History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

A beautifully crafted novel
A sedate samurai
Beautiful
Read this book when feeling calm
Gorgeous Prose

The Samurai's Garden: A Novel
Gail Tsukiyama
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0312144075

Book Description

The daughter of a Chinese mother and a Japanese father, Tsukiyama uses the Japanese invasion of China during the late 1930s as a somber backdrop for her unusual story about a 20-year-old Chinese painter named Stephen who is sent to his family's summer home in a Japanese coastal village to recover from a bout with tuberculosis. Here he is cared for by Matsu, a reticent housekeeper and a master gardener. Over the course of a remarkable year, Stephen learns Matsu's secret and gains not only physical strength, but also profound spiritual insight. Matsu is a samurai of the soul, a man devoted to doing good and finding beauty in a cruel and arbitrary world, and Stephen is a noble student, learning to appreciate Matsu's generous and nurturing way of life and to love Matsu's soulmate, gentle Sachi, a woman afflicted with leprosy.

Customer Reviews:

A beautifully crafted novel.......2007-08-26

This story was simplistic and wonderful. I read it in two days and was mesmerized by the rich culture. The best book I've read in a long time

A sedate samurai.......2007-08-20

The plot of this book makes a terrific outline: A young Chinese man recuperating in Japan from tuberculosis while Japanese troops are slaughtering his Chinese contemporaries in the pre-World War Two invasion; a quiet but strong and wise caretaker who lives to rescue victims of leprosy, including a woman spurned by his best friend; a marriage crisis for the Chinese man's parents; a Romeo/Juliet type love story between the Chinese man and a young Japanese woman. Should be socko.

Instead, it's sedating. Whether it's the passive nature of Stephen, the young Chinese man, or the very pedestrian writing style of the author, I found this book consistently tepid. She shows off her new knowledge about Japanese culture, giving detailed descriptions of every meal and every kimono.

She tells the story through Stephen when the caretaker, Matsu, is the central character. Because Matsu is strong and silent, we don't get inside his character development.

Nevertheless, it's an interesting look at Japan before WWII: religion, relationship and customs.

Beautiful.......2007-08-15

A delightful story of a chinese teen, sent to japan on the eve of WW2 to recuperate after getting tuberculosis. He meets his father's servant who he gets to know and the locals, finding them friendly and welcoming even with the war. He finds the simple way of life, instead of being boring, fills his days and he is bereft when the war forces him to leave.

A wonderful piece of prose, this haunting story of the simple people and their tragic lives is a page turner.

Read this book when feeling calm.......2007-05-21

Reviews of the Samurai's Garden seem to fall into two camps. The "Oh my God, I loved it-best book evers" and the "Are you kidding me? This book stunk category!"

My problem with those in the latter category is that (with a few exceptions) readers who did not like this book tend to mount some moral literary high horse. They relish insulting other reviewers, as in "Anyone with any discerning taste and one scintilla of brain cells would NEVER like this book, ergo if you do you, I hate to break this to you, but you are a stupid, simple, idiot." Listen to yourselves! I wonder what it must feel like to these people to know everything?

Anyway. I did not particularly love this book, but I really can see how many did. The case can definitely be made that there were many layers of beautiful, intertwining lessons in this seemingly simple, yet really more-complex-than-it-looks book. In that sense, it kind of reminds me of the polarizing effect of the Ladies' Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith.

My biggest problem with this book was that I don't think I was in the mood for it. I read it at a time when I had a lot going on, and couldn't sufficiently savor it. This is a book to be savored in peace. For most of my read of it, I wasn't in a peaceful frame of mind as a reader. My personal restlessness wanted more action, less bean cake eating. A few times, however, despite myself, I was caught flat-footed with awe by something in the story. The one thing I took away was to never forget that everyone has a story that helps define them. You just have to be still and listen.

Gorgeous Prose.......2007-02-12

Languish for a while in the Tsukiyama's Japanese garden and you may never want to leave. The serenity created in Matsu's little haven is contradicted by the military domination of the Japanese over the Chinese and the reclusive leper colony struggling for a peaceful existence in a realm beyond that of war. It is to this environment that a young Chinese boy enters into in search of healthier air and soothing salt of the sea . As his body begins healing, his emotions are delicately fractured by all that he learns of war, leprosy, first love, his family secrets, and the servant Matsu - who is truly a master of wisdom, honor, and faith. I wanted to walk through this garden again and again.

The 47th Samurai: A Bob Lee Swagger Novel

Average customer rating:

Correcting idiootic mis-impressions
Not as good as any of his other novels
Another good violent Swagger revenge novel
Stephen Hunter is simply a very good writer
"Steel does not cut steel!

The 47th Samurai: A Bob Lee Swagger Novel
Stephen Hunter
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0743238095

Book Description

In The 47th Samurai, Bob Lee Swagger, the gritty hero of Stephen Hunter's bestselling novels Point of Impact and Time to Hunt, returns in Hunter's most intense and exotic thriller to date.

Bob Lee Swagger and Philip Yano are bound together by a single moment at Iwo Jima, 1945, when their fathers, two brave fighters on opposite sides, met in the bloody and chaotic battle for the island. Only Earl Swagger survived.

More than sixty years later, Yano comes to America to honor the legacy of his heroic father by recovering the sword he used in the battle. His search has led him to Crazy Horse, Idaho, where Bob Lee, ex-marine and Vietnam veteran, has settled into a restless retirement and immediately pledges himself to Yano's quest.

Bob Lee finds the sword and delivers it to Yano in Tokyo. On inspection, they discover that it is not a standard WWII blade, but a legendary shin-shinto katana, an artifact of the nation. It is priceless but worth killing for. Suddenly Bob is at the center of a series of terrible crimes he barely understands but vows to avenge. And to do so, he throws himself into the world of the samurai, Tokyo's dark, criminal yakuza underworld, and the unwritten rules of Japanese culture.

