Autobiography of a Geisha - by Sayo Masuda (Paperback)
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<p/><br></br><p><b> About the Book </b></p></br></br><p>Sayo Masuda was a geisha at a hot springs resort, where the realities of sex for sale are unadorned by the trappings of wealth and power. Remarkable for its wit and frankness, the book is a moving record of a woman's survival on the margins of Japanese society--in the words of the translator, "the superbly told tale of a woman whom fortune never favored yet never defeated."</p><p/><br></br><p><b> Book Synopsis </b></p></br></br><p>Sayo Masuda was a geisha at a hot springs resort, where the realities of sex for sale are unadorned by the trappings of wealth and power. Remarkable for its wit and frankness, the book is a moving record of a woman's survival on the margins of Japanese society -- in the words of the translator, "the superbly told tale of a woman whom fortune never favored yet never defeated."</p><p/><br></br><p><b> Review Quotes </b></p></br></br><br><i>Autobiography of a Geisha</i> is a compelling... gritty and at times bleak account, but one which is related with great pathos and humor throughout. Rowley is to be commended.--Bulletin of the School of Oriental and AFrican Studies, University of London<br><br>A much-needed corrective to the romantic myths spun around this profession... Superbly preserved and sensitively rendered... [Masuda's] gripping, heart-rending and humorous account is a gem, especially as it offers a view 'from below' of the untold social history of modern Japan.--Times Literary Supplement<br><br>At once intriguing and heartbreaking.--Publishers Weekly<br><br>Courageously, Masuda refuses to put white makeup on the unsightly aspects of her tale, inviting readers to take a long, hard look at the unadulterated face of geisha living.--Los Angeles Times Book Review<br><br>Masuda's memoir is a must-read for those interested in the lives of geishas.--Booklist<br><br>Originally published in Japan in the 1950's, <i>Autobiography of a Geisha</i> is a remarkably fresh and personal account of a life that is a far cry not only from the Eastern exoticism of [John Ball's <i>Miss One Hundred Thousand Spring Blossoms</i>], but also from the upscale and at least sometimes glamorous lives depicted in [Arthur Golden's <i>Memoirs of a Geisha</i>.--Persimmon<br><br>Since the publication of Arthur Golden's bestselling novel<i>Memoirs of a Geisha, </i> there has been a spate of books that an unkind reviewer might label 'follow-ons'... While all of these speak to a greater or lesser extent of the hardships and occasional cruelties of the geisha's life, none provides as raw and unvarnished account as Sayo Masuda's<i>Autobiography</i>.--Monumenta Nipponica<br><br>This account shocked Japanese readers with its bitter taste of grinding poverty and its revelations about the geisha world's dark side. A comfortless portrait of the flip side of the geisha world, where one is more slave than courtesan.--Kirkus Reviews<br><br>[Masuda's] endurance of adversity is admirable, as is the down-to-earth way in which she relates her story. She is witty, realistic, and forthright about her life, and readers will admire her courage and determination.--Marlene Y. Satter "Foreword Magazine "<br><br>As I read this autobiography I cried for the women who live their lives as geishas...Thank you, Sayo Masuda, for revealing your life to us.--Judy Helman "Woman's Day "<br><br>Her story is heartbreaking, but her indomitable spirit prevents it from becoming maudlin.--Elizabeth Quinn "Bust "<br><p/><br></br><p><b> About the Author </b></p></br></br>Sayo Masuda died in 2008. <p/>G. G. Rowley teaches English and Japanese literature at Waseda University in Tokyo. She is the author of <i>Yosano Akiko and The Tale of Genji.</i>
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