July Book Discussion

The July book selection is Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. The picture to the left is from the original book cover that was published in the late 1990s. However, you are probably more familiar with the picture below it, which originated as a theatrical release poster when the book was made into a movie of the same name in 2005.

The book discussion will take place in the WR Beginner's Room on Saturday, July 18th at 9:00 a.m. EDT. If you let Marla, Anissa, Faith, Cross or Janet know ahead of time that you will be participating in the discussion, they will make sure you get a copy of the discussion questions prior to that date, but feel free to just stop in and join the conversation.

Here is an excerpt from the original book jacket:

Sayuri's story begins in a poor fishing village in 1929, when, as a nine-year-old with unusual blue-gray eyes, she is taken from her home and sold into slavery to a renowned geisha house. Through her eyes, we see the decadent heart of Gion--the geisha district of Kyoto--with its marvelous teahouses and theaters, narrow back alleys, ornate temples, and artists' streets. And we witness her transformation as she learns the rigorous arts of the geisha: dance and music; wearing kimono, elaborate makeup and hair; pouring sake to reveal just a touch of inner wrist; competing with a jealous rival for men's solicitude and the money that goes with it. But as World War II erupts and the geisha houses are forced to close, Sayuri, with little money and even less food, must reinvent herself all over again to find a rare kind of freedom on her own terms.

Author: Arthur Golden; Publisher: Random House, 1997; 320-448 pgs.