Swagger's allies, hard-as-nails, American-born Susan Okada and the brave, cocaine-dealing tabloid journalist Nick Yamamoto, help him move through this strange, glittering, and ominous world from the shady bosses of the seamy Kabukicho district to officials in the highest echelons of the Japanese government, but in the end, he is on his own and will succeed only if he can learn that to survive samurai, you must become samurai.

As the plot races and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that a ruthless conspiracy is in place, and the only thing that can be taken for granted is that money, power, and sex can drive men of all nationalities to gruesome extremes. If Swagger hopes to stop them, he must be willing not only to die but also to kill.

Customer Reviews:

Correcting idiootic mis-impressions.......2007-10-03

This is very much near the top of Hunter's work--tightly plotted, vividly violent, incredibly satisfying. But it seems a lot of people are reading it hastily and, for whatever reason, reinterating a theme from their fantasies as opposed to what's actually in the book. This involves Bob Lee Swagger's "one-on-six" sword fight, in which, so many wonder, how can a man with one week's training prevail over six trained swordsmen? I re-read it last night. Let's examine what happens. First, Bob never fights six swordsmen. He goes to the guarded place under cover of deception, pretending to be a drunken American. By picking the lock, he stuns the six men with his appearance, after they feel they've driven him away. But still they consider him a drunken fool. At that point, he draws and kills two with a single slice across the belly, before they can even draw their weapons. End of "1 on 6" fantasy, now, suddenly, it's down to a 1-on-4 fantasy. The third yakuza panics and runs at him, sword raised, screaming. He's big but not fast, and Bob slips his clumsy blow and cuts him down. Hmmm, two cuts, three guys out. So now we're down to 1-on-3. The fourth guy he fights is very dangerous, but also over-confident that he can beat Bob. On any normal day, possibly he could. But A.) it's clear he makes a mistake and B.) it's clear Bob is lucky, with an improvised cut that takes him in the throat. Thus it's down to 1-on-2. The two move at him reluctantly and he fights poorly. He's never faced two (just as they've never faced anyone so determined.) One loses syncopation with the other, tries for a quick kill, and Bob goes under his swing and cuts him through the leg. Brilliant? Not actually, stupid. In cutting the leg, he ties up his blade, leaving himself open for the sixth man, who rushes forward, but slips in the bloodslick on the floor. Bob has made a crucial mistake, but is able to recover when this guy makes a crucial mistake, and conks him in the face.
Nowhere does he fight "six men at once." There's no evidence that any except No. 3 were swordsmen of any exceptional skill. Quite the contrary, we've even seen that "unit" defeated by a college kendo champ earlier in the book! (Read the details, please!)After the fight, an experienced witness berates Bob for his bad fighting skills, his poor execution, and informs him that he only survived on luck. (I would say surprise and aggression were helpful too.) The one survivor comments that the gaigin was more notable for spirit than for technique.
I hope these critics learn to read more carefully!

Not as good as any of his other novels.......2007-10-03

It was nice to see that Bob Swagger had settled into retired life. Howver, the rest of the story was totally unbeleivable. How could a 60 year old guy master the art of sword fighting in a week, with no prior experience? Why wasn't Bob the Nailer shooting the bad guys? This was not as well written as any of Hunter's previous novels. Point of Impact wasa masterpiece, this, frankly, sucked.

Another good violent Swagger revenge novel.......2007-09-28

THE 47TH SAMURAI is the latest Bob Lee Swagger novel from Stephen Hunter. Bob is the son of Earl and was featured in books like Black Light and Time to Hunt. Earl starred in Havana, Hot Springs and Pale Horse Coming. In the latest, Phillip Yano finds Bob on his Idaho ranch and asks if Bob might have an old World War II relic, a sword carried by Philip's father. Bob doesn't know where it is but promises to look for it. Bob finds the sword then travels to Japan to personally deliver it to Yano. Bob spends a few days with the family and grows to really care for them. So, when disaster strikes the Yano family, Bob has no choice but to seek revenge. Well, to you and I, he does have a choice. But Bob is a different character, one I certainly can't relate to because I've never been in the military. Bob is bound by duty, honor and a warriors code. Bob is bound by his father, and the relatioship his father Earl had with Yano's father. But would that duty force a person like me to take on the Japanese Yakuza with a sword as my only weapon when I've never fought with one before and the Japanese men I'm fighting have used them their entire life. No, it wouldn't. But for Bob, it's just another day, another battle.

It isn't that easy for Bob. He does manage to find some allies in his fight, but I still found it hard to believe Bob could become so profecient in sword fighting in such a short time. If you've read other Hunter novels, however, then you will know what to expect. One man, bound by duty and justice, fighting a battle of insurmountable odds.

If you've read HAVANA and AMERICAN GUNFIGHT, you might be hesitant to read this novel. Hunter's last two works were hard to read and get into. This book is different. It's fast moving, quick, filled with action and suspense. It is also highly unbelievable the way Bob survives all his battles. In that regard, it is almost like a movie and I think the book would be more enjoyable if you thought of it as such. This book is also increbibly violent, but the violence is done in a method that lets me understand the amazing power of the sword. This book is based in Japan, and Hunter does an incredible job of giving a since of place and setting. Japan is such a foreign place to people that have never been there.

This book fits right in with all the other Swagger novels. Fans will enjoy it. First time readers should start at the beginning.

