I read this book after reading Memoirs of a Geisha and found this one to be much more interesting and satisfying. But that's because I find real stories of real people more interesting than fiction. And I can see why Iwasaki is angry at Golden if indeed his premise that geisha auction off their virginity isn't true as she claims. Golden's work is a good read but for a fascinating look at a real life, read Geisha: A Life. I left off one star because I feel that Iwasaki could have given us even more detail and anecdotes. However I highly recommend this book.
Having lived in Japan for most of the 1990's, this book brought a lot of things into perspective for me. Things that were mostly in my subconscious or things I thought were odd but really didn't have an explanation for. Like, why do tiny towns have huge "cultural centers" and how can they afford them? (Answer: construction is propping up the country & they really can't afford them) Why are so many rivers & mountains covered with concrete? (Answer: same) Why is there so little wildlife even in non-populated areas (I rode my motorcycle around Japan for over 7000km and saw a grand total of 3 semi-wild animals and no road kill)? (Answer: habitat has been destroyed on a vast scale) Why… Read more
