Geisha, 25th Anniversary Edition, Updated Edition [Paperback]

Liza Dalby (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 10, 2008 | ISBN-10: 0520257898 | ISBN-13: 978-0520257894 | Edition: 3

In this classic best seller, Liza Dalby, the first non-Japanese ever to have trained as a geisha, offers an insider's look at the exclusive world of female companions to the Japanese male elite. A new preface examines how geisha have been profoundly affected by the changes of the past quarter century yet--especially in Kyoto--have managed to take advantage of modern developments to maintain their social position with flair.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Provides an important window on the arts practiced by geisha, a history of their profession, and their reception in modern Japan through the mid-1970s."--Southeast Review of Asian Stds

From the Inside Flap

"Dalby knows more about the subject than I'll ever know, and she writes about it with grace and eloquence."--Arthur Golden, author of Memoirs of a Geisha

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 374 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press; 3 edition (December 10, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520257898
• ISBN-13: 978-0520257894
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 8.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #402,132 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is good news!, September 2, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Geisha (Paperback)

I first read this book in the early '90s and was so impressed that I bought multiple copies to give as gifts. Liza Dalby portrays the geisha world as a special and exotic one -- exotic by the standards of any modern culture, including that of Japan. She makes this private world accessible but avoids any tendency to sensationalize or dissect -- the geisha world is revealed with grace and subtlety. At the same time, a history of geisha culture involves the history of so much else in Japan -- various social customs, attitudes toward female sexuality, transportation, nightlife... Dalby goes there too.

I am really glad _Geisha_ will be available again. Just the other day, I was bemoaning the fact that Dalby's _Geisha_ seems to be out of print. I need a copy for my library! Can't wait.

-- TQ in New York

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A unique and fascinating account, April 1, 2003

By 

mdchachi "mdchachi" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Geisha (Hardcover)

Like others I read this book after reading Memoirs of a Geisha. I found this book much more interesting because it tells real stories about real people. The history and backgound that Dalby relates as well her own personal experiences make this book one-of-a-kind and deeply interesting. A must-read for anybody interested to learn more about geisha. Although there are extensive footnotes to explain certain things more deeply, the more you already know about Japan, the more you will get out of this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars love it., September 13, 2010

By 

Charlotte Vale (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Geisha (Hardcover)

i actually read this book in barns and noble last year. i went there every day for a week or two, and read a bit. i've always wanted to read it, and i have always been fascinated with geisha. if your're interested in knowing more about geisha, learning about some of the smaller details, or you want to know what really went on, and what is currently going on, i highly recommend it. i recently came across it on amazon, and decided to buy a copy even though i'd already read it.