Stephen Hunter is simply a very good writer.......2007-09-27

The 47th Samurai is an amazing book for several reasons. It is an interesting story, informative on Japanese history and philosophy, a dramatic plot departure for the author, but most of all it demonstrates just how good author Stephen Hunter is. Some may see this plot departure as a failure of sorts, I see it as a growth mechanism enabling Mr. Hunter to explore new inviting writing ground. My only word of caution to Mr. Hunter is to remember your reader base.
The 47th Samurai is a mix of James Clavell's Shogun, Barry Eisler's assassin series, and Michael Crichton's Rising Sun. Mr. Hunter is able to take Bob Lee Swagger to new levels and new experiences. He humanizes the aging Swagger while at the same time showing his soldierly grit. In this installment of the Swagger saga, Bob is called upon to uphold his father's honor by returning a sword to the son of the man Dad Swagger killed on Iwo Jima earning him the nation's highest award for valor; The Medal of Honor. In the process Bob Lee Swagger learns about Japanese culture, history, philosophy, and the art of the Samurai. He is forced to develop his combat skills in a new endeavor; Japanese Sword fighting. In the process we learn much about Bob Lee the man and his father Earl Swagger the hero. Mr. Hunter is masterful at intertwining the two in a wonderful story.
I must admit that Swagger's learning the art of Samurai sword play in such a short time does stretch credulity but one must remember this is a story and as such allows Mr. Hunter poetic license. That being said, it was a weakness in the storyline. Other than that I thought Mr. Hunter did a wonderful of plot and story development. I must hand it to Bob Lee's wife, Julie, she is a saint for putting up with his continual adventures. Talk about a strong marriage. I think at age 60 it is time for Bob "The Nailer" to relax and enjoy his family- he is getting a little long in the tooth. And now with a new 5 year old Japanese daughter.................., it will be most interesting to see IF and WHERE Mr. Hunter takes Bob Lee Swagger next?
Much sword violence and blood but germane to the story. No gratuitous sex some strong language.
This is a book that Hunter purist will either like or hate; so reviews will be skewed accordingly. It can be read on its own but would help if one has read prior Bob Lee Swagger novels. That all said, I recommend this book as a good solid read. Enjoy.

"Steel does not cut steel!.......2007-09-27

This is my first Stephen Hunter book and according to the reviews, it was one of his worst. Well, it fit right along the other action packed books I've read, so much that I'm going to read a few other of his books. Never a dull moment and an ending exactly the way I thought it should have been. Hai!

Bushido: The Way of the Samurai (Square One Classics)

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Best Version on this Subject
Easy to Read - Difficult to Apply
A Great Introduction to Bushido
idealized self aggrandisement that covers over ugly realities
Very Cool Stuff

Bushido: The Way of the Samurai (Square One Classics)
Tsunetomo Yamamoto
Manufacturer: Square One Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0757000266

Book Description

In eighteenth-century Japan, Tsunetomo Yamamoto created the Hagakure, a document that served as the basis for samurai warrior behavior. Its guiding principles greatly influenced the Japanese ruling class and shaped the underlying character of the Japanese psyche, from businessmen to soldiers.

Bushido is the first English translation of the Hagakure. This work provides a powerful message aimed at the mind and spirit of the samurai warrior. It offers beliefs that are difficult for the Western mind to embrace, yet fascinating in their pursuit of absolute service. With Bushido, one can better put into perspective Japan's historical path and gain greater insight into the Japan of today.

Customer Reviews:

Best Version on this Subject.......2007-07-22

I can't better the other review below except to say that this translation of the Bushido is far easier to read, understand, digest and put into daily practice than the hoards of other versions of "Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai by Tsunetomo Yamamoto" which this book is based upon.

Despite a totally different translation, nothing is lost when you put the two books side by side and compare them to each other.

By the way, the title "Bushi-do" does not mean "Hidden behind the Leaves", that is the translation of the "Hagakure". Any martial artist worth his salt will easily recognise the two parts of the word: Bushi (Warrior) & do (the way) - The Way of the Warrior (or Samurai).

Easy to Read - Difficult to Apply.......2007-07-19

Bushido: The Way of the Samurai (Square One Classics) is a superb little book that makes some important points. However, it is all too easy to take what it has to say out of context. The time and place to which it was literally relevant has long since passed. What it has to say about the values one should live by and how one should carry out their mission in life are, on the other hand, timeless.

The same can be said of another important Japanese classic: The Book of Five Rings. Both of these books are important from a philosophical point of view, but difficult to really understand for those who are not immersed in Japanese culture. Both spring from the philosophy of Zen and both do a good job of showing its application is a time of constant warfare and personal danger.

A good choice to put the advice of the Zen warriors into perspective is the book Bushido, the Soul of Japan which gives a broader look at the philosophy and its roots. What Zen is all about and how it may be applied in everyday life - how compatible it is with other philosophies and religions - is well presented.

All three of these books have been bound together into one book: The Samurai Series: The Book of Five Rings, Hagakure -The Way of the Samurai & Bushido - The Soul of Japan, which I can recommend without reservation. Together, these three books add up to much more than the sum of the parts. They are truly synergistic.

A Great Introduction to Bushido.......2007-03-14

If you want an easy to read book that gives you the basic precepts of Bushido, this will be the book for you.

idealized self aggrandisement that covers over ugly realities.......2007-03-13

This is one of those basic tracts that is given to those who move to Japan, as a view into how things are supposed to work. While it sounds very good when you read it - there are indeed wonderful codes to live by that are elegantly expressed - once you have lived there for a few months you see that it has less (and more) to do with everyday life than meets the eye.

Afterall, there are two levels when dealing with Japan: Tatemae, the syrupy feel-good version of things that saves everyone's "face", and Honne, which is the way people really feel about things; the former gets pounded into your head at the office, the latter you elicit slowly when you go to the bars after work and get drunk. However, Tatemae is a useful tool for bureaucracies, as it is the official way things are supposed to appear to function, complete with a code for the behavior that one should simulate, no matter how differently (or alienated) one feels underneath. The "Bushido" is the purest Tatemae, an instrument of control that is wielded but has little personal meaning beyond that. In my opinion - and I witnessed this often while living in Japan - all the talk of honor and value and loyalty is just that: mere words to mask brutal authoritarianism and mindless obedience to one's place in the hierarchy. As such, there are very interesting things to learn here about how people choose (or submit to a compulsion from without) to behave, but it will not teach the reader about how they feel inside.

Recommended, but don't take it at face value. I wish I could sound more inspired and interested about Japan, but having lived there, I know the ugliness underneath from experience.

Very Cool Stuff .......2007-01-14

The book is full of a collection of thoughs/ideas in the length of one to two paragraphs each. These ideas are passed on to us from some of the great Samurai containing their philosophy on life, death, honor etc.

