extenso y tiene mucho mérito aunque personalmente la primera mitad del libro se me hizo muy pesada y lenta, hasta estuve a punto de dejar el libro de lado, pero al final se compuso.
PD. Que genial que la portada sea una pintura de Sada hecha por Picasso, eso dice mucho de ella.
April 8, 2022
Foarte bine documentată. Un hățiș de evenimente si personaje, intr-un cadru istoric in perpetuă schimbare, descurcat admirabil de autoare. Poate titlul, e ales oarecum nefericit.
October 11, 2020
Like other reviewers, I am skeptical of the style in which this book is written. The story of Madame Sada Yakko and her global impact on theater is fascinating; that is what makes the book worth reading. However, the author speculated often on how Sada Yakko felt throughout her life, based on no evidence. “I’m sure she would have felt” and “she must have felt” are commonly used. It is a fine line that separates historical fiction and biography, but this author crosses it repeatedly. The author also uses suspect descriptions of Sada’s “chirping” voice and “childlike” demeanor that seem a little racist.
That being said, the book is worth the read because it highlights an important historical story of a woman’s unlikely journey from highly ranked Japanese geisha to international theatre star. I was particularly interested in the descriptions of traditional kabuki theatre and the modifications Sada and her husband, Otojiro Kawakami, made to each production as they toured in different countries.
The writing is strongest when describing each production their theatre troupe staged within the cultural context of the locale. It is truly remarkable to understand the adaptability that the troupe had to possess in order to make their tours successful. I particularly enjoyed the stories from Chicago and New York and the descriptions of the rewrites of Shakespeare Otojiro made, which were considered bastardizations at the time but would be creative reimaginings today. I also appreciated the descriptions of Sada Yakko’s dancing and her influence on Isadora Duncan. I had never heard of Sada Yakko prior to reading this book and I am glad to have an appreciation of her influence on theater and dance as we know them in the West today.
That being said, the book is worth the read because it highlights an important historical story of a woman’s unlikely journey from highly ranked Japanese geisha to international theatre star. I was particularly interested in the descriptions of traditional kabuki theatre and the modifications Sada and her husband, Otojiro Kawakami, made to each production as they toured in different countries.
The writing is strongest when describing each production their theatre troupe staged within the cultural context of the locale. It is truly remarkable to understand the adaptability that the troupe had to possess in order to make their tours successful. I particularly enjoyed the stories from Chicago and New York and the descriptions of the rewrites of Shakespeare Otojiro made, which were considered bastardizations at the time but would be creative reimaginings today. I also appreciated the descriptions of Sada Yakko’s dancing and her influence on Isadora Duncan. I had never heard of Sada Yakko prior to reading this book and I am glad to have an appreciation of her influence on theater and dance as we know them in the West today.
January 22, 2014
ok, real talk, the author tends to be hella problematic (especially with language, i wasn't into her describing japanese women speaking as "prattling" and "chirruping," v. patronizing and dehumanizing) and doesn't engage with the concept of orientalism in a really satisfying way. i could kind of tell when she came up with conclusions that were based in her own misconceptions versus actual research.
the saving grace of the book is the fact that sada koyama was such a beautiful,intelligent, witty, and vibrant person. her brilliance shines through the mire. this book made me wish koyama was my best friend. this book is a compelling read due to a combination of koyama's narrative,the politics of the development of avant-garde japanese theater, as well as the west's greedy and misinformed consumption of japan and how that plays into histories of colonialism and imperialism
the saving grace of the book is the fact that sada koyama was such a beautiful,intelligent, witty, and vibrant person. her brilliance shines through the mire. this book made me wish koyama was my best friend. this book is a compelling read due to a combination of koyama's narrative,the politics of the development of avant-garde japanese theater, as well as the west's greedy and misinformed consumption of japan and how that plays into histories of colonialism and imperialism
September 24, 2012
I read this book a few years ago. I was interested in it because it is a true story of Madame Sadayako, a geisha. I found the book a bit tediously written which was a bit surprising given the subject matter and the extensive travelling undertaken by the book's subject. Nonetheless if you can stick with it, it will open your eyes to a better understanding of Japanese culture and times and the roles of women in it, in the early 1900s.
