You’re allowed to read what you want. And if you really want to read this, go crazy. But might I perhaps offer a better option to read instead of this: Geisha, A Life by Mineko Iwasaki.

This is a memoir by the woman Arthur Golden interviewed for Memoirs of a Geisha.

“But why, Megan?” You ask. I’m so glad you asked.

1. Mineko Iwasaki did the interview under the condition that she remain anonymous, which Golden agreed to. However, Golden ended up including Iwasaki by name in the acknowledgments, whilst also making it clear who she was in relation to the book. This was actually taken to court due to the fact that it caused Iwasaki a lot of issues/conflict in multiple facets of her life (social, mental health, professional, etc.), but was eventually settled out of court.

2. Arthur Golden skewed the information he acquired through his interviews with Iwasaki to better fit hurtful Western stereotypes of geishas (equating geishas to prostitutes, among other things). Which just makes it so much worse. Iwasaki wanted to remain anonymous even with what she assumed would be an accurate depiction.

I wanted this information to be out there, on this forum, so people can make informed decisions on whether they read this one or not. And if they don’t, a better book to substitute it with/read instead.

Again, I’m not here to shame anyone who decides to read this. However, I believe knowing the context for media we consume is incredibly important either way.

(edited to fix typos & punctuation)

Not sure this is best place to post this question, so I apologize in advance if this isn’t the appropriate place. I was worried if I posted to PB Club, it would get buried. But there’s also not a specific quest that aligns to what exactly I’m looking for, though this one is the closest.

Basically, I’m looking for recommendations for horror books where the setting is contained to a single small location (e.g. farm, school campus, etc.) or a single building, but NOT a haunted house (e.g. hospital, sanatorium, hotel, etc.).

Hopefully this makes sense?😅

edited for typos

Every year I try to read one intimidating (or lengthy or dense or “difficult”) book to not only try to better improve my reading skills, but because there are also just a lot of books I’ve been wanting to read and have been a lil too scared to jump in.

I’ve been thinking about next year and what book I might choose, and I’ve been wanting to get into reading more Greek lit, especially the epics, for a long time. I own both The Iliad and The Odyssey, but not sure which one is best to start with. What would you guys recommend? Anything I should know before diving in? Any tips?

Also, I’m not the most…advanced or “intellectual” reader (hence the whole trying to read more challenging books thing) and a part of me is a bit intimidated and worried I’ll have a hard time understanding what’s going on. So any tips or thoughts on that would be much appreciated too! . . . Some background if it’s helpful: I read Edith Hamilton’s Mythology and a couple of excerpts from The Odyssey 10ish years ago for high school. I have a pretty good general understanding of the events that occur in The Odyssey (thanks to a “dumbed” down middle grade book version I read not too long ago and EPIC: The Musical [I know quite a few liberties were taken with the latter]). I know next to nothing about the Iliad.