Samurai Bulldog By Chibinosuke Dogizaemon

Average customer rating:

A must for bulldog enthusiasts

Samurai Bulldog By Chibinosuke Dogizaemon
Jeff Hunter
Manufacturer: Weatherhill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0834803054
Release Date: 1994-09-01

Customer Reviews:

A must for bulldog enthusiasts.......2000-06-04

This book made me laugh out loud more times than I could count. Wonderful illustrations and poingant observations of "bulldog-do: the way of the bulldog". Having recently lost a bulldog companion I was delighted to be reminded with such touching humor of all the wonders of the "way of the bulldog". The book covers the arts of war and peace, for example Bulldog Zen, "coming when called", "the leash of no leash", and techniques of meditation. The arts of war include such tactics as "the mysterious assault of the foul wind", "making your own body into a bobby trap" and "the flurry of flying drool" all beautifully illustrated by J.C Brown, a calligrapher and illustrater living in Tokyo, whose other work includes "Zen for Cats". The book itself is translated from the Japanese by Jeff Hunter, a translator specializing in Buddhism and literature, and master to the Samurai Bulldog Chibibusuka Dogizaemon, the soon to be famous author. Do yourself a favor and buy this book it will make you laugh and possibly cry. It might even make you laugh till you cry.

Musui's Story: The Autobiography of a Tokugawa Samurai

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Musui's Story
Record of a Scoundrel
A different take on the on Samurai's
A different twist on history
Review of Musui's Story

Musui's Story: The Autobiography of a Tokugawa Samurai
Katsu Kokichi
Manufacturer: University of Arizona Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0816512566

Customer Reviews:

Musui's Story.......2007-05-24

In "Muisi's Story", an autobiography penned by Katsu Kiricho, the reader is treated to a glimpse of Tokugawa era Japan through the lens of a restless and rebellious samurai. This work reveals the other side of life in Edo (later Tokyo), which is far removed from the sanitized version found in history books and found on the pages of the sages and shogunate of that day. The fact that the country of Japan was in the midst of a prolonged period of peace and was united for over 200 years rendered the samurai dormant and lacking in enemies. So idleness became the enemy of some samurai and in this case the author Katsu.

In this setting, Katsu writes of his life and times. Living between the years of 1802 and 1850, Katsu was born into a samurai house, but at the age of seven was adopted into the home of another samurai family. And, from his earliest recollection, he exhibited a headstrong and confidently confrontational nature that would have served him well on the battlefield, but there were no battles to be fought. So, Katsu battled himself in an attempt to find meaning in life and to satisfy his insatiable appetite for adventure. And, in so doing, he broke from the traditional code of the samurai.

A contemporary of Katsu, Samurai Soshici composed a code for samurai to adhere to. In the code, he admonishes samurai to honor parents; honor superiors; maintain peace in the neighborhood; instruct descendants; be constant in your Way; and avoid bad behavior. Katsu broke all of these codes religiously. In fact, he stole from his family; disobeyed edicts; ran a protection racket; rarely mentioned his son; was never content in his Way; and frequented brothels like they were a Starbucks. Yet, somehow he seemed like a good guy.

And, in defense of his actions or a falling on his sword, Katsu reveals his rationale for his behavior and the purpose of his autobiography. Reflecting on his life, he argues in a thinly veiled fashion that although he was disenchanted with his achievements, it was not his fault, but instead he was merely a victim of his DNA. From his earliest recollections through his years of retirement, he was a man of action and adventure. Nevertheless, codes were broken and as a token of respect for these codes he changed his name in retirement from Katsu to Musui, which means, "besotted son." And, although he writes to admonish his grandchildren unto good behavior, more likely it was fashioned for the consumption of his son who was rising through the ranks.

In the last analysis, "Musui's Story" is an engaging view of the period and of the commonality of mankind. Moreover, the autobiography is an engaging glimpse of a man that is recognizable in his bold and restless ways. Even though we don't see this type of man often, they are the players that comprise urban legend.

Record of a Scoundrel.......2007-04-11

Who writes an autobiography? Most people who write them are people of note, movers and shakers in their realms and time-periods, people with something to say. Rarely do we get to read the autobiography of a general loser, someone who is by no measure a good person, and someone completely beyond admiration. Welcome to Musui's world.

Musui, also know as Katsu Kokichi, was a low-ranking samurai and general good-for-nothing who never thought beyond his immediate needs, and did his best to attain something for nothing when ever possible. He started out bad, as a schoolyard bully who used his status as a samurai to push around lower-ranking kids. The older he got, the worse he got, and all means to control him or teach him respect failed, including his father locking him in a cage and forcing him to read classic military treatise. He was eventually adopted off into another family, which brought along with it a bride and a meager salary. It was never enough to keep up with his habit of visiting prostitutes in the Yoshiwara pleasure districts, so he was soon a leader amongst the black market, working with local extortionists and hoodlums, selling swords and working every possible kind of confidence racket.

Now, everything in this book should be taken with a grain of salt. Katsu was a grand liar with an enormous ego, who bluffed his way into money and out of trouble on a regular basis. His tales of his exemplary swordsmanship, his acts of kindness, his ability to drink bottle after bottle of sake without ever getting drunk, smacks as more wish-fulfillment than the true character of an unrepentant rouge. The translator, Teruko Craig, has added some notes on the accuracy of Katsu's tales, and surprisingly some of the most fantastic adventures are backed up by other sources. I suppose it is up to the reader to determine what is fact and what is fiction.

Teruko Craig has worked a minor miracle with this translation. Because of Katsu's sketchy literacy, and limited vocabulary, he has had to pull out all the stops in making a readable text that still maintains the flavor of Katsu's way of writing. The result is a very enjoyable, readable book that brings a nice balance to the world of the samurai. We have all read of the honor and integrity. It is nice to have some of the Low along with the High.

