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Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai ~ Yamamoto Tsunetomo
Hagakure ("In the Shadow of Leaves"') is a manual for the samurai classes consisting of a series of short anecdotes and reflections that give both insight and instruction--in the philosophy and code of behavior that foster the true spirit of Bushido--the Way of the Warrior. It is not a book of philosophy as most would understand the word: it is a collection of thoughts and sayings recorded over a period of seven years, and as such covers a wide variety of subjects, often in no particular sequence.
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The Book of Five Rings (Bushido--The Way of the Warrior) ~ Miyamoto Musashi
To learn a Japanese martial art is to learn Zen, and although you can't do so simply by reading a book, it sure does help--especially if that book is The Book of Five Rings. One of Japan's great samurai sword masters penned in decisive, unfaltering terms this certain path to victory, and like Sun Tzu's The Art of War it is applicable not only on the battlefield but also in all forms of competition. Always observant, creating confusion, striking at vulnerabilities--these are some of the basic principles. Going deeper, we find suki, the interval of vulnerability, of indecisiveness, of rest, the briefest but most vital moment to strike.
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The Book of Five Rings ~ Miyamoto Musashi
The Book of Five Rings is one of the most insightful texts on the subtle arts of confrontation and victory to emerge from Asian culture. Written not only for martial artists but for anyone who wants to apply the timeless principles of this text to their life, the book analyzes the process of struggle and mastery over conflict that underlies every level of human interaction. The Book of Five Rings was composed in 1643 by the famed duelist and undefeated samurai Miyamoto Musashi.
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Samurai - The World of the Warrior ~ Stephen Turnbull
The world of the samurai, the legendary elite warrior cult of old Japan, has long been associated solely with military history and has remained a mystery to the general reader. In this paperback edition, Stephen Turnbull, the world's leading authority on the samurai, goes beyond the battlefield to paint a picture of the samurai as they really were. This book explores the samurai within the context of an all-encompassing warrior culture that was expressed through art and poetry as much as through violence. Using themed chapters, Turnbull illuminates the samurai through their historical development and their relationship to the world around them - relationships that are shown to persist in Japan even today.
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Samurai Films ~ Roland Thorne
Samurai films are an intriguing combination of frenetic action sequences, moving personal drama, and philosophical observations on loyalty and violence, all set against the spectacular backdrop of pre-industrial Japan. References to samurai films are quite common in film literature, and many mainstream directors, from Hollywood and elsewhere, have been inspired and influenced by them—Lucas by Akira Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress, and the genre of spaghetti westerns by Kurosawa's Yojimbo. Want to see one of the major inspirations for Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill films? Look no further than Toshiya Fujita's Lady Snowblood.
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Samurai Strategies: 42 Martial Secrets from Musashi's Book of Five Rings ~ Boye Lafayette De Mente
The most famous combat strategist in Japanese history was Musashi Miyamoto, a warrior who lived from 1584 to 1645. Miyamoto fought his first duel to the death when he was 13, killing a veteran warrior more than twice his age. By the time he was 29 he had killed more than 60 other warriors in duels and was a legend in his own time. Shortly before his death, Musashi recorded his philosophy, strategies and tactics in a short treatise entitled Go Rin Sho-The Book of Five Rings. An esoteric read for anyone not versed in Japanese culture and language, Go Rin Sho has now been distilled to present the fundamentals of Miyamoto's tactics and explain them in the modern context of business, politics and war. Samurai Strategies is the result. Compiled by renowned Japanologist Boye Lafayette De Mente, it is more precise and practical as a handbook for winning than The Art of War by China's most famous military strategist, Sun Tzu.
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Samurai: An Illustrated History ~ Mitsuo Kure
Samurai: An Illustrated History brings the violent, tumultuous, and, at the same time, elegant world of the medieval Japanese samurai to life. With a general introduction that examines the origins of the samurai and their rise to power, Samurai presents a chronological coverage of samurai history detailing the main battles, personnel, and general themes. Additional chapters are studies of samurai armor and weaponry, fortifications, and the changes in strategy and armor upon the introduction of firearms and cannon. All chapters are illustrated by photographs of battle re-enactments meticulously conducted by the enthusiastic historical re-enactment societies of Japan, and by line drawings of fortifications and armor.
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Samurai: Arms, Armor, Costume ~ Mitsuo Kure
Samurai: An Illustrated History brings the violent, tumultuous, and, at the same time, elegant world of the medieval Japanese samurai to life. With a general introduction that examines the origins of the samurai and their rise to power, Samurai presents a chronological coverage of samurai history detailing the main battles, personnel, and general themes. Additional chapters are studies of samurai armor and weaponry, fortifications, and the changes in strategy and armor upon the introduction of firearms and cannon. All chapters are illustrated by photographs of battle re-enactments meticulously conducted by the enthusiastic historical re-enactment societies of Japan, and by line drawings of fortifications and armor.
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Samurai: The Weapons and Spirit of the Japanese Warrior ~ Clive Sinclaire
This is a lavishly illustrated introduction to the martial art and artistry of the samurai, the ancient Japanese military class that generated a unique culture-within-a-culture. While the visual emphasis is on the intricately designed weaponry and armor of the samurai, the fascinating text details the history and the philosophy of this elite group of warriors. As the samurai culture evolved, their arms became increasingly more elaborate and sophisticated. Individual chapters are devoted to examining the stylistic details and the practical employment of swords, polearms, bows and arrows, and guns through the centuries.
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The Code of the Samurai: A Modern Translation of the Bushido Shoshinshu of Taira Shigesuke ~ Yuzan Daidoji
The Code of the Samurai is a four-hundred-year-old explication of the rules and expectations embodied in Bushido, the Japanese way of the warrior. Bushido has played a major role in shaping the behavior of modern Japanese government, corporations, society, and individuals, as well as in shaping the modern martial arts within Japan and internationally. The Japanese original of this book has been one of the primary sources on the tenets of Bushido, a way of thought that remains fascinating to modern world, East and West
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The Samurai Swordsman: Master of War ~ Stephen Turnbull
The word "samurai" evokes intense images of indomitable warriors, expert swordsmen capable of taking on overwhelming odds-and emerging victorious. But this popular image only brushes the surface of the samurai tradition. The Samurai Swordsman: Master of War brings to life the history behind the courageous and highly disciplined fighting men of early Japan.
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The Unfettered Mind: Writings from a Zen Master to a Master Swordsman ~ Takuan Soho
So succinct are the author's insights that these writings have outlasted the dissolution of the samurai class to come down to the present and be read for guidance and inspiration by the captains of business and industry, as well as those devoted to the practice of the martial arts in their modern form.
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