Bennett, James Gordon. My Father’s Geisha. New York: Delacorte Press, 1990.
This book is about a boy growing up in a dysfunctional military family of a philandering father, a suspicious mother, and a crazy sister suffering mentally and physically from a thyroid problem.  The father is always over seas on various assignments, the mother is always conscious of her husband's one night stands, and the family is constantly moving.  The book is written from the viewpoint of the boy who grows from adolescence to adulthood before the reader.  Although it is known throughout the book that the father is continuously being unfaithful, it is not until the second to the last chapter, entitled “My Father’s Geisha,” that we learn that the father has any relations with a geisha.  The word geisha is only used twice and the reader is never given much of an image or idea of what a geisha truly is.  The geisha here is portrayed as a mistress figure that acts as a housewife and companion after she and the father are married, and she is Korean not Japanese.  A reader seeking to learn about geisha from this book would take away the idea  that a geisha is an Asian mistress and a potential wife who performs menial tasks.  This depiction could not be more different than Lesley Downer's or Liza Dalby's descriptions, for example, of a geisha as a Japanese woman trained in traditional music and other arts, who has mastered conversation and the entertainment of men.  If you are looking for a book that describes the lifestyle and art of geisha, or anything at all about women who work as geisha, this is not the book for you.  The book does exemplify, however, the way the term geisha is used in much English-language media to signifiy the exotically erotic.--Keats Webb
 

Chandler, Billie T. The Geisha Story: with doll-and-flower arrangements.  Rutland:  Tuttle Co., 1963.  56 pages.
First and foremost, this book showcases the author’s doll-and-flower arrangements.  These arrangements are a combination of tradition Japanese ikebana, or flower arrangements, and the display of Hakata dolls, little porcelain dolls that are made to look realistic.  The book is obviously artistic, starting with the blue and gold brocade cover.  Having created several of these doll-and-flower arrangements, the author has grouped different genres together and this is a display of those containing geisha.  Along with the pictures of geisha, the author gives a brief history of the geisha.  This history includes the stories of some famous geisha such as O-kichi and O-koi.  It is also a good reference for getting some views on the origins of geisha.  Moreover, it is a good way to see how an American knowledgeable about geisha tries to describe and explain geisha in a way that will make it easy for other Americans to understand.  At times, the author appears condescending, using terms such as “most Westerners” and describing “our” misconceptions about geisha, such as ideas that geisha are only prostitutes and don’t have to learn anything artistic.  The 12 full-color photographs of the doll-and-flower arrangements at the back of the book are a good way to get an idea of geisha in their “natural environment”, as the author describes it.  The dolls are highly detailed, so the photos could even be used to view kimono and hairstyles.  Lastly, these pictures nicely portray traditional Japanese flower arrangement and the simple elegance of Japanese beauty. --Charlotte Nunn

De Becker, J.E. The Sexual Life of Japan. Private Printing: Japan, 1906.
The Sexual Life of Japan was privately published in 1906 by J.E. De Becker.  It is a review of the history of the Yoshiwara Yukwaku pleasure quarters, which was a prostitution district that evolved under the Tokugawa government of early 17th century Japan.  The history is told like a narrative that is interspersed with legal documents, medical statistics, copies of petitions, and inventory lists of brothels.  The author uses these forms of information to keep the narrative completely fact-focused.  In the preface, De Becker clearly states that his intention as a historian is not to imply any moral judgment on prostitution, and that he intends to obtain this impartial tone by confining himself to assured facts.  He addresses the reader as if he or she has some knowledge of Japanese history, in that he does not go into any detail about the formation or make-up of the Tokugawa government.  The book is divided up into around a hundred one to three page segments, all listed in the table of contents under very specific subjects, so specific topics are easy to find.  The only confusing part of the book can be the Japanese terms that De Becker uses; he does not always give helpful definitions for them, and he tends to define a word early in the book and reuse the same word far later without defining it again.  This can be confusing to the reader who is not familiar with the Japanese language.  One five page section describes the history, fashion, hairstyles, and business patterns of the geisha.  This section is small but dense with detail, so it is helpful to one looking for information on the intricacies of the Geisha practices and ceremonies, with little emphasis on the ideologies they embody.  De Becker presents them simply as accomplished business-minded women, and does not mention any emotions or problems that Geisha face.--Elizabeth Dale

