The World of the Geisha - The 92nd Street Y, New York

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92NY Humanities Audio Collection

About Women

The World of the Geisha

Nov 17, 1998


Jodi Cobb, staff photographer at National Geographic Magazine, and novelist Arthur Golden discuss their published works about Japanese Geisha, including their experiences researching, interacting with, and writing about Geisha. Cobb, whose non-fiction photo book Geisha: the Life, the Voices, the Art was published in 1995, reflects on the secrecy of the Geisha world. She discusses the two women who eventually gave her access to their work and their lives. Golden speaks about the lengthy writing and rewriting process for his 1997 historical fiction novel, Memoirs of a Geisha. He also shares his own experiences meeting and speaking with real Geisha in Japan, and how he found the right narrative voice for his work. The discussion is followed by questions from the audience.

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