Will I love The Book of Five Rings?

A 17th-century text written by a samurai might seem like an odd pick, but I read it not as a sword-fighting manual but as a book about strategy, focus, and adaptability.

Musashi's emphasis on understanding the environment, reading the opponent, and keeping a calm mind applies directly to high-stakes negotiations.

What stuck with me most is his idea of perceiving things that cannot be seen. That is the Asian approach to business strategy in a single sentence: the real maneuvering happens long before anyone sits down at the table.

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.… show more.

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.