RISES ABOVE MANY OF ITS COMPETITORS, THANKS TO ITS AMBITIOUS SCOPE...THE BOOK´S PHOTOS AND ILLUSTRATIONS ARE FREQUENTLY STUNNING....GALLAGHER´S WRITING STYLE IS STRAIGHTFORWARD AND ARTICULATE, WITH SO MUCH INTELLIGENCE AND GRACE, IT´S DIFFICULT NOT TO BE CHARMED.--PUBLISHERS WEEKLY TAKE A FASCINATING PEEK INTO THE GEISHA´S WORLD OF TRADITION AND RITUAL WITH THE HELP OF A MOST UNIQUE BOOK. FOUR SEE-THROUGH VELLUM SECTIONS, OF FOUR LAYERS EACH, BEGIN WITH A "NAKED" GEISHA; THEY SHOW, STAGE BY STAGE, HOW HER DISTINCTIVE COSTUME AND MAKE-UP ARE ASSEMBLED. YOU´LL VIEW THE SUBTLE CHANGES OF APPEARANCE THROUGH THE ROUND OF SEASONAL EVENTS, AND THE ELABORATE ARRAY OF EQUIPMENT IN THE GEISHA´S WARDROBE, AS WELL AS EVERYTHING SHE NEEDS TO DO HER DEMANDING JOBS. EQUALLY REVEALING IS THE INCREDIBLY DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THE WOMEN''''S TRAINING, LIVES, AND HISTORY.