De Becker, J.E. The Nightless City or The History of the Yoshiwara Yukwaku. 5th ed. Rutland: Charles E. Tuttle Company, 1971. 386 pages.
**A later publication of the book annotated above.
 De Becker succeeds in his objective of explaining the history of the Yoshiwara. It is difficult to read at times because of the lengthy paragraphs, and finding information can be a challenge because the book is broken into over 100 sections. The sections range from short paragraphs to twelve pages and the longer sections are broken up by illustrations. Though related sections are placed near each other, there is no logical transition from one topic to the next in most cases. Overall, the information given is specific, and shows the reader precise details. Not only does De Becker use Japanese terms when describing things, but he also defines some Japanese phrases used in the Yoshiwara to give readers a better idea of what was important in the Yoshiwara lifestyle. For instance, “the piling up and exhibition of bedding” (108) has its own distinct phrase and meaning behind it. Because the Yoshiwara was partially built for prostitutes, geisha are mentioned several times throughout the book. There is no section devoted simply to geisha; rather the book is divided according to events surrounding their lives. If looking for a basic definition of geisha, this is not the book to use, but it will be extremely useful if one wants specific details on different aspects of the geisha life. One also has to be careful not to confuse geisha with courtesan because De Becker often quickly switches between terms, however by reading the title of the section or the first few sentences, one can figure it out. In general, the book is easy to read and De Becker shares his knowledge in a friendly manner. --Jennifer Fair

De Becker, J.E. The Nightless City of the Geisha. New York, NY. Kegan Paul Limited, 2002.
**Yet another publication of this book
    “The author of this book was a lawyer and a long-time resident of Japan.” This book gives an in-depth history of Japan’s Yoshiwara district. This book is extremely entertaining as well as informative. Halfway through the book the author includes an extensive list of Japanese charms and superstitions relating to sneezing, toothaches, mind-reading, and attracting guests to name a few. De Becker relates customs of the various houses in which women worked and men frequented. He even shows us the symbols that were used to represent the different classes of courtesans. The author relates common experiences of the Yoshiwara geisha and the other classes of entertainers also employed there. He highlights the legal relationships within the Yoshiwara; for example, the included excerpts from legal documents and letters pertaining to the creation of the Yoshiwara add validity to the book’s historical content. The author gives an example of a document used when a girl was sold by her family into a brothel. The reader of this book will have a large amount of information regarding the technical aspects of the Yoshiwara, but will less likely have an emotional response as personal stories are infrequent. Although it would be hard to find specific information, as the chapters in the book are in chronological order and not grouped by content, this book would be a great primary source on the history of the first “pleasure quarters” in Japan and, reading like a novel, is extremely interesting.--Jeanne Walkowe
 

Downer, Lesley. The Secret History of the Geisha: Women of the Pleasure Quarters. New York: Broadway Books, 2001.
The popularity of Arthur Golden’s book Memoirs of a Geisha led to a heightened interest in the geisha as an exotic symbol of Japanese culture. The Secret History of the Geisha: Women of the Pleasure Quarters is perfect for readers who are intrigued and fascinated by Japanese culture and the geisha. Lesley Downer delved deep into the ‘secret’ world of the geisha and wrote this extraordinary book that combines history with personal anecdotes and geisha stories. Many historical and research-oriented books are tedious and difficult to read, but Downer integrates all aspects of the geisha in a simple, yet elegant fashion. She addresses the declining popularity of the geisha but embraces what still remains. In order to obtain a majority of her information she had to enter the geisha world which is often near impossible for a Westerner. However, through patience she was slowly accepted into their world. She had to buy the ‘correct’ rice cakes for the women she came in contact with such as shamisen teachers and okiya mothers. Her stories are fascinating and really give the reader a sense of what and who a geisha is. In addition, Downer clearly and effectively explains the differences between Japanese courtesan, maiko, geisha, and geiko. Overall, Lesley Downer wrote an astonishing novel which is perfect for anyone with an interest in the true geisha. --Kristin Mulgrew