A different take on the on Samurai's.......2007-04-02

The life of a samurai is often considered a noble and respected one, but reading Musui's story will show you that there are always exceptions. This autobiography offers a unique glimpse into what would be a other wise unheard of life. Katsu Kokichi (Musui's younger name) wrote a biography of his life, but not as a work of literature. HE wrote this as a guide to his children, a guide on how not to live one's life. And considering how his son Rintaro turned out, it may have worked.

Early on in the book you get a sharp look at what kind of person Kokichi is. This made for a quite entertaining read due to the fact that Kokich led quite and interesting and perilous life. Hitting other kids with rocks, running away from home, and stealing money from family made up a substantial part of Kokich life.

It got so bad that at one point his family was forced to lock him in a cage for three years - some timeout. Aside from all the fighting and mischief, I found the most interesting part of this book was the times during which Kokich had run away from home. It was interesting to see the interaction Kokich had with the people he met during his travel and the measures that he took to stay alive and fed.

Overall I found the book enjoyable and easy to read. Being that it was an autobiography, I really enjoyed the perspective and insight on Kokichi's life that it offered.

A different twist on history.......2007-04-02

Musui's Story is an autobiographical account of a low ranking samurai in the early 17th century and his station in life. Seen from the prologue and his after thoughts, he was sending a message "Live a better, more righteous life than mine. Learn from my mistakes and my experiences." The story was written from the perspective of a man who did not always do the right thing. If you are looking for a tale of a self-sacrificing, courageous, romanticized life of a great samurai warrior then this is not it. This is the life of a man who tried to survive by any means necessary in the Tokugawa period of Japan.

Review of Musui's Story.......2007-03-30

I recently had the opportunity to read the autobiography of Katsu Kokichi. Musui's Story, translated by Teruko Craig, is the story of an unethical Japanese samurai in the late Tokugawa era. Musui finds himself in all sorts of dilemmas (mostly because of his own bad ideas) and unethical actions. From a very young age Musui was getting into mischief and causing his mother's life to be difficult. As he gets older he continues his ways by lying, cheating, and stealing through life. He disgraces the Katsu name, which had served the shogun honorably for generations. By the time he retires he looks back on his life, even warning others not to follow in his footsteps, but never expresses that he as any guilt about his behavior as a samurai.

This translation is modern and well-written. It is filled with a dark, more realistic side of Japan during the Tokugawa Era. It is a significant indication that the overall society was in a state of degeneration during the early 19th century. At times this book was funny, showing a different side of a samurai within the Japanese society at that time. It is a good book for those interested in Japanese culture

The Code of the Samurai: A Modern Translation of the Bushido Shoshinshu of Taira Shigesuke

Average customer rating:

Timeless
An ancient book but still applicable to modern life
Good
Interesting
informative and delightful

The Code of the Samurai: A Modern Translation of the Bushido Shoshinshu of Taira Shigesuke
Yuzan Daidoji , and Thomas Cleary
Manufacturer: Charles E Tuttle Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0804831904

Book Description

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

Customer Reviews:

Timeless.......2007-04-12

Take a peek into Japanese culture, and be amazed how this ancient text still applies to life today. You'll also learn a great deal about medieval Japan.

An ancient book but still applicable to modern life.......2007-03-15

Code of the Samurai is a nice peek into Japanese culture, in under a hundred pages. It's amazing to see how such an ancient book can still be of use today, and how some things we consider 'common courtesy' have fundamental roots, and an actual reason.

Good.......2006-03-23

The author does a good job translating the text into modern day principles. Definitely a good read for those interested in Bushido and it's ideas.

Interesting.......2005-07-06

I found this book educational, comical, and well worth reading. In less than a hundred pages it taught me a lot about medieval Japan. What I enjoyed more is the way its original author's voice comes shining through in the text. His condescension, his bluntness, his matter-of-fact all make for a hilarious introduction to the mind of the samurai. Some of the statements that come out of Shigesuke's mouth are a world apart from what we hear in textbooks today. He has no problem telling the student that he is a "lazy" "moron" "coward" unless he is exactly what a warrior should be. But beneath all this there is wisdom here. A very interesting book.

informative and delightful.......2005-05-13

Wonderful read, and unlike such weightier classics as THE ART OF WAR or THE BOOK OF FIVE RINGS, this one is readily accessible to the western mind.

After reading it twice, I came to think that everything after the first chapter -- nay, after the first two paragraphs -- was mere repetition. This is because all the behaviors and philosophies the author recommends would be the natural consequence if one truly were to "keep death in mind at every possible moment."

The book is a series of short chapters like "Loyalty," "Finances," "Personal Appearance;" each describing the ideal behavior of an ideal samurai with respect to each.

I can't comment on the organization or skill of Cleary's translation, though, since I know of no other version of this book. However I am inclined to think it is adept, since the nature of the work suggests the original Japanese would be extremely stiff. This is not the case with the English.

Gripes:

1. Note that this is a thin book; you can read it in about an hour. I was expecting something much thicker, at least the size of THE UNFETTERED MIND, say.

2. Oscar Ratti's illustrations will be disappointing to those familiar with his work in SECRETS OF THE SAMURAI and AIKIDO: THE DYNAMIC SPHERE. There are only a handful of them, and that handful isn't very interesting.

3. The binding of this book came apart rather quickly, after just the first read. Perhaps just my copy, though.

4. Sadly, the introduction by Cleary is completely forgettable.

Midaresomenishi: A Legend of Samurai Love

Average customer rating:

Rough and intense
Disturbing and Intense
not bad
Daring Yaoi Work
It was good...

Midaresomenishi: A Legend of Samurai Love
Kazuma Kodaka
Manufacturer: Be Beautiful
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1933440244

Book Description

When a roguish samurai embarks upon a mission to rescue his brother from the clutches of a fiendish feudal lord, he himself becomes a pawn of the debauched villain. Subjugation, humiliation, and passion ensue in this long-awaited epic by Kazuma Kodaka. This stand-alone melodrama is perfect for first-time yaoi readers.

