Book description
On the eve of the Second World War, a young Chinese man is sent to his family's summer home in Japan to recover from tuberculosis. There he meets four local residents, and what ensues is a classical yet wonderfully unique adventure that seizes the imagination with its clean, simple yet…
Why read it?
2 authors picked The Samurai's Garden as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
This was a lovely slice of life read with the captivating setting of rural Japan at the start of World War II along with a coming of age plot. It was a very poignant reminder that life is filled with goodbyes and how we acknowledge and accept that can make all the difference.
There’s a serene, almost dreamlike quality to The Samurai’s Garden which drew me in right away.
On the eve of WWII, a young man recovering from tuberculosis spends the year at his family’s summer home in Japan. There are actually two gardens in the story: one is the lush green one at his home, and the other is a stone garden in the pine forests, tended by Sachi, a woman who has lived with leprosy for decades.
Though both gardens lead to transformation, Sachi’s garden in particular teaches the narrator that as long as there is beauty in the world,…
From Ginny's list on The best books about gardens as places of discovery and change.
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