Read: Memoirs of Geisha
For Dreaming of: Japanese Romance
By Arthur Golden
Novel
“But now I know that our world is no more permanent than a wave rising on the ocean. Whatever our struggles and our triumphs, however we may suffer them, all too soon they bleed into a wash, just like watery ink on paper.”
These are the last two lines of Golden’s novel which remain among my entire literary canon as some of the most moving. Indeed the 2005 Hollywood remake of this book is an excellent film, but this is one of those books-turned-films in which the writing could never quite be replaced. It’s long: over 400 pages of a sweeping WWII epic of Japanese beauty, kidnapping, sex-trade, gender roles, cultural tradition, formality, and a subsequent American-soldier romance that is an absolute page turner. Even if you’ve seen the film, read the book. It’ll have you yearning to stroll the gardens of Kyoto before you finish the first half.
Where to find it: Your local, independent bookstore.
Photo source: japanpowered.com and peakpx.com
Syllogi’s ‘Musings’ is a series helping you paint a picture of a destination while traveling from your living room. From relevant books and articles, inspiring movies and tv shows, to songs and even treats and dishes, our goal is to curate a sensory experience that will prepare you for an upcoming trip, reminiscence on adventures past, or simply to envision a place that exists in your bucket list fantasies.
