'Memoirs of a Geisha' by Arthur Golden

I had always thought of 'Memoirs of a Geisha' by Arthur Golden as a "chick" book. I'm not really sure where that came from, but maybe it was because I have only known women to admit that they've read it. Anyway, I decided to put that aside, and while it does center around the life of a woman and the women around her, I would not classify it as a "chick" book. It was well written, well researched, full of interesting details and the inner thoughts of a pre- through post- World War II geisha living in Kyoto. I came away with an understanding of why Japanese women dressed as they did, with the white makeup and all, how it felt to be living in war-torn Japan, and some background on the non-confrontational nature of older Japanese. Its that rare great story where much can be learned, and a different culture appreciated at the same time.