Downer, Lesley. Geisha: The Secret History of a Vanishing World. BPR Publishers, 2000.
**Basically the same book as published in the U.S.; see annotation above.
This book presents geisha as liberated women whom are freed from the confines of marriage, able to pursue independent careers as artists and entertainers, as well as eventually run their own businesses. Geisha are not presented as prostitutes but as arts people. They perform arts like singing, dancing or playing a musical instrument and are masters of the art of conversation. The “real secret history” of the geisha is explored here through methods of interviews and witnessing geisha’s everyday lives which most people do not experience.  Downer examines many aspects of the geisha world, both past and present. She comments on rituals and lifestyles of historical geisha and compares them to modern day contemporary geisha, who are not required to do such rigorous training as their predecessors. There is plenty of information covering the development of the geisha from their background, starting as courtesans and artists. It goes through to their rise in popularity in the 19th and 20th century as key figures in influencing politicians and company chairmen. It also provides insight on their present declining and redefining state. Lesley Downer also covers famous geisha and their tales, the diverse geisha communities both the modern and traditional. There are facts presented on their Japanese sexual attitudes, the role of the wife to the geisha. Geisha history and lifestyle is described; more specifically, there is statistics and information provided on male geisha, Taikomochi, although very brief. Overall this book portrays geisha as feminists, due to their liberated lifestyles, and provides a different perspective on women in Japan.--Brenda Bell.

Fell, Alison. The Pillow Boy of the Lady Onogoro. New York, San Diego, London: Harcourt Brace & Company, 1994. 247 pages. 
This novel depicts a woman named Onogoro in Japanese court during the Heian period, the 11th century. She works as a poet and a concubine for general Motosuke.  In this story females are, in general, stuck within a lifestyle they have little or no control over. Onogoro is only visited when the general has time and on his terms only. The general is a married man whose wife has a child in the story. She is expected to be fulfilled in the position of mistress, yet she has no power in changing the relationship. She actually becomes sick with grief at times because she feels so unsatisfied with the way in which she is treated. She also cannot achieve orgasm on her own. Secretly, she has a blind boy by the name of Oyo tell her erotic stories to “help” her along, this further takes away from her own sexual powers as a woman. Throughout the book Onogoro questions her relationship with the general and becomes closer to Oyo. Near the end of the story, Onoguro starts to realize that she is not in love with the general, but feels that she has an obligation to him. She finds herself falling in love with Oyu and feels torn. In the end, Onoguro must make a decision between duty and love. She feels trapped as a woman in Japanese society. Onogoro and the poets that she associates with share some of her resentment. Some of the women are more bitter than others. Throughout the book, renowned poets in the story speak of male inadequacies and of female position. 

As a court lady, Onogoro is adept in the art of poetry. She entertains the general, loves the general, but gets little affection in return for this. Although this is the normal role played by a court lady, it seems doubtful to me that in real life, a lady would have expected nothing else from her married lover. I believe that much of the sexual interludes and liaisons are to spark Western interest of what we perceive to be the erotic and exotic East.  The novelist comes at this story with a feminist perspective and addresses the reader in a mostly third person omniscient point of view. Sometimes the author makes situations where we see Oyu’s perspective, or the insect on the wall, etc.  This novel portrays the sexual lifestyle of poet and mistress as a glamorous, beautiful, intelligent, and heartbreaking lifestyle.--Jill Bauman
 

Gallagher, John. Geisha: A Unique World of Tradition, Elegance, and Art.  New York; Chrysalis Books, 2003. 
Gallagher’s Geisha’s lavish full-color photographs are its main highlight; they intensify the perspective offered on Geisha and correlate appropriately to the text. The author chooses to focus his attention on the actual activities involved in being a geisha: the training, costumes, makeup, geisha district, and history. Each of the six chapters focuses on one of these themes, but little attention is given to the geisha as a cultural archetype of Japanese or Asian women. The closest one finds to this is the chapter entitled “Geisha in the Modern World,” which describes how modern geisha attempt to maintain their positions as cultural curators while simultaneously co-existing with modern life. In particular, the photos from this chapter are interesting: geisha on cell phones, geisha with Harry Potter masks, geisha drinking Coke, etc. The tone the author takes is objective and to the point; he reports accurately the research on the specific subjects related to geisha and is concise in doing so. Despite the otherwise commercial feel of the book, the author makes no pretense at hiding the risqué social position of geisha and freely acknowledges the roles of both tayu during feudal Japan and the self-styled “geisha” prostitutes after WWII.  Geisha also has the advantage of being published recently and has commentary from the “Flower and Willow World” on the recent surge of interest in geisha stemming from the popularity of Author Golden’s Memoirs of a Geisha.  Given its great visual appeal and easy style, this book would be of great use to someone unfamiliar with the geisha tradition who wanted to increase their knowledge without reading something too dense. --John Jackson