Customer Reviews:

Rough and intense.......2007-05-19

I found this story to be very hard to like. It was an endless rape-fest, with the none of the main characters having any likeable qualities. The only characters that I even remotely cared for were Fujimaru and his jailer and that was a deep sense of pity. All I will say about the little brother and his story is that I was actually happy that it ended up the way it did.

I was confused about the age of Fujimaru. He looked to be ten at the begining of the manga but was said to be much older, eighteen I believe. If that was true the poor kid needed growth hormones.

Rape, hardcore sex, rape, brutality, rape, blood and rape.

Disturbing and Intense .......2007-05-13

Midaresomenishi is disturbing and intense. All of the characters have flaws. The hero is almost as vile as the main villan. The ending is anything but happy. These things aren't necessarily negatives. The story is meant to be dark, with a few rays of sunshine thrown in here and there. As a whole, this tale is one I will never forget.

not bad.......2007-04-11

I had the Japanese version of this book and I like the cover on that one.The character design is quiet beautiful.And yes the relationships are brutal and I was hoping the manga-ka continues the story -somewhat.

Daring Yaoi Work .......2007-03-25

I will not go into details about the story, because the other reviewers have already done so. I think this is one of Kodaka's best works, but it most definitely is serious, brutal, and violent. Her art which has a strong shonen manga influence with strong lines and lots of action, which works very well here. This is a story for adults who want more than the soft, pretty, fluffy yaoi which is the majority yaoi published in the US. If you are looking for something more than a cute romantic story about two school boys, I would recommend this book.

It was good..........2007-03-10

But it was not Kodaka's best work or BeBeautiful's best localization.

Don't get me wrong, I love Kazuma Kodaka's manga series. Kizuna is one of the greatest yaoi titles one could ever want to experience, but this short story of enslavement, torture and blood left me unsatisfied.

The graphic scenes were interesting, but none of the characters were particularly likable and not because they were doing terrible things to one another (in fact, in yaoi that fact is often a selling point). I would argue my problem with them is their lack of good depth because so much storyline was shoved into the plot of just one 200 page manga volume. I'd be able to believe better that Sougetsu "fell in love with" Shirou at the end if his character had shown more of that side of himself. I was only introduced to the idea that this was the case because one character just happens to mention to him that he is in denial about it. Sougetsu is probably the most interesting character to wonder about, but the story ends before he actually gets going about his obsessive pursuit of Shirou.

Shirou himself, as the main character, is the kind of uke you don't mind seeing abused. He's a terrible murderous rogue, and even though he endures years of torture for the sake of his brother, his stubborn pride only causes himself and those around him pain. His inability to stand firm at the end and not run from not only his pursuers, but also his own demons, wins him no points.

The Saizou/Fujimaru love story might have been more interesting itself if there were more background to their childhood together. We were given snippets of scenes of their growing up together, but not enough to be enthralled by their tragic romance. Saizou's lineage also seemed thrown in at the end and it made no real emotional difference to me how he got along with his "father" as they faced off.

The same goes for Chihiro. It is only really mentioned once (and explained better in the character descriptions) about Shirou's supposed discomfort or struggle with the the fact that Chihiro looks so much like Fujimaru. And again the part where the relationship between the two men is developed into attraction is skipped in favor of fitting the story into one volume. I wanted to sympathize with him, but as Sougetsu explained, Shirou is not going to return to a man who is not willing to pursue what he wants.

Renka was probably the best developed character in the story, but he is portrayed as the jealous cast aside villain who stands in the way of Sougetsu and Shirou's relationship. This does not make him at all likable, especially his contemptuous intent towards the two brothers.

As for the localization I have a couple of complaints. First and foremost relates to BeBeautiful's unwillingness to "depict" minors in graphic situations, however, the way they seem to have gotten around this in this story is by expecting us to believe that the very young Fujimaru is 18 years old at the beginning of the story (when he looks around 10) and then, when they jump forward a few years and he looks around 15 they talk about his "growth spurt" as if an 18 year old would go from looking like a child to looking like a teenager. Did they really expect us to buy that?

My other complaint is in a very curious printing error. They seem to have printed the warning about reading from the back of the book in the front of the book instead.

Anyway, if you like lots of blood, torture and non-con in a shonen styled yaoi manga with a samurai theme, this is the title for you. If those things disgust you, stay clear. If you're a big Kodaka fan you probably won't be disappointed, but I'm sure you'll agree that she's done better work. I wish we'd gotten Kusatta instead, but you take what you can get, right?

Red Chrysanthemum: A Thriller (Sano Ichiro Novels)

Average customer rating:

Sano Jumps the Shark
Did She OR Didn't She
Murder, Political Intrigue, Detection, and Martial Arts
A good read but . . .
Facing death and dishonor in feudal Japan.

Red Chrysanthemum: A Thriller (Sano Ichiro Novels)
Laura Joh Rowland
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Minotaur
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0312355327
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Book Description

July 1698. Sano Ichiro, the samurai detective who has risen to become the shogun’s second-in-command, is investigating rumors of a plot to overthrow the ruling regime. When the investigation brings Sano’s deputy Hirata to Lord Mori’s estate, he is shocked to find Lord Mori murdered and grotesquely mutilated in his own bed, and Sano’s pregnant wife, Reiko, lying beside him. The only solid clue is a chrysanthemum soaked in blood.
Reiko’s account of her actions is anything but solid. She insists that she went undercover to Lord Mori’s estate in order to investigate claims that he molested and murdered young boys. But when Sano inspects the crime scene, he finds no trace of what Reiko described. And every other witness tells a different story: Lady Mori alleges that Reiko was Lord Mori’s scorned mistress and murdered him for revenge. And Lord Mori himself, speaking through a medium, claims his murder was part of Sano’s plot to overthrow the shogun!
Unless Sano can prove his wife’s unlikely claims, both he and Reiko—and their unborn child—face execution for treason. Sano fights desperately to save his family and his honor, as Laura Joh Rowland draws on the tradition of the classic film Rashomon to bring us a masterful tale of intrigue and treachery.

