Review
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Review of William D. Johnston’s Geisha, Harlot, Strangler, Star
Overall Accessibility Fun Reliability The Author William D. Johnston was surprisingly difficult to track down—turns out, his name is quite common! But after some digging, I found that he was a professor of history at Wesleyan University for 36 years. He holds a BA from Elmira College and an MA and PhD from Harvard. His… Continue reading
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Review of Dr. Jan Bardsley’s Maiko Masquerade
Overall Accessibility Fun Reliability The Author Dr. Jan Bardsley is a scholar of Japanese language and literature and professor emerita of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at UNC Chapel Hill. She has spent over twenty years studying Japanese women, particularly maiko, and has published extensively on the topic. Her long-standing expertise and numerous teaching awards… Continue reading
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Review of Lesley Downer’s Women of the Pleasure Quarters
Overall Accessibility Fun Reliability Lesley Downer is a journalist (and historian, though she doesn’t mention whether she is educated or a hobbyist) with an interest in all things Japan. She has written many historical novels set in Japan, some of which I intend to review! Yet, as “Women of the Pleasure Quarters” is a testament… Continue reading
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Review of Liza Dalby’s Geisha
Overall Accessibility Fun Reliability Liza Dalby is an American anthropologist, specializing in Japan and its culture. She has published several books on the topic, including historical fiction. The part of Dalby’s life we are mostly interested in for the purposes of this review is her time as a geisha apprentice. In 1975 Dalby went to… Continue reading
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About
My first experience with history, must have been my own story. I was tasked with mapping my family tree in school, and I remember so clearly the excitement and interest I had. Having my mom tell me the stories of the people who had come before me, and how they had lived so very differently then I had. I couldn’t get enough.
Recent Blog
- Part 30: State Shinto After the War
- Part 29: Summary of Kokutai no Hongi and Its Significance
- Part 28: Kokutai no Hongi – Harmony
- Part 27: Kokutai no Hongi – Loyalty and Patriotism
Recent Review
- Review of William D. Johnston’s Geisha, Harlot, Strangler, Star
- Review of Dr. Jan Bardsley’s Maiko Masquerade
- Review of Lesley Downer’s Women of the Pleasure Quarters
- Review of Liza Dalby’s Geisha
