The 47 Ronin: A Story of Samurai Loyalty and Courage

Book Description

Here is an exciting true tale of the famous vendetta of the 47 Ronin, the samurai left masterless after their leader, Asano Naganori, was forced to commit seppuku (suicide) by the court official Kira. For two years the men plotted to avenge Asano's death; with cunning and bravery they succeeded, killing sixteen of Kira's men; wounding twenty two, including his grandson; and cutting off Kira's head and carrying it to their lord's grave. The Ronin surrendered and subsequently committed seppuku; they are buried side by side near their master's tomb, in what is now Tokyo.

Naturally, news of such vengeance and martyrdom spread far and wide, with the Ronin becoming national heroes. They were so popular that their saga inspired a series of kabuki plays, the most successful being Chushingura (Treasury of Loyal Retainers). Many artists produced woodblock prints that portrayed the original events, scenes from the kabuki plays, or the actors. Barry Till, curator of Asian Art at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria and a longtime contributor of articles to Arts of Asia magazine, summarizes the play; prints from the Gallery's collection illustrate the intricate story. As spellbinding as any modern movie, The 47 Ronin will fascinate with its story and appeal with its beautiful artwork.

Customer Reviews:

Woodblocks of the 47 Ronin.......2007-09-07

This book is about the 47 Ronin but does not tell their story in detail. It is about the artwork, in this case woodblocks, based on the scenes from the plays which were made to show the tale of the 47 Ronin. So after the book gives you a very, very short version of the life of a samurai, the tale of the 47 Ronin, and the plays made on it, which gives you a point of reference to work with, you then get to see the artwork based on the plays. Certain scenes and characters have been captured by the artists' skills and woodcraft.
In other words, if you are looking for the complete, well written and detailed story of the 47 Ronin, look someplace else. If you are looking for something related to them, as in how they were seen in the eyes of history and immortalized in plays and artwork, this is the book for you.

okay, but not definitive.......2007-03-31

The 47 Ronin is a truly great story. I keep looking for an outstanding illustrated version. I was hoping this was it, but I was a little disappointed. It uses authentic period images, but they are images of kabuki performances of the story, not images of the story itself. The book I wanted is still an outstanding niche...

Average customer rating:

Fantasy With Fun
A truly enjoyable read, brush up on your children's stories
Industrial-strength goofiness, just what I wanted
And the Wicked Queen, the Big Bad Wolf, and Bill Gates, etc.
If I fall out of the chair laughing... it's good...

Snow White and the Seven Samurai
Tom Holt
Manufacturer: Orbit
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 1857239881

Customer Reviews:

Fantasy With Fun.......2006-10-28

This is my first shot at Tom Holt's work, and I have to say that "Snow White and the Seven Samurai" certainly entertained and delivered on the promised laughs. Also, having an interest in Japanese literature, Holt got my curiosity going in how the heck one can put the Seven Samurai and Snow White in the same story. He did. Rather well, I might add.

In the fantasy dream dimension where so many creatures we all know and love live, 3 teen hackers manage to crash the Wicked Queen's MIrrors 3.1 system. This plunges the whole dimension into chaos, with the Big Bag Wolf changing into frogs, and other things. The Three Little Pigs end up with nothing to do, and Snow White turns out to be a scammer who is taking the Seven Samurai for a ride. This is in addition to the rest of the zany people and creatures one finds in Holt's world.

Holt is a great writer with a gift for great descriptions and puns. Greatly enjoyed the sardonic wit of many of the characters, such as the Wicked Queen, Dumpy the Dwarf and Julian, Desmond and Eugene, (the 3 Little Pigs). There was a lot of humour, and while most was of the "sniggering" variety, there were occassions when tears came to the eyes.

For comic fantasy, and that being an unknown quantity for me, I was impressed with this book from Tom Holt. I will certainly be looking into more of his work.

