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rhienellethI know I'm coming to the party late, here, but I'm approximately 3/4ths of the way through Memoirs of a Geisha, and I wanted to post a quick rec to those who may not have read it yet. I resisted for a long time, myself, mostly because while I read pretty much everything from romance to SF to westerns (yes, I've read almost every Louis Lamour book), I am always resistant to "mainstream fiction" or "literature" for some reason. Not that I haven't enjoyed my share of that, but I think I'm resistant to reading it because so many people -- from college professors to authors to readers -- who love and promote what they call "literature" then turn around and call genre writing trash. It bothers me that every book Oprah recommends for her Book Club, for example, fits a certain mold. she never steps outside that parameter to go with something like Tolkien. I'm sure this makes me prejudiced in my own way, but I tend to pass by the "latest and greatest" shelf when I visit the bookstore, unless someone I know and trust and read a lot of books with tells me I have to read something.
Of course, one such friend recommended The Red Tent to me. I couldn't get past the third chapter. So this isn't always successful, but in the case of Memoirs, I'm so glad I listened and finally read it.
It starts a little slowly, but once the book gets rolling it sucks you right in to this character's life. The preview for the movie now has so much more meaning for me, as I watched it again today and got so excited to see who Ken Watanabe is playing. And the girl(s) they got to play her, both as a child and a young woman, are absolutely perfect. So, if you haven't yet read Memoirs of a Geisha, especially if you have any plans to see the movie, I highly recommend it. It's very good, and an intriguing glimpse into Japan's history and traditions.
Of course, one such friend recommended The Red Tent to me. I couldn't get past the third chapter. So this isn't always successful, but in the case of Memoirs, I'm so glad I listened and finally read it.
It starts a little slowly, but once the book gets rolling it sucks you right in to this character's life. The preview for the movie now has so much more meaning for me, as I watched it again today and got so excited to see who Ken Watanabe is playing. And the girl(s) they got to play her, both as a child and a young woman, are absolutely perfect. So, if you haven't yet read Memoirs of a Geisha, especially if you have any plans to see the movie, I highly recommend it. It's very good, and an intriguing glimpse into Japan's history and traditions.
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Date: 2005-10-27 07:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-27 08:52 pm (UTC)