Many readers of the 6X and 7X generations are probably still impressed with the novel "Memoirs of a Geisha" which was printed and published by the Vietnamese Women's Publishing House. In 2024, the novel reappeared in Vietnam, also printed and published by the Vietnamese Women's Publishing House with the new name "Autobiography of a Geisha", a new translation by translator Nguyen Bich Lan.
Geisha originally means artisan, girls trained from a young age to become artists who know how to dance, sing, play traditional musical instruments, especially leading stories to become fun at drinking parties of the Japanese upper class.
First published in 1997, the book "Autobiography of a Geisha" quickly became one of the literary masterpieces, captivating readers around the world with its exquisite writing and emotional story. Readers are immediately drawn into each page of the book detailing a world that has long been hidden or intentionally forgotten - the world of geisha.
In Japanese society before World War II, women who held the position of geisha were considered symbols of talent and elegance, bringing joy to gentlemen with their musical instruments, dances, lively and graceful speech, etc. They were loved and respected, but according to the rules of the profession, they had to bury their secret desires, even love, in a world full of "standards", "selling art, not selling body".
From a poor fishing village in Yoroido town, a beautiful 9-year-old girl named Chiyo with strangely beautiful gray-blue eyes was tricked and sold to a geisha house in Tokyo. Facing one loss after another in a harsh and cruel world, with extraordinary determination, the girl not only survived but also became an excellent geisha.
After months of hardship and near despair, Chiyo met a man who made her heart flutter, lit a fire of love and strength in her heart, and motivated Chiyo to become a famous geisha to be able to approach the only man in her life...
Readers will feel the rich emotions of the little girl Chiyo, from the sadness of her poor family to her desire for true love. The book delves into her most memorable moments, especially her first love before the kindness of a man who changed her life, her desire to become a talented artist...
"Autobiography of a Geisha" is not only a story about a young girl facing hardships to become a famous geisha, but also a journey to find love and compassion in a difficult world.
