Book cover of The Book of Five Rings

Book description

The complete and official edition of the original Japanese text. Translated by Prof. Nabiki Imagawa and Prof. James Ashcroft in 2019 to fix all the previous mistakes present in the old public editions. This is the recommended edition for university specialists and experts in Japanese history who want the full…

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Why read it?

2 authors picked The Book of Five Rings as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Japanese Samurai culture has been dumbed down by film and TV until it’s not much different from Hollywood’s portrayals of the Wild West. What of the real 16th-century Samurai? What does he have to say? What of the deepest Zen wisdom that enabled him to survive and stay calm while fighting against overwhelming odds?

According to legend, the greatest Samurai swordsman of all time was Miyamoto Musashi, who penned this book. Musashi’s Zen wisdom – straight from feudal Japan - reads like fine poetry and can be applied to today’s world, much like Sun Zu’s The Art of War.…

A classic of the ages and essential reading for any martial artist, The Book of Five Rings is a guide to self-discipline and learning. But you have to read between the lines, listen to the silences, and practice the way of the warrior yourself in order to get the most from it. The legendary swordmaster Miyamoto Musashi is the blueprint for Jack’s sensei and guardian Masamoto in my Young Samurai book.

From Chris' list on samurais and ninjas.

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A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.

German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda…

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