December 30, 2015
Halfway between a biography and a novel because the author chooses to interpret Sada's feelings and motivation, it is still an enjoyable read, and well grounded in the sociopolitical era.
October 16, 2022
Madame Sadayakko - Lesley Downer
5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
🎋 Madame Sadayakko este o invitație in fascinanta lume a gheiselor, a teatrului japonez si nu numai.
🎋 Micuta Sada s-a născut pe 18 iulie 1871 intr-o familie de samurai, instarita.
La acea vreme nimic nu prevestea destinul impresionant al acestei fete.
În urma mortii tatălui, intreaga familie ajunge intr-o sărăcie crunta,motiv pentru care este vândută unei case de gheișe.
🎋Femeia în a cărei tutela intra,are grija de ea ca de propria-i fiica.
Sada invata sa citească și sa scrie,in secret lua lecții de judo si chiar invata sa calareasca.
In timp ajunge sa fie una dintre cele mai faimoase gheișe ale Japoniei.
🎎 Dupa ce ajunge la vârsta la care nu mai poate fi gheisa se căsătorește si fuge impreuna cu soțul ei alături de care înființează o trupa de teatru.
🎋In Japonia, de 250 de ani,femeilor le fusese interzis sa joace teatru în public, toate rolurile feminine fiind interpretate de barbati.
🎎Impreuna cu Otojiro ajung cand pe culmile succesului ,cand muritori de foame,insa de fiecare data Yokko reuseste sa intre în atenția tuturor.
📖 In speranța că am stârnit un pic de curiozitate asupra acestei carti va las pe voi sa descoperiți parcursul celei mai faimoase gheișe ale Japoniei.
📖 Din carte nu lipsesc detaliile despre viata gheiselor,politica Japoniei de la acea vreme, descrierile pieselor de teatru din Japonia vs. piesele de teatru din occident, felul în care erau tratate femeile in Japonia și cât de mari erau diferențele între ele și femeile din alte tari.
5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
🎋 Madame Sadayakko este o invitație in fascinanta lume a gheiselor, a teatrului japonez si nu numai.
🎋 Micuta Sada s-a născut pe 18 iulie 1871 intr-o familie de samurai, instarita.
La acea vreme nimic nu prevestea destinul impresionant al acestei fete.
În urma mortii tatălui, intreaga familie ajunge intr-o sărăcie crunta,motiv pentru care este vândută unei case de gheișe.
🎋Femeia în a cărei tutela intra,are grija de ea ca de propria-i fiica.
Sada invata sa citească și sa scrie,in secret lua lecții de judo si chiar invata sa calareasca.
In timp ajunge sa fie una dintre cele mai faimoase gheișe ale Japoniei.
🎎 Dupa ce ajunge la vârsta la care nu mai poate fi gheisa se căsătorește si fuge impreuna cu soțul ei alături de care înființează o trupa de teatru.
🎋In Japonia, de 250 de ani,femeilor le fusese interzis sa joace teatru în public, toate rolurile feminine fiind interpretate de barbati.
🎎Impreuna cu Otojiro ajung cand pe culmile succesului ,cand muritori de foame,insa de fiecare data Yokko reuseste sa intre în atenția tuturor.
📖 In speranța că am stârnit un pic de curiozitate asupra acestei carti va las pe voi sa descoperiți parcursul celei mai faimoase gheișe ale Japoniei.
📖 Din carte nu lipsesc detaliile despre viata gheiselor,politica Japoniei de la acea vreme, descrierile pieselor de teatru din Japonia vs. piesele de teatru din occident, felul în care erau tratate femeile in Japonia și cât de mari erau diferențele între ele și femeile din alte tari.