Golden, Arthur.  Memoirs of a Geisha. New York: Vintage Books, 1997. 428 pages.
Memoirs of a Geisha is the story of Chiyo, a young, poor Japanese girl sold into the pleasure quarters, whose beautiful blue-grey eyes allow her not only access to the world of geisha, but also help her to become one of its most successful members.  The reader follows Chiyo as she is forced to leave her home and impoverished family after being sold.  Chiyo goes on to suffer in a monstrous geisha household yet eventually  transforms into the beautiful and powerful geisha Sayuri.  The reader may be surprised to realize that the author of this insightful view of a young woman’s life is actually male.  Arthur Golden’s novel, while beautifully written and rich with geisha tradition, depicts the life of a geisha with more idealism than realism.  Few events in Sayuri’s life would actually happen to the average geisha; having one of Gion’s most successful geisha as a big sister, being painted by a world famous artist, and especially marrying the man she’s always loved.  Memoirs gives the false impression that Sayuri’s life is similar to that of most geisha.  Also, Golden, being an American, adds a bit of western romanticism to the novel – the geisha looking for love, and the happy ending.  The average geisha would never allow herself to fall in love with a man, especially a man that was not her patron.  A geisha’s welfare depends on the satisfaction of her patron.  All of these aspects combined make Memoirs more of a rags-to-riches Japanese Cinderella fairy tale, rather than an accurate representation of geisha life.--Jennifer Adams

Honey, Maureen and Jean Lee Cole, eds. Madame Butterfly and A Japanese Nightingale: Two Orientalist Texts.  New Jersey: Rutgers University Press, 2002.

Madame Butterfly, the John Luther Long novel (1899) reprinted in this volume, begins in much the way the entire text will continue, expressing how little concern some American men had for the women from whom they sought temporary comfort and, in some cases, marriage in Meiji Japan.  Long divides his novel into many short chapters, in some ways using the short choppy structure to illustrate how brief and stilted the relationship between Pinkerton and Cho-Cho-San is.  The novel glosses over the details of Pinkerton’s leaving for America again and the birth of their son, leaping directly into the last throes of Butterfly’s longing for Pinkerton’s return and into her subsequent giving up of her son to a better life than she could give him. Long is, in fact, spare on many of the details that would provide a more complete picture of the domestic life Cho-Cho-San and Pinkerton would have had;  the readers are left unsure of how Butterfly came to be so in awe of Pinkerton and his Western ways. As light entertainment, Long’s story is moving and full of detail on the exotic geisha figure of Butterfly and her subservient ways. As a  piece of literature on the relationships between Japanese women and the American men who loved and left them, it provided a skeletal example but no real insight on the topic.-- Katie Hutton

Hwang, David Henry. M. Butterfly. New York: New American Library, 1988.
M. Butterfly is a surprisingly interesting play based on a true story of a French diplomat who was so in love with the idea of the stereotypical Asian woman who was supposed to be submissive, always putting her man before herself. Gallimard was so enraptured and caught up in this fantasy that he had no idea that Song Liling, his ideal woman, was not only a spy for the Chinese government, but in fact a man in disguise.
This play is an amusing outtake on how “blind” love can be as his fantasy enabled him to ignore all the tell tale signs, never wondering why his mistress would never fully undress, or why she went away during the “nine months she was pregnant”. The play also mocks the typical Western view of the Asian woman, as exhibited in the very popular Madame Butterfly. It reverses the tale of the Western lover who takes advantage of the pure and utterly devoted love of the meek woman, and leaves her desolate and heartbroken, mocking such an antiquated and stereotypical belief. 
--Charlotte Tate
 