A truly enjoyable read, brush up on your children's stories.......2004-11-11

I have read several of Holt's book prior to reading this (Nothing But Blue Skies, Wish You Were Here, Odds and Gods, and Little People) but this has to be his best. It has just so much going on that you can only read this in small doses. It is just so clever. And funny. Don't forget funny. This guy must be fun to chat with after a few drinks. He just goes here and there and is always looking to make any situation funny. C'mon, Mirrors instead of Windows computer program, Snow White an actual dominatrix type, and don't forget the 3 little pigs. The Big Bad Wolf. Rumplestiltskin. Jack and Jill. Humpty Dumpty. The 3 blind mice. No one is sacred and left alone. The brothers Grimm visiting this land to steal stories, he just covers almost every well known children's story and just has fun with it. I had just as much fun reading this, maybe more. I have bought 2 or 3 copies and given them as gifts. I want others to find humor and laugh like I did. I want whoever is reading this to do the same.

Industrial-strength goofiness, just what I wanted.......2003-10-07

Good stories stay good, even when told a different way. In "A Midsummer Night's Dream," for example, we have the fantastical realm, the powerful but fallible beings who transform others, and of course, the ones transformed. And, the steady stream of hilarious asides.

Okay, Holt isn't Shakespeare, but he does a good job with the same story elements. Yes, we wake up at the end and find that it was all a dream, or something like that, except that some people don't wake up and just dream on.

Not heavy reading, by any means, but it does a nice job filling the gap between Pratchett's releases.

And the Wicked Queen, the Big Bad Wolf, and Bill Gates, etc........2002-06-02

For some reason Tom Holt has never gotten the attention that Terry Pratchett does. They are both comic geniuses, both very solid, imaginative writers, and both manage to be incredibly prolific. Possibly, it is because Pratchett has chosen to set his stories in Discworld, with a regular cast of characters, and Holt starts from scratch each time. But, without question, you can't go wrong with either one. Providing you like to laugh, that is.

Somehow three little hackers (disguised as three colorblind mice) slip into the castle of the Wicked Queen and come upon her just as she is running Mirrors 3.1 on her magic mirror. They watch as she runs 'Who_is_fairest.exe and sets an appointment in her calendar for doing away with Snow White. As the queen slips off the hackers attempt to take control of the operating system. No surprise, the pest control software works and the Queen returns in what is almost the nick of time. Unfortunately, the female of the three mice turns the mirror off rather than shutting it down. In this world, Mirrors 3.1 is the real operating system, and it doesn't take well to sudden power losses.

In fact, it scrambles everything in memory - which is everything. The Wicked Queen quickly grabs her backup memory bucket (think of it as a 'wet' drive), and heads off into the magic forest to find someone who knows how to pour a full system reload. And so begins the ultimate fractured fairy tale. In it, you will discover that the Three Pigs have resorted to building with concrete and anti-tank weapons. You will meet the wolf that huffs, puffs and says 'rivet.' And find out that Snow White is fond of bondage. You will even get to wonder 'What are these seven samurai doing in a dwarf tale.'

What you won't get to do is sit there, read with a grim expression, and not even utter a snicker. Tom Holt is a wizard at the quickly set up, awful pun ("two wrongs don't make us Wrights" and "good fencers make bad neighbors." He has a knack for literary sight gags and the sublimely ridiculous. His books are meant for those times when all the bits refuse to fit together and you just need to think about something else. Or when you want to get somewhat hysterical for a few hours. While this isn't Holt's very best effort (try 'Expecting Someone Taller' or 'Flying Dutch') it is, like all of his work, way better than any of the competition except Pratchett.

If I fall out of the chair laughing... it's good..........2001-08-17

I'm not really a fantasy kind of person. But after reading this book, maybe I ought to shift preferences after all. This book is hilarious, funny. It's corny, easily understood by adolescents. His description and the way the whole story just spins around had my brain churning up mental images. Already I've drawn a sketch of the wicked queen. The Big Bad Wolf and his consort the elf is next on the list. Who knows, maybe the whole cast would make an appearance in my sketch book. Every one is entitled to their own opinions. This book, in my opinion, is a perfect read to cheer oneself up when they're days away from major examinations. Stress-reliever. Read it and if you fall outta your chair as I did during Physics, then it's good.