December 17, 2015
Lesley Downer has brought Sada Kawakami to life through the pages of this book. Known as Yakko during her geisha career and Sadayakko during her acting career, Sada had been largely forgotten after her death. When she was remembered, it was in disparaging terms. But Sadayakko was a ground breaking woman. She was the first Japanese woman to work as an actress. She established a training academy for other women who wanted to act. With her husband Otojiro she changed the nature of drama in Japan and introduced aspects of Japanese culture to the West. She performed across America, in Paris, Vienna, Berlin and London. She inspired Puccini when he was adapting the play Madame Butterfly for his opera. Sadayakko knew Sarah Bernhardt and Ellen Terry, and worked with Isadora Duncan. But in Japan, to be an actress was seen as something shameful, and at the end of the Meiji era to step out from behind your husband was anathema. Downer's research into contemporary accounts of Sadayakko's career and her conversations with Sadayakko's family provides the basis for an engaging and entertaining biography. Sadayakko knew key figures in Japanese society following the Meiji Restoration, and their inclusion in this biography provides a more human angle to Japanese political history. As a young geisha, her first danna was Prime Minister and later Prince Ito. Her first love Momosuke married into the Fukuzawa family and had become an important businessman by the time Sadayakko re-encountered him. Sadayakko certainly had a rich and varied life. I was immersed in this biography, and didn't really want it to end. The only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is because Downer describes many photographs throughout the book, but not one is reproduced other than the cover photograph. I don't know whether that's only true of the Kindle version, but I wish the photos had been included.
September 14, 2014
Comprei este livro a esperar uma história complexa e cativante, tal como a Historia de Uma Gueixa, mas não posso dizer isso.
A vida de Sadayako e tenho que ressalvar isto, foi interessante, e certamente insólita: ela veio de uma familia influente e com dinheiro, que de repente empobrecida, é vendida a uma casa de gueixas para ser educada e, eventualmente se tornar uma.
Ela pisou riscos e limites e gozava de uma reputação e consideração imensas até se casar com Otojiro, um actor e assim, descer na escala social japonesa. O percurso desde essa altura é cheio de altos e baixos, com Sada a "cair" para o papel submisso de esposa japonesa, em vez da gueixa rebelde,que fumava charuto e conversava com os seus patronos quase de igual para igual.
O problema para mim foi o esforço da autroa em tornar cor-de-rosa a vida deles, até quando estavam prestes a morrer de fome,nos Estados Unidos. Achei a escrita de certo modo forçada, tediosa em determinados pontos, demasiado descritiva em outros e no geral com muitas conclusões tiradas pela autora. Também a linguagem que é atribuida a citações de Sada me parece um pouco moderna demais para o inicio dos 1900´s e para uma japonesa que mal falava o inglês e que provinha de uma sociedade tão fechada.
A vida de Sadayako e tenho que ressalvar isto, foi interessante, e certamente insólita: ela veio de uma familia influente e com dinheiro, que de repente empobrecida, é vendida a uma casa de gueixas para ser educada e, eventualmente se tornar uma.
Ela pisou riscos e limites e gozava de uma reputação e consideração imensas até se casar com Otojiro, um actor e assim, descer na escala social japonesa. O percurso desde essa altura é cheio de altos e baixos, com Sada a "cair" para o papel submisso de esposa japonesa, em vez da gueixa rebelde,que fumava charuto e conversava com os seus patronos quase de igual para igual.
O problema para mim foi o esforço da autroa em tornar cor-de-rosa a vida deles, até quando estavam prestes a morrer de fome,nos Estados Unidos. Achei a escrita de certo modo forçada, tediosa em determinados pontos, demasiado descritiva em outros e no geral com muitas conclusões tiradas pela autora. Também a linguagem que é atribuida a citações de Sada me parece um pouco moderna demais para o inicio dos 1900´s e para uma japonesa que mal falava o inglês e que provinha de uma sociedade tão fechada.
June 6, 2010
This was a Borders "cheap book" purchase sometime in the spring of 2010.
Read this while on vacation (May 2010) - a fascinating "fish out of water" story where a strong woman challenges her society's expectations and becomes a success not only in what was a man's world, but in a totally different culture as well.
Downer's research on both the Japanese and American sides of the story seems quite solid and in line with what little I know of this time period and culture. The writing is very engaging and really brings Sadayakko to life, as well as the two loves of her life - Otojiro and Momosuke. I'm sure a chunk of the story was conjecture, but considering the lack of direct source material, I felt Downer did the best she could.