 

Iwasaki, Mineko. Geisha, A Life. : Pocket Books, 2002. 368 pages. 
Geisha, A Life is the autobiography of Mineko Iwasaki, a geisha from the Gion Kobu district of Japan. Iwasaki was the primary informant for Arthur Golden’s Memoirs of a Geisha.  Tracing her chronologically ending at the end her career as geisha, the author considers herself to be the first woman who was a part of this three hundred year old Japanese tradition to come forward and speak out about her experience. The depiction of “the flower and willow world” is mostly positive, only criticizing the strict rules of the geisha system as well as the competitiveness and pressure that is inherent within the society. The book focuses on the aesthetic beauty of geisha, especially Japanese dance and the arts, and barely alludes to the sexuality of a geisha.  The book is not academic and therefore is not written with the intention of teaching the reader about the minutia of geisha nevertheless, a clear understanding of the culture and traditions can be gained from reading Iwasaki’s work. The most beneficial characteristic of the book is that Mineko starts as a young girl and as she explains her experiences with each step of the geisha system, the reader absorbs a comprehensive understanding of the phases of a geisha’s career. For this reason, the book gives a good overall understanding of the geisha world. Geisha, A Life, is enjoyable and informative and an important book for those who want to know more about the life of a geisha in Gion Kobu. 
--Maile Mercer

Louis, Lisa. Butterflies of the Night: Mama-sans, Geisha, Strippers, and the Japanese Men they Serve. New York: Tengu Books, 1992. 208 pages.
In this book, Lisa Louis takes a firsthand approach to discovering the truth behind the mizu shobai, or the “water trade” of the Japanese 
entertainment and sex industry, so named for the way the customers flow in and out of the bars and teahouses like water moving in a 
river. Louis reveals the often-overlooked aspects of the lives of many of the “butterflies of the night,” by becoming a bar hostess in Japan and by interviewing various women that keep this entertainment industry afloat. She divides the book into eight chapters, each with a 
different focus: job hunting, high-end clubs, geisha life, sex for money and lower end clubs, customers, whites in the industry, outsider bars in Japan, and gangster involvement in the “water trade.” This book provides an interesting, personal, and easy-to-read look into all aspects of the sex industry of Japan as opposed to glossing over thegrittier side of the business as many books do. In addressing the geisha, Louis gives an outsider’s view of the geisha life, a brief history of the women, and the personal story of one geisha mama who did not live the stereotypical geisha life. From this work it is clear that the geisha is viewed as a higher-class “butterfly” that has slowly drifted from pure artist and entertainer into association with the sex industry in Japan. As most English-language literature focuses on the aesthetic aspects and roles of the geisha, this work goes past the makeup and kimono and reveals to the world the not-so-glamorous aspects, and true-life stories of the geisha and her contemporary mizu shobai counterparts.  Through the use of her own experiences and interviews with individuals ranging from gangsters, to geisha, to bar hostesses, Lewis provides an excellent look into the personal lives and true stories of the women of the “floating world” of the Japanese entertainment industry. 
--Neely Schmidt

Matsuoka, Takashi. Cloud of Sparrows. New York: Delacorte Press, 2002. 
Cloud of Sparrows is a pop fiction novel with a fairly complex and invigorating plot. The story, set on the brink of the new year in 1861, takes place in an exoticized old Japan; samurai, swords, civil warfare, a beautiful geisha, and  Zen values figure prominently here.  As well as the romantically portrayed Japanese characters, there are three Christian missionaries: Zephaniah, Emily, and Matthew. 

