Customer Reviews

Kickboxing Geishas: How Modern Japanese Women Are Changing Their Nation

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Very good book. Reccommended for anyone interested in Japan, or travelling in Japan -- esp for people who might be travelling or living there an extended time. We lived in Tokyo for nearly three years during the late nineties, and the complexities and surprisingly strong push for change that you notice if you talk a lot to women are very accurately described in this book. This book really belies the largely Western stereotype of submissive, traditional women. The book is also quite sympathetic and insightful in describing some of the difficulties of Japanese men in a changing society. Anyone interested in getting a feel for possible future directions of Japanese society should read this book.

After perusing for recent books on gender roles in Japan for a paper, I finally landed this book. The title was catchy and was a quick read.
However, reading it made me want to immediately contact whoever edited the thing. Not only is some of the information blatantly incorrect for the time (hello, Aiko will not become empress and no law was put into effect making it possible for a woman to ascend to the throne), there were obvious grammar and spelling mistakes. One of the most annoying thing was the inconsistent spelling of the famous street in Tokyo, Omotesando. Shown as Ometesando and Ometosando numerous times, neither was correct. Chapters were obviously not well thought out and contiunity problems arose often. Women that were interviewed earlier in the book were referenced to like complete strangers to the reader. Many things were explained twice which gave me a sense of deja vu while reading quite a few times. I'm no editing whiz or grammar nazi by any means but it seems like this book was not edited at all.
All (terrible) editing issues aside, the book brings up quite a few modern issues. I had done quite alot of reading on the matter and Chambers seems to have some of the most approachable writing for the subject. The bond she shares with each woman interviewed becomes apparent and helpful to the overall flow of the book. Her commentary is colorful, fun and is relatively objective (despite what the other reviews I've read state). The research that has gone into making the book comes out quite easily without being overstated. However, the research seemed shallow. It seemed like she gathered information solely from the internet and then went straight to these women. The preparation involved seemed minimal other than developing well thought out questions for interviewees.
One thing that Chambers excels at is developing overarching themes. The idea of the office lady serving tea is constantly re-introduced in a plesant way. However, the continuity issues with the chapters reiterates the ENTIRE CONCEPT at least twice and becomes redundant.

I LOVED KICKBOXING GEISHAS! I Love Veronica Chamber's style; captivating, engaging -- I had so many misconceptions. I highly recommend reading all Veronica Chamber's books. She writes with "such" warmheartedness.

Anyone familiar with the writings of Veronica Chambers will recognize her intelligence and snappy writing style. This book is no different, providing an engaging take on the challenges facing modern Japanese women as they emerge from the traditions of the past.

Veronica Chambers visited Japan, fell in love with it, and writes with insight, pizzazz, heart and soul about the women she found there, helping to remake themselves and the country. In these last heartbreaking months, seeing Japan struggle with the tsunami and nuclear accident -- with such class and grace --- going back and reading this terrific book is healing and inspiring. Open the pages and you'll be charmed, heartened, educated and exhilerated.

I found this book a bit infuriating actually. It reads like a memoir of the author's time in Japan and the people she met, but the subject matter is too important for the excessively casual treatment she gives it. Chambers made no effort to engage the ample existing research on the subject of women in Japan, which raises the question for me about why I should take her opinion seriously when she couldn't be bothered to do her homework. Sure, this is an easy read- it's fluffy and anecdotal, but Chambers was able to secure some interesting interviews and the lack of faith she engineers in her own ability to speak Japanese makes me wonder how accurate the information she gleaned was, or how accurate her recap is. How often did she rely on translators, I wanted to know? After an initial discussion of translation work, she is less than transparent about her process.

Essentially, the author does not engender faith in her data by the thoroughness of her research or the tone of this book. If you're interested in stories about her being dressed up as a geisha, or going out drinking with the bellhop of her hotel, the book is fine. As a pseudo-scholarly tome it's not worth much consideration. There's too much high quality and engaging work on Japan in English to waste time on this one.