A Blast From the Past is a meme for people to review a book that they read before they started blogging. It doesn't have to be a favourite, it might be that you didn't enjoy it. It is about sharing a book from your past with others.
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
This book is one of my absolute all time favourites. I fell in love with it the first time that I ever read it, and I have read it many many times since without my love of it ever changing.
It is one of the most special books that I have ever read, in the sense that it takes you back in time almost as if it is a true history of someones real life. It is the story of Chiyo, born into poverty in rural Japan. After an accident, she is discovered as a beauty by Mr Tanaka, a Japanese business man. She and her sister are sold by her family to Mr Tanaka, who takes the two of them to the city, where Chiyo is trained to be a Geisha (I won't spoil what happens to her sister), becoming Sayuri. The story then recounts her journey as she is trained to become a Geisha and in fact becomes one of the most popular Geisha in the city. She is bullied by her 'sister' in the Geisha house, and is cared for by her mentor, who takes her on out of a sense of competition with her.
There is love and loss throughout the journey. It is educative as well as imaginative. I have very rarely read a book where the characters and their world and experiences are painted to vividly by the author. Very few books have had as large an impact upon me as this book has, and I have rarely re-read any book as much as I have re-read this one.
I very much recommend this book to everyone - I think that if you haven't read it then you are really missing out.
If you have a book from the past that you want to share with everyone, why not write your own Blast from the Past post and leave a link to in the comments field below?
9 comments:
Oh wow, I just started a similar meme called, A Book Revisited but I want to highlight books read in the past that have had zero or little mention among book bloggers and they must be books that are recommended. It's so great to highlight books we read in the past...we were all reading before book blogging after all.
I have been wanting to read this book for the longest time-I think I will read in next quarter for sure-great post
Thats very true Mrs B. I hope you enjoy your meme.
I hope you read it soon Mel U - it will be worth it!
Someday I am going to have to give this novel another shot. I don't know if it was because of the time I read it, or what, but when I finished this I threw it against the wall. But now whenever I see a review I think I might have to give it another chance.
I really enjoyed Memoirs of a Geisha too. You should check out Geisha of Gion which is a memoir by Mineko Iwasaki if you haven't already, Arthur Golden based MOAG on his interviews with her. I found it really interesting reading her story and comparing it with MOAG.
I was never really interested in reading this novel, but I think I will give it a try
Allie - you threw it against the wall?? Did you hate it?
I'd love to re-read Memoirs of a Geisha. I remember being entranced by the writing and just so impressed with it and mad at myself for waiting so long to read it. What an awesome book.
Thanks for the walk down memory lane!
Oh loved this book as well, it´s very beautiful!
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