Once the missionaries reach this completely foreign nation, they are taken under the wing of Lord Genji, the Great Lord of Akaoka, and leader of the Okumichi clan in Edo. The evil leader of the Shogun secret police, Kawakami, wants Genji dead more than anything. Well aware of their danger, and led by his own prophesies, Lord Genji realizes they all must escape Edo, and that he must stand up to Kawakami and save his clan from extinction. The “outsiders,” Heiko (a geisha and undercover spy), Genji, Genji’s uncle Lord Shigeru (a famous swordsman and samurai), and Genji’s bodyguard, Hide all go on a perilous journey through snow storms and  fight off numerous attacks to the Okumichi safe-haven, which is the beautiful castle, Cloud of Sparrows.  After many gruesome deaths, blossoming loves, and lives heroically saved, the Okumichi clan survives…for now. 
The portrayal of the one and only geisha character, Heiko, is very interesting and unique. Matsuoka makes her a hero, giving her many war-like masculine abilities. In battle, Heiko fights disguised as a man beside her male counterparts and kills ruthlessly. Her life in the Floating World is actually never described other than to say that she is considered to be the most beautiful and famous geisha in all of Japan. Though  her representation does not mesh with what real geisha of the time or even fantasy geisha of the 1860s, her figure becomes an odd contrast against the historical backdrop of the novel.  Heiko the geisha, like the samurai in the novel, serves to embody a fabulous, fictional Japanese past. 
--Sarah Murphy

Ogasawara, Yuko. Office Ladies and Salaried Men: Power, Gender, and Work in Japanese Companies. Berkeley: University of California,1998
Stereotypes about geisha are not the only stereotypes of women that exist in Japan. The office lady is one figure that carries an image separate from reality. Office Ladies and Salaried Men: Power, Gender, and Work in Japanese Companies addresses the woman’s role in the Japanese office. The book does so with the intention of revealing its complexity. The author is intent on not oversimplifying the issues, and each chapter is dedicated to disclosing a different layer of the topic. In the introduction, Ogasawara writes of the questions she intends to answer which include how women enjoy independence despite their “limited role in the economy,” what influence women have on men, how women exercise control, and at what level women voice their opinions “in the public sphere.” (3) Within the chapters she goes about addressing these questions by looking at indicators such as women’s employment patterns, relationships among female workers, why office ladies don’t protest unfair treatment, in what ways office ladies hold power in the work place, how women express their opinions of men, and acts of resistance. The book also contains a conclusion in which the author sums up her findings of the women’s situations. Ironically, it is the office lady’s lack of power that empowers her, because unlike her male counterpart, she has few benefits to protect and little to fear. Also, the male worker is highly dependent on the office lady’s efficiency and, knowing this, both recognize her importance in the workplace. Women have many different forms of resistance which they exercise collectively, and in doing so, reinforce the stereotype many males have that women get carried away my emotion and do not act rationally. She ends the book with the idea that while the future of the office lady is unclear, increase in programs to better utilize the female worker including performance reviews will undoubtedly change the female worker as well as the total structure of the Japanese office. Ogasawara ends the book with a series of appendix detailing her research.--Brandi Jones

Scott, A. C. The Flower and Willow World: A Study of the Geisha. Kingswood, Surrey, Great Britain: The Windmill Press Ltd, 1959.

Scott seems to have written this book as a beginner’s guide to geisha for one who knows nothing of the subject. In the beginning of the book, he combines China and Japan for many of the descriptions.  This novel is an outsider’s look inside the world of the geisha.  It is not an in-depth, first hand experience of what the world of a geisha is like.  Simply, it is a general overview of the history, performances, and how the world of the geisha has changed over time.  It begins with the Chinese entertainers and their impact on Japanese entertainers that later became known as geisha and then moves into the semi-modern world of the late 1950s.  He emphasizes how important it is for a geisha to be an expert entertainer who can sing and dance well, and dedicates an entire section of the book to their singing and dancing skills.  The writer’s point-of-view is passive, impartial, and is an observer instead of being opinionated.  He tries to tell both sides of the story of being a geisha.  For example, he talks about how some Japanese people are against the modernization of geisha, but then points out that “in spite of [their] modern make-up and fashionable hair-style, [their] manners, appearance and gestures are calculated to preserve the feminine personality of old Japan rather than the new.” This book utilizes simple language, photography, and illustrations to help explain to the reader the basics of what geisha are.

