The Last Concubine tour dates summer 2008

Thursday July 10th 6 pm Chichester Festivities 2008 Old Kitchen, Bishop’s Palace, Chichester www.chifest.org.uk Illustrated lecture on The Last Concubine: Secrets of the Women’s Palace Wednesday 16th July 11.30am Ways with Words 2008 Barn Theatre, Dartington Hall, Devon www.wayswithwords.co.uk Illustrated lecture on The Last Concubine: Secrets of the Women’s Palace Monday October 6th 7 pm … Read more

The Last Concubine tour dates 2008 latest latest – and other events.

May 21st – May 23rd Madrid tour for La Ultima Concubina (the Spanish edition of The Last Concubine). May 22nd 7 pm Casa Asia Madrid, Auditorio Tagore, Palacio Miraflores, Carrera de San Jeronimo, 15.28014, Madrid entry free La Ultima Concubina – illustrated lecture Download event details Saturday June 7th 3 – 4.30 pm College of … Read more

The Last Concubine tour dates 2008 updated again – and other events!

Thursday April 24th 6 pm Kinokuniya bookstore, 1071 Avenue of the Americas, New York, USA tel +1 212-869-1700 Illustrated talk on Madame Sadayakko/Madamu Sadayakko May 21st – May 23rd Barcelona tour for La Ultima Concubina (the Spanish edition of The Last Concubine). Details to follow. Saturday June 7th 3 – 4.30 pm College of Art, … Read more

The Last Concubine tour dates 2008 updated and other events!

Thursday April 3rd 4.30 pm Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival Christ Church College, Oxford www.SundayTimes-OxfordLiteraryFestival.co.uk Event with Ellis Avery (author of The Teahouse Fire, published by Vintage) Thursday April 24th 6 pm Kinokuniya bookstore, 1071 Avenue of the Americas, New York, USA tel +1 212-869-1700 Illustrated talk on Madame Sadayakko/Madamu Sadayakko Saturday June 7th Ekota … Read more

Lesley giving lecture at Asia House on Wednesday March 19th

Wednesday March 19th 6.45 pm Asia House 63 New Cavendish Street, London www.AsiaHouse.org Illustrated lecture on The Last Concubine: Secrets of the Women’s Palace This is a joint lecture with the Japan Society and Asia House. See also http://www.japansociety.org.uk/events/080319_combined_lecture.html Asia House members and concessions £5, Non-members £8

The Last Concubine book launch

Lesley met readers and signed books at the book launch for The Last Concubine on March 5th at the Royal Over-Seas League. She also gave a lecture and there was a sword fighting display with samurai swords. Some photos of the event:

Why are people so fascinated by geisha?

The word geisha means ‘arts person’ – gei is ‘art or arts’, sha is ‘person’. Geisha are performers who spend five years – as long as a university course – learning to sing, dance, play musical instruments, act and make charming conversation. They are as strictly trained as ballerinas in the west. But they are … Read more

Hakodate, where west met east

One bitter December day in 1868, 3000 Japanese warriors sailed into Hakodate Bay, on the tip of the northern island of Ezo (now Hokkaido), close to the Japanese mainland. Their ambition was to defeat the imperial forces and set up a republic loyal to the deposed shogun. But when spring came the imperial government sent … Read more