I appreciated the photos that were included but would have liked even more - especially when the author described a given image in detail, but did not include it.
Read this while on vacation (May 2010) - a fascinating "fish out of water" story where a strong woman challenges her society's expectations and becomes a success not only in what was a man's world, but in a totally different culture as well.
Downer's research on both the Japanese and American sides of the story seems quite solid and in line with what little I know of this time period and culture. The writing is very engaging and really brings Sadayakko to life, as well as the two loves of her life - Otojiro and Momosuke. I'm sure a chunk of the story was conjecture, but considering the lack of direct source material, I felt Downer did the best she could.
I appreciated the photos that were included but would have liked even more - especially when the author described a given image in detail, but did not include it.
February 26, 2015
Madame Sadayakko by Lesley Downer is about a geisha who turned actress in the early 1900's. It's an interesting book in that I learned about Japan's attitude toward the west in that time frame and how actors/actresses were treated in that time. Lesley Downer does provide citations to support her theories on some of the events in Sadayakko's life but I felt like I was reading more from a fan's perspective than from an objective source. While having a somewhat subjective tone in a nonfiction is not a horrible thing (in fact, at times it adds to the work), if you're more into an objective standpoint, this may not be the book for you.
This is a good book to read if you're wondering more about how girls became geisha and what geisha actually do. There's also information regarding how works like "Madame Butterfly" gave a misrepresentation of geisha back in those times.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read.
This is a good book to read if you're wondering more about how girls became geisha and what geisha actually do. There's also information regarding how works like "Madame Butterfly" gave a misrepresentation of geisha back in those times.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read.
July 16, 2016
The title is misleading because the book was more about how she overcame traditional stereotypes through responsible subversion. Sadayakko cleverly maintained a thin veneer of idealised Japanese geisha womanhood while leading, inspiring and creating new emerging forms of art in theatre. While managing the character flaws of the men around her and her troupe she innovated quietly but determinedly because she had to or die of hunger in numerous instances. She had a feel for what western audiences wanted and lived precariously from hotel room to hotel room at times. She gave people a vision of fragility, delicate in form and nature and seemingly reliant on men but underneath she was a revolutionary icon and leader. Not afraid to play on her femininity or to use her wiles she quietly manipulated the male dominated institutions of the day including fashion, drama, theatre and made her genre and style famous. The book stayed true to her in this regard.
February 2, 2017
Decir que la vida de esta mujer es fascinante es quedarse corta. Yo no sé si hay parte de ficcion en la historia o no, imagino que lo tendrá, igual que presenta problemas al estar escrita desde la perspectiva de una mujer occidental actual... pero sí sé que me ha encantado leerla.
Esposa y amante de algunos de los hombres más influyentes de la política, economía y teatro de final del S. XIX y principios del XX de Japón, hasta prácticamente la segunda guerra mundial. Ayudó a que su país fuera reconocido en todo occidente como algo menos bárbaro (que ya era bastante en el cambiod e siglo), a revolucionar el teatro japonés dos veces (antes de marcharse a EEUU y tras la vuelta de París) ...Y, como pasa con demasiadas mujeres, olvidada tras su muerte y relegada a la sombra de su marido, y de sus amantes.
Una auténtica pena que tantos documentos sobre su vida ardieran durante la guerra.
Esposa y amante de algunos de los hombres más influyentes de la política, economía y teatro de final del S. XIX y principios del XX de Japón, hasta prácticamente la segunda guerra mundial. Ayudó a que su país fuera reconocido en todo occidente como algo menos bárbaro (que ya era bastante en el cambiod e siglo), a revolucionar el teatro japonés dos veces (antes de marcharse a EEUU y tras la vuelta de París) ...Y, como pasa con demasiadas mujeres, olvidada tras su muerte y relegada a la sombra de su marido, y de sus amantes.
Una auténtica pena que tantos documentos sobre su vida ardieran durante la guerra.
