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 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 someone's 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 businessman. 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?
Originally posted 28 March 2010 Page Turners
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