Customer Reviews:

Sano Jumps the Shark.......2007-05-17

I have been a long-time fan of this series and own all the books. I eagerly await each new Sano Ichiro release. The great cover on this latest installment had me all pumped up to read it . . .and I came away quite disappointed. Great cover or no, this is the first book in the series that I won't be purchasing. Rowland's period detail is, as always, spot-on, but I felt that both the action and the character development suffered this time around. This outing feels very rushed, almost like a Cliffs Notes version of a more well-rounded Rowland thriller. I think the author has painted herself into a corner with Sano's promotion to Chamberlain. Compared to his former post of Sosokan-sama, Sano finds himself with very little to do except tedious court appearances, and it's a real stretch to get him involved in cases with anything like his old verve. Reiko-san, too, has suffered in her elevation to esteemed court matron. Most of her spunk and seemingly all of her intelligence has disappeared. Sano was never a very warm or accessible character, but his deeply-felt relationships with his wife and with his loyal retainer, Hirata, gave him some humanity. The relationship Sano had with Hirata was the centerpiece of past books; now with Sano's promotion and Hirata occupying his master's former post, they hardly see one another. A subplot involving Hirata's secret study of a deadly, mystical martial-arts form is vague and uninvolving. Rowland seems to hint, with one brief chapter, that things will get shaken up in the next book, with the escape from his island prison of the nefarious Yanagisawa. But the chapter dedicated to him in this book reads more like an outline of the more fully fleshed-out chapter she should have written. It's pretty insulting to the readers' intelligence, and I'm hoping against hope that Rowland is not pulling a Patricia Cornwell on us, and letting the air go out of a long-established series because she's tired and/or under deadline pressure. This is definitively not up to the high standard of her previous books. I would rather see Sano commit seppuku than to go out with a whimper. Let's hope Rowland finds the means to re-enegize this series with her next effort.

Did She OR Didn't She.......2007-04-22

I've reached what you might think of as a crisis point with this series. I've given Rowland a lot of five star reviews for these books. About 10, I believe. They have continued to fascinate me as mysteries and for their insight into the politics and life of medieval Japan. A time when barbaric cruelty and oppressive social customs combine with exquisite artwork, literature, and craftsmanship. It was a time of great conflict and Rowland seems to have mastered its complexities.

Sano Ichiro is a wonderful character. Staying true to his ethical standards he has solved crimes, kept the shogunate from crumbling he gradually rises to one of the most powerful positions in the country. In many ways he is a samurai's samurai -- and a rag's to riches story as well. But most of his successes are due more to his ability to recover from his wife Reiko's mistakes. Up to a point the plot device of the stubborn, well-meaning samurai wife is digestible. But Reiko seems unable to understand that getting involved in the deadly politics of the capital will inevitably put Sano at risk.

This habit reaches a peak in Red Chrysanthemum, in which Reiko decides to investigate a missing child on her own and finds herself naked, in the bedroom of the man she was investigating, with the killing dagger clutched in her hand. She is accused of murder and Ichiro's enemies arrange things to that he may very well have to execute her if he is to save face, and the lives of his son and himself. Sano barely manages to get permission from the Shogun to investigate on his own and the race is on. His long time enemy Hoshina sets traps everywhere, and the powerful Lord Matsudaira suspects Ichiro of plotting treason.

One can't complain too much about Reiko's lapses, without her Rowlands series would never happen. I just wish she displayed just enough more sense so that the continued use of her as a plot device didn't rankle so much. But outside of this weakness, Rowland as written another complex tale of Japan, once again revealing a society which differs in many ways from our western concept of it. There is a part of me that wishes that this was all real history, and I keep looking in history books hoping to find Sano Ichiro and Yanagisawa, but no such luck. Rowland has once again produced one of the better mysteries of the year.

Murder, Political Intrigue, Detection, and Martial Arts.......2007-04-12

Red Chrysanthemum is the first book I've read in the Sano Ichiro series. Obviously, a lot happened leading up to this book but it was reasonably easy to catch onto the book's main context. So if you haven't read any other books in the series, you can feel comfortable starting with this one.

This book almost defies genre because there are both mystery and thriller elements, and the book is set in 1698 Japan. The historical and national perspectives strongly permeate the book.

If you don't know the series, Sano Ichiro is a very clever fellow . . . a samurai who has been a detective. His success in that role has brought him to heights of power. The Shogun normally rules in name only and Sano is his chamberlain, a sort of prime minister. Lord Matsudaira actually wields power and is Sano's primary patron. But powerful figures seek all that power for themselves.

Sano's wife, Reiko, is pregnant with their second child but continues to seek ways to help women in need and to solve mysteries. That activity leads both Sano and Reiko into dangerous peril in this action-filled thriller.

As the book opens, Reiko is discovered nude and covered with blood in the bed chamber of the dead Lord Mori who lies castrated beside her. She cannot remember how she got there. The clamor immediately begins for her execution for the murder of Lord Mori. Mori's wife stoutly contends that Mori and Reiko had been lovers.

Sano begins his investigation and quickly finds that the price of his own survival may be the death of his wife and unborn child. As the investigation continues, his political enemies see their chance to take him down. Before long, both Sano and Reiko are in mortal peril from the Shogun and Lord Matsudaira.

In the investigation we learn that Reiko had been approached by a poor woman, Lily, who had sold her son, Jiro, to Lord Mori for a night of pleasure. When Lily came to pick Jiro up the next day, the guards sent her away. Reiko agreed to help and became friends with Lady Mori so she could check out what was going on. On the night of the murder, she had sneaked away to spy on Lord Mori when she passed out . . . only to awaken in a death chamber.

The story has several strengths. You'll learn a lot about medieval Japan and especially the relations between classes. That strangeness makes the story fresh and allows for surprises that a contemporary thriller could not accomplish as easily. Ms. Rowland has a wonderful sense of pace. She knows how to create tension in the reader by moving the plot along rapidly with new perils. I also thought that her portrayals of Sano, Reiko, and Hirata were interesting. These are fresh and original characters.