February 9, 2021
Madame Sadayakko was the ultimate geisha, so exquisite that the prime minister of the day paid a fortune to deflower her. But she was a rebel who wanted to carve her own path in life. In 1899 she married a subversive avant garde actor and, with a troupe of other actors, they set out on the first ever tour of the West by a Japanese theatre company.
Sadayakko took to the stage and became an instant star. She danced for the American President and for the Prince of Wales in London, Picasso painted her, Gide swooned over her and Rodin admired her. But back in Japan, she suffered the stigma of being an ex-geisha and an actor and was forced, in the end, to make a terrible choice - between respectability and love.
Sadayakko took to the stage and became an instant star. She danced for the American President and for the Prince of Wales in London, Picasso painted her, Gide swooned over her and Rodin admired her. But back in Japan, she suffered the stigma of being an ex-geisha and an actor and was forced, in the end, to make a terrible choice - between respectability and love.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2011
I love everything geisha (except, of course, the gender and occupational-based discrimination associated therein). Madame Sadayakko was a very interesting person living and defining her career in a time of great importance for the development of culture and man's journey towards globalization. Downer does well to illustrate the cultural climate of the late 19th century and the struggles and triumphs of this artist's rise to fame. My only criticism is that she intuited Sadayakko's thoughts and feelings too often. "She must have felt....", "she must have thought..." etc. However, in her defense, this style did well to make a non-fiction book read like a novel.
February 18, 2016
Fascinating insight into a 20th centuryJapanese woman's life
I enjoyed learning about someone I'd never heard of but who had such influence across East and West. I would have loved to see photos alongside the story to bring it to life, as I found it difficult to visualise some of the descriptive passages, excellent as they were.
I looked up what I could on line however would have preferred photos linked to the chapters to get a clearer picture of Sada Yakko and her life.
I enjoyed learning about someone I'd never heard of but who had such influence across East and West. I would have loved to see photos alongside the story to bring it to life, as I found it difficult to visualise some of the descriptive passages, excellent as they were.
I looked up what I could on line however would have preferred photos linked to the chapters to get a clearer picture of Sada Yakko and her life.
May 5, 2013
This book would be especially interesting to people interested in the history of modern theatre in Japan. Sadayakko and her husband Otojiro have been written out of the history books and seem to be regarded as a blemish. Despite the fact they bastardised Japanese kabuki and buyo classics when performing outside Japan, they worked to change perceptions about theatre in Japan.
March 14, 2016
Interesting book, well researched, a little long winded at times, but still enjoyable. Tended to blur the lives between fiction and biography, which to be fair, I have read in other works of historical biography where I think the authors should have just gone ahead & written fiction... But all the same, it was an interesting story
April 22, 2018
It was interesting up to a point. The author kept going over the same thing and it got to be very repetitious. Also, if the author didn't know about a particular point she would say "it could have happened like this or maybe this happened", which was very annoying. The book would have been a lot more interesting if it was half the length and all the unnecessary comments left out.
January 9, 2015
it started well, then it go a bit tough... and before i knew it, it was ending. tragic, compelling, and brought back personal memories... fantastic. oh and mines called "WHO SEDUCED THE WEST" bewitched what kind of word is that then ha ha.
January 25, 2016
I had high hopes for this book but it wasn't what I expected. It was a misrule of fact and historical fiction yet the lines between the 2 were very blurred and for me this didn't flow. A fascinating topic just not told to my liking
September 19, 2007
I thought this would be like Memoirs of a Geisha, but it was not as detailed or interesting.
March 17, 2008
This book was really interesting. I don't have a copy anymore but I wish I did!
October 27, 2008
Biography of a Geisha turned actress in the late 19th century. She travelled extensively throughout the U.S. and Europe with her husband who had founded the acting troupe.
January 6, 2011
Not bad. The thing that annoyed me most was the constant misuse of the word "coiffeur" instead of "coiffure" - like she was walking around with a hairdresser on her head!
May 21, 2010
a bit boring
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July 27, 2011This was brilliant! I was captivated by this fascinating woman and spent almost two weeks in the strange, bewitching world of Meiji and Taisho Japan ... a whole lot different to the modern reality.
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August 2, 2011the true story of the first geisha to come to the west
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