Memoirs of a Geisha
This work of fiction, which describes the life of a geisha from her childhood in Japan, through her working life during the Great Depression and the Second World War to her later life in New York, is only spoilt by the clarification in the closing notes that it is a work of fiction.
As a biography, the story is totally convincing, though the account of the war years is rather harrowing. Except for that section the narrative runs at an even pace, ideal for reading a little a day, not so gripping that I could not put the book down.
All the book required was a concluding confirmation that it is, in fact, a biography. As it is, the doubt remains as to how truthful the descriptions of Japanese life are, what was made up for the sake of a better read. Nevertheless, a gripping book, well worth reading.
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