Memoirs of a Geisha is a historical fiction novel by American author Arthur Golden, published in 1997. The novel, told in first person perspective, tells the story of Nitta Sayuri and the many trials she faces on the path to becoming and working as a geisha in Kyoto, Japan, before, during and after World War II.
Specifically, Golden draws from Liza Dalby's memoir Geisha, which recounts the author's experiences as the only American woman ever to become a geisha. Since Golden's novel masquerades as a true memoir, it also belongs to the relatively recent literary tradition of novels written in the guise of memoirs or autobiographies.
The novel was inspired by the real-life interview that Golden carried out with Mineko Iwasaki, a famous Japanese geisha who later sued him for using her story. Throughout 'Memoirs of a Geisha,' the reader will see the physical and psychological changes Sayuri goes through. Her desire for self-understanding and belonging are what drive her
In the 1920s, 9-year-old Chiyo gets sold to a geisha house where she is forced into servitude, receiving nothing in return until the house's ruling hierarchy determines whether she is of high-enough quality to service the clientele--men who visit and pay for conversation, dance, and song. After rigorous years of training, Chiyo becomes Sayuri
8JFg2BZ. is memoirs of geisha a true story