The book has some weaknesses, too. The solutions often seem to be just a little too fortuitously timed. I would have enjoyed the book more if the "miracles" had been a little more realistic. For example, the martial arts description in a major scene felt over the top to me. All but the three characters are pretty thin which makes the book a lot less interesting than it might have been. There's also a lot of blood and child abuse; you'll need a strong stomach to enjoy the book.

But if you want to take an unconventional and fast-paced walk in old Edo, you could do a lot worse than Red Chrysanthemum.

A good read but . . . .......2007-03-13

This was a book that I had a little difficulty with. It was overall a good book but there were references to previous exploits that we, or at least I, haven't seen or heard about. I know the author is from New Orleans and presumebly left the area for awhile. I got the feeling that this was a book that was written quickly to satisfy the publisher. I wonder if there is/was another book whos timing Katrina upset and so we have two books telescoped into one. I came away a little dissatisfied with the result. I don't blame the author since there is no tryanny worse than a that of a publisher craving another book from it's writers. I have always enjoyed the Sano series especially since I live in Japan and have been to some of the places described in the previous books. That is why I found this one a little disappointing. Compared to previous books this one felt like there were loose ends. Maybe we'll know more about these past exploits in the next volume or two. Inspite of this caveat I do recommend this book to others.

Facing death and dishonor in feudal Japan........2007-01-22

Laura Joh Rowland's "Red Chrysanthemum" takes place in 1698 in Edo, Japan. Sano Ichiro has risen to the exalted position of second-in-command to the shogun in the Tokugawa regime. Sano's wife of eight years, Lady Reiko, is expecting their second child, but instead of keeping a low profile, she continues her sideline of assisting women in trouble. One day, Reiko receives a disturbing letter from someone named Lily, who claims that her five-year-old son, Jiro, was stolen from her. Lily tells Reiko that a decadent samurai named Lord Mori took Jiro to satisfy his perverted carnal desires, but Reiko can find no one to corroborate Lily's story.

In order to learn more, Reiko befriends Lord Mori's wife and wangles frequent invitations to the Mori estate. Unfortunately, her efforts end in disaster. One evening, Reiko is found barely conscious next to the slain and mutilated body of Lord Mori, and she becomes the chief suspect in his murder. In addition, Sano Ichiro's enemies have hatched a plan to make it appear that he is trying to overthrow the powerful Lord Matsudaira, who rules Japan through his incompetent cousin, the shogun. Both Sano and Reiko face execution if they cannot prove their innocence.

The strength of this eleventh installment in Rowland's samurai detective series lies in the author's atmospheric depiction of seventeenth-century Edo (now Tokyo), with its rigid class system, political corruption, and oppression of women and the lower classes. Sano and Reiko are attractive heroes with integrity and courage, who quickly gain the reader's sympathy and admiration. However, Rowland's writing lacks subtlety, the plot is convoluted and far-fetched, and the dialogue is too often forced and stilted. Some of the characters speak in a modern vernacular that is inappropriate for the time period.

Although the protagonists are nicely drawn, the secondary characters lack shading: they are either noble and loyal or vicious and scheming. There are some clever twists and turns (including a Rashomon-type sequence in which various characters describe the same event from different perspectives) and an exciting confrontation in which one of the fighters utilizes his knowledge of the mystical martial arts. "Red Chrysanthemum" does provide its share of thrills as well as a fascinating look at life in feudal Japan, but it does not quite measure up to the high standards set by Rowland in her earlier novels.

Ideals of the Samurai (History & Philosophy Series)

Average customer rating:

Twelve Unique Old Translated Writings on Bushido
Read the translations and make your own interpretations
A living Samurai spirit

Ideals of the Samurai (History & Philosophy Series)
William Scott Wilson
Manufacturer: Black Belt Communications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0897500814

Book Description

An anthology of 12 samurai manuscripts showing the meaning and guiding principles of samurai life.

Customer Reviews:

Twelve Unique Old Translated Writings on Bushido.......2003-03-03

Translator William Scott Wilson offers us something unique with this book, first published in 1982 by Ohara. I can't recall any other source which includes this many specific writings on bushido (the warrior-gentleman's path)--there are 12 documents in this book, all written by different members of the warrior classes, dating from the 13th century (Hojo Shigetoki's "Message of Master Gokurakuji") to the 17th century (Kuroda Nagamasa's "Notes on Regulations").

These writings aren't what many of us 21st century martial artists have been conditioned to expect. I found more homespun advice and common sense relative to the era these men lived in than the stereotypical talk of honor and giri (duty). Much of this advice is still sound today. An example taken from the 700+ year old "Message of Master Gokurakuji" by Hojo Shigatoki:

"One should not talk about the faults of others, even as a joke. For even though one may think of it as a joke, to others it may be embarrassing, and this is a bad mistake. If one would joke, he should joke about things that are pleasurable to others. One should have restraint and deep sympathy in all things" (page 42-43)

Throughout the course of Wilson's translation, it is clear to see that the Samurai (serving warriors) were a people to whom consideration of others, polite manners and conduct were important. This volume offers a nice change from the linear austerity of the "Hagakure", which for many years along with Musashi's "Book of Five Spheres" has been one of the only widely available books which set the tone for how we modern day folks think of Samurai. In "Ideals of the Samurai", not only are many of the writings centuries apart, but they are from different families and different geographical areas of Japan. If you're curious about how the "old heads" ~really~ lived and what they thought about, this work is a must.

Read the translations and make your own interpretations.......2002-02-17

Unlike the many books on bushido I have bought, this is a collection of short writings translated with no interpretation, other than an introduction. There are no great descriptions of great battles fought. The passages tend toward the more mundane business of being a feudal lord. Several are 'last statements' which gives you insight as to what the Samurai really wanted to be remembered for. And you will remember the quotable word bites. There are several B&W reproductions of paintings of the authors.

A living Samurai spirit.......2000-04-04

This wonderful book is a prove that spirit has its reserved place on world history and in the mind of whose want to live a honrable live code. Not a mere historical report but a sensive demonstration of respect by a life-style

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