A really stunning book about a culture I know little to nothing about - utterly absorbing, and beautifully written.

About thirty pages in it struck me that I didn't know whether I was reading an authentic memoir or a work of fiction - and it's fiction! Well, they do say the truth is often stranger...

This is another title that will be travelling around the gang on BookCrossingUK first before venturing further afield. Here's a clicky-link if you'd like to come and join us!




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PerniciousJules actually requested this book from me, which led to it being bumped up my TBR mountain, but it was so good (and she's a bit snowed under!) that she's given me her blessing to ray it first.

Here's a list of the participants:

Bookmaniac70
Perfect-Circle
PerniciousJules
Hey-Miki and then briefly back to me,
Lucycat so my mum can have a quick read before it potters off again...;O)

Will be headed off to Milena in Monday's post...enjoy the book, everyone!

Received today! It came earlier,actually, but they kept it since the post office was closed for the holidays. I`m going out of city tomorrow for a week and shall start reading after I`m back.

I will start reading the book at the end of the week.I am out of my city right now and some unexpected family matters kept me here longer than I was expecting.Sorry!

I went already through a considerable part of the book.I was very satisfied to read at the end of the book that every detail about geishas` lives,dress,culture,training,have been verified.It is interesting to know how much suffering,pain,hate,rivalry,ambition,jealousy and misery stand behind the beautiful geisha`s face.I like to read about the subtle details of body and eyes language,mastered to perfection by the girls.The book is very interesting.

I shall make another entry once I have finished.

I mailed today the book to Perfect-Circle who is next for this bookray.I left the book with a "bitter taste in my mouth".The story was a sad one- too much money,plots,unhappiness,disappointments.It is sad to read about the miserable position of women and how geishas were passed from man to man.There is too little place for love and kindness left in this profession.
What I liked most about Sayuri(Chiyo) was her straighforwardness and belief in love.She didn`t give up her dreams to be close to the man she loved.
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January,27 update

The book is still with me.I was mistaken because I posted a bunch of books and wrongly assumed I sent this one,too.I`m very sorry!I`m going to send it today or latest on tomorrow.

Released on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 at BOOKRAY in n/a, n/a Controlled Releases.

Mailed to the next participant.

arrived today and am very much looking forward to reading it. Thanks bookmaniac for the lovely postcard as well.

I found this book fascinating and, like Lucycat, I felt often that it couldn't have been a work of fiction. The story was heart-breaking at times and totally absorbing. I really admired Sayuri for sticking to what she'd wanted all along and not giving in and being guided by money as so many others seemed to be.

Will be passed on to perniciousjules later this week.

Released on Friday, February 27, 2004 at Postal Release in Controlled release, England United Kingdom.

mailed to perniciousjules

read this a long time ago and loved it, i hope it is the same the second time round. Thank you perfect circle!

It is every bit as good as I remember, if not better.
Reading about an unfamiliar culture is like making a new discovery and with this book the discovery is all the more precious because of the sheer detail that went into creating the characters.

Good grief - I can't believe I didn't journal this one when it landed safely back with me! Thanks so much to everyone who participated in this mini-ring, and to PerniciousJules especially for sending it back my way.

The book is indeed with my mum now who's looking forward to making a start on it just as soon as she gets up-to-date with 'The Ladies' Detective Agency' series...:O)

Update 2/1/05

And my mum loved it too, so it's back with me now and will be accompanying me to the Hull Meet on Tuesday to find a new reader...

Released on Tuesday, January 04, 2005 at about 1:00:00 PM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at The Mission, Posterngate in Hull, England United Kingdom.

RELEASE NOTES:

To be released at the Fifth Hull BookCrossing Meet at 7pm...see you there!

Someone scooped this at the Hull Meet way back when...am just jourballing to clean up the Mission release notes!

RELEASE NOTES:

Retrospective release notes for a controlled release that's still out there...somewhere...