Scott writes that during occupation (1945-52), around 50,000 Japanese women were prostitutes; however, Scott argues that they were separate from the geisha quarters.  He adds that many prostitutes tried to emulate the geisha, and in doing so, tarnished the geisha's reputation.  As a response to this infringement on their territory, the geisha chose to "tighten up the terms of recruitment to the quarter, make training in the various arts compulsory, and impose strict penalties or expulsion on those who gave the quarter a bad name."  An idea came about that the name geisha had become so tainted that it needed to be changed; however, this would mean leaving behind the name that the "real" geisha had been using for centuries.  So the name was kept in hopes that as time went on, the name would regain its respectful meaning and leave behind the tainted association with prostitutes.  Scott writes only briefly about the prostitutes acting like geisha, and ignores the cultural and economic forces that separate women into allegedly good geisha and disreputable prostitutes.--Jennifer Griffin

Sherwin, Hiroko.  Eight Million Gods and Demons.  New York:  PLUME, of Penguin 
 Group, USA, 2001.
This work of  historical fiction follows the three generations of a Japanese family from the late 19th century to the end of World War II.  The story begins with the marriage of Emi, a young musician, and Taku, a noble politician rising in status.  Everything seems to be going beautifully with their life together, except for the fact that Emi’s poor health prevents them from having children.  Finally, Emi births a boy – Jun – but seemingly too late to save her marriage.  To Emi's dismay, she discovers that Taku has bought out a geisha's contract and brought the geisha to live in his “second household” – Hana, a beautiful but mean-spirited geisha, is able to provide him with a normal wife and many children.  Sherwin, uses Emi’s voice to represent Japan’s patriarchal mores that allows a man to have more than one household.  When long-suffering Emi dies, Taku brings Jun into Hana’s household, where he grows to love his stepsiblings and even his new step-mother.  From this point on, the story is similar to any step-family’s, with the twists and turns of parental relations and sibling interactions. 

Sherwin takes readers on a tour of Japanese history, countryside, and values: she explores Japan’s imperialist attitude toward Korea and China, the great Kanto Earthquake, the westernization of Japan, and (perhaps most extensively) World War II and the overbearing pressure to show patriotism.  She paints a believable portrait of the changing historical and cultural landscape of modern Japan.  The narrative is chronological, except for a few flashbacks.  I would recommend that students read this if they want to get an overall sense of life for this era, because Sherwin does a detailed job of portraying everyday middle-class life.  She also clearly delineates the geisha/wife relationship – Emi is obviously a victim, but neither Taku nor Hana is to blame.  She is sympathetic to Emi, but also, surprisingly, to the geisha.  While Hana is the “other woman,” Sherwin shows the difficulties that forced her into the geisha life to begin with.  Taku feels a huge amount of remorse for betraying Emi, but he truly loves both women, and this is utterly acceptable to the Japanese.  --Teresa Lee

Sneider, Vern.  The Teahouse of the August Moon.  New York:  Putnam, 1951.
This comedic novel, written shortly before the end of the U.S. occupation of Japan, illustrates the military's efforts to reconstruct Japan.  It shows these happenings through the vantage point of both the blindly ambitious Colonel Wainright Purdy III and the practical and flexible Captain Jeff Fisby.  The opening explains the current situation in the occupied territories, as well as outlining future plans and expectations of the military personel presently there.  Clearly a satire, the novel lampoons the efforts of the Americans to westernize Japan, exaggerating the misinterpretations to comedic effect.  Captain Fisby, overwhelmed by his station, subordinates, and citizens under his command, who exploit every loophole to shirk work, through his every day encounters begins to discover that the American way is not necessarily the right way, and illustrates the thinking man on the side of the U.S.  This change is brought about through the addition of the geisha to the village under his control.  Through the villagers' extravagant demands and the way in which they mezmerise the villagers, he begins to see something worthwhile to what the Japanese had.  It is only through the rebuilding of structures and agriculture important to the geisha that the villagers really show any initiative or effort at all.  Colonel Purdy alternatively is not placed under such stresses, and instead blindly follows the mandates passed down to him from command, enforcing rules and regulations that simply don’t work with the existing culture and society.  The novel appears to have been written with a desire to call into account the actions of the US forces engaged in the occupation of Japan, and bring about a greater general understanding of not only that situation, but of Japanese culture in the post-WWII environment.--Ryan Kubin
 

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