Notoriously boring

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 to, Downer writes non-fiction as well.

The book

“Women of the Pleasure Quarters” was first published in 2000. It is the result of extensive research and several personal interviews by Downer. The book starts with Downer’s first experience with a Geisha (from her description properly a maiko) and keeps the tone of being a personal anecdote throughout the book. She even manages this through the historical chapters!

Accessibility

This tone and the fact that Downer is a journalist make this book so easy to follow. As with Liza Dalby’s Geisha, everything is explained, but the language is far more accessible even if the difficulty is only one grade below Dalby’s at a 10. “Women of the Pleasure Quarters” cover almost everything there is to know about Geisha. More than that, it also explores the world of the Japanese pleasure quarters and the courtesans who resided there. This means that the book goes relatively far back in time. You could fear that it could overwhelm the newbie to Japanese history. But worry not! Because Downer has your back! Throughout the historical chapters, Downer will let you know what was happening simultaneously in the Western world. This means that if you know something about Western history, you will have a fair chance of following along in these chapters anyway. This, together with the extensive coverage of the topic and the slightly more accessible language, earns “Women of the Pleasure Quarter” a high score in accessibility!

Fun

Maybe high accessibility is the key to high fun because Downer also scores high in this category! It is exceedingly clear that Downer writes fiction for a living, and I mean this in the most positive way! Her writing is engaging, and she effortlessly draws you into the world she is describing. This and the many interviews of Geisha in various stages of life make this book an incredibly intimate look into the flower and willow world. And you will enjoy your stay!

Reliability

I had a very hard time finding reviews of this book from other professionals. This might simply be because Downer isn’t a historian but a journalist. Yet, this does not mean this book isn’t reliable! Because Downer is standing on the shoulders of giants, her references are reliable. Though the book is mainly based on English-language sources, Downer does read and speak Japanese, and she uses some Japanese sources as well (something that gives her credit in my book).

Some might be skeptical that all her interviewees are anonymous, but this is just basic journalistic integrity. These women are exceedingly secretive. That they feel safe expressing themselves so candidly to Downer should be a testament to the trust she has gained in the community. And why would she lie about what they said when the rest of this book is so soundly on a foundation of research? The only reason I can’t score women of the pleasure quarter with the highest marks is the lack of information from other professionals. If you have had more luck finding scholarly reviews of this book, please comment with a link or directions on how to find it. I would love to read it!

Overall

It should then come as no surprise that I wholeheartedly recommend reading this book—especially if you find Liza Dalby’s Geisha intimidating because of its slightly lower fun and accessibility ratings. “Women of the Pleasure Quarters is a great first look into the world of Geisha, and if this book raised your interest and you want more, then reading Dalby’s Geisha should be your next step!

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