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Geisha Rezensionen: In the mid-1970s, an American graduate student in anthropology joined the ranks of white-powdered geisha in Kyoto, Japan. Liza Dalby took the name Ichigiku and apprenticed in the famed Pontocho district, trailing behind "older sisters" bemused by this long-legged Westerner intent on learning their arts and customs. In Geisha, this observant ethnographer paints an intoxicating picture of the "flower and willow world" to which she gained entry. "Why are you studying geisha?" asks one slightly belligerent older sister. "Geisha are no different from anybody else." Not quite, says Dalby dryly, pointing out that geisha and wives play utterly divergent, though complementary, roles in traditional Japanese society. "Geisha are supposed to be sexy where wives are sober, artistic where wives are humdrum, and witty where wives are serious." While hardly feminists, they reap freedoms unknown to other women. Dalby illustrates broader cultural differences, too, with a million tiny details about boisterous customers, how many hundred-weight of tabi (split-toed socks) geishas go through, what defines iki (chic), why maiko (young apprentices) are drawn to the life, and what geisha wear, from the skin out. Acknowledging that her growing personal stake in the masquerade prevented objectivity, Dalby frees the reader to enjoy a fluid and fascinating look at one aspect of Japanese culture. --Francesca Coltrera
Memoirs of a real geisha [Note: At the time I wrote this review, I had not yet read Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha. And I think I may be the only person in America who still hasn't.]
Of course, it's now a full week after A&E aired _The Secret Life of Geisha_, a show nominally based on Dalby's 1983 account of her time in Kyoto as the only non-Japanese ever to train and serve as a geisha. But I kept reading anyway. The show's material came, for the most part, from the first four chapters of the book, which cover a good deal of history, and ignored the rest, which is more of a personal accounting of Dalby's time in Kyoto and her research in Tokyo and some of the smaller towns.
Dalby's account is straightforward and precise, though I don't want to give the impression there's nothing here that would give the reader a sense of personal experience; far from it. Dalby, an anthropologist by nature as well as trade, has a knack for being able to translate emotion into recognizable speech and get it all down on paper in an easy-to-understand form.
The end result is compulsively readable, half-journal and half-explication, of the widely misunderstood world of geisha and the cultural context to which it belongs-- as important to an understanding of what geisha are as a study of the women themselves. Dalby adresses the paradox that the women considered the most servile in Japan are also those with the most freedom, and by the time the book is finished it's no longer a paradox, really. Dalby takes the reader through the world of geisha, its history, its context, and most importantly the outside world's misconception of it. All is explained in such a way as to be easily absorbed, Not in the tradition of "classic" anthropological works at all. Which is a good thing.
Absorbing, a quick read, new stuff to be learned, how can you go wrong?
GEISHA - immersion in the life Liza Dalby's book takes the reader on an imaginative journey through the Willow World, full of the many flavors and nuances that make up this very special part of Japanese society. Dalby's writing and observations are so wonderful that I was able to picture myself in her place as she gradually "became" a member of the Pontocho geisha sisterhood. This volume covers the joys, sadness, hard work and dedication inherent in geisha, from maiko to older, experienced women. I"ve been to Japan and Ms. Dalby was very accurate in her depiction of life in Japan and especially Kyoto. What an enjoyable and informative book!
Read this one before 'Memoirs of a Geisha'. Extraordinarily well written by a first-rate cultural anthropologist. No guesswork or fantasies here. The book itself is well designed and easy to read, with a wealth of detailed information. My only complaints: It's printed on very cheap paper that discolors easily. Not enough photos. Those used are poor quality and none of them are in color. Otherwise, 'Geisha' is highly recommended.
Behind the Flower and Willow World... I have a penchant for nearly all things relating to Japanese history, especially from 1600-1950, and this book was fascinating.Like many others, I had just finished the exquisite "Memoirs of A Geisha" by Arthur Golden. The cover I bought of the book came with a ringing endorsement by Golden himself, saying how brilliant Liza Crihfield Dalby's work is. He's right.Dalby smoothly weaves amusing anecdotes (a meeting with a tipsy and raunchy customer) with brilliantly simple facts (the nuances in tying kimono) in relating her unique story: she is the only American ever to become a geisha.With her exquisite hair and powdered face, Dalby embarks upon a mission of mystique, prestige, and learning, creating a fascinating and enjoyable read.If you have the opportunity, and time, pick up a copy of Dalby's "Geisha." It's a definitive source on the subject, and shouldn't be missed by any aficionados.
Outstanding and Riveting After seeing a special on television about geisha, and hearing Liza Dalby's book mentioned, I rushed to buy it. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. I was fascinated by the detail and description of the geisha lifestyle, and was amazed that I knew so little about it. As soon as I finished it, I read Memoirs of a Geisha by John Golden, and enjoyed that as well as it took me into a fictitious account of the world.
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