Average customer rating:

The revenge of the forty-seven samari
The revenge of the forty-seven samari
Adventure for the ages

The Revenge of the Forty-Seven Samurai
Erik C. Haugaard
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0618548963

Book Description

In the time when the Shogun ruled Japan, two hundred samurai suffered a grave insulttheir master met an unjust death. Forty-seven of them are courageous enough to avenge him. Jiro is a lowly servant to one of the brave samurai. Chosen as his master's unlikely spy during the planning of the great revenge, Jiro must learn when to talk and when to listen, or at any moment he could lose his head to a samurai's razor-sharp sword. And even as Jiro plays his small part in the unfolding plot, he searches for the truth about his own identity.

Customer Reviews:

The revenge of the forty-seven samari.......2003-01-13

This book was mainly about how a kingdom in Japan which had a lord. However this lord was in a great battle. He lost the war and with losing as a warlord it is a disgrace and they would have to commit the act of seppuku where "they have to their head cut off". With this army losing their lord to another army they are on a long and patient quest to get revenge for their lord.

This book I think was a good book, it could be slow at some times but then something big would happen. The author made you want to stay in it until the end.

Some of the things that were good in this book was when they started to make there move on to the enemy. Out of all the parts the best was the last chapter when they got there revenge for there lord.

But there was some parts that were not so good. There was many parts in the book that were slow and hard to follow. In the first chapter when they got their new lord all it was about was facts about the lord, and people coming to meet this new lord.

So over all the book was farly good , but I do belive some pople would not like it, but others would relly like it.

The revenge of the forty-seven samari.......2003-01-13

This book I think was a good book, it could be slow at some times but then something big would happen. The author made you want to stay in it until the end.

Some of the things that were good in this book was when they started to make there move on to the enemy. Out of all the parts the best was the last chapter when they got there revenge for there lord.

So over all the book was farly good , but I do belive some pople would not like it, but others would relly like it.

Adventure for the ages.......2000-06-10

I thought this book was great. action pact and exciting buta also insightful towards that period in history. great for war bufs

The Code of the Executive: Forty-Seven Ancient Samurai Principles Essential for Twenty-First Century Leadership Success

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Bringing Core Values Back to Business
Great CEO Tool!
Surprisingly Disappointing
A book which enhances one's personal and professional lives.
A book for life that offers a paradigm shift of focus.

The Code of the Executive: Forty-Seven Ancient Samurai Principles Essential for Twenty-First Century Leadership Success
Don Schmincke
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0452281539

Amazon.com

Management advisor Don Schmincke believes leaders can thrive in the third millennium by utilizing principles developed during the first. They originate in a moral code known as Bushido that was followed by samurai warriors in ninth-century Japan and formalized by Daidoji Yuzan as the Code of the Samurai some seven centuries later. Now updating them as The Code of the Executive, Schmincke points out parallels between past and present and suggests this connection is a natural. In those days, he writes, the shogun was regulatory government, feudal barons the hard-driving CEOs, real estate their business, and samurai the executives hired to oversee it all. These samurai relied upon their rigid ethical guide to discharge both professional and personal responsibilities favorably, Schmincke notes, and today's corporate leaders can succeed by similarly following its teachings. Dividing fundamentals into categories such as "Personal Principles," "Roles and Responsibilities, and "Education and Development," he shows how ancient wisdom on cooperation, integrity, accountability, sacrifice, power, and so on can apply to contemporary situations. On "Respecting Personnel," for example, he suggests "reasonable argument" be used to "gain agreement" on serious infractions--while "for trivial issues" it is better to be "indulgent and patient and not sweat the insignificant." --Howard Rothman

Book Description

"The dynamic principles that have endured through the millennia are beautifully embodied in this short yet substantial book."-Stephen Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

More than a thousand years ago, a group of business executives developed a set of principles for organizational leadership in a competitive market. Those executives were the samurai of ninth-century Japan, and their rigid code of ethics, known as bushido, was one of the most effective frameworks for management in history. The Code of the Executive is business adviser Don Schmincke's modern interpretation of the Code of the Samurai-ancient wisdom written for today's corporate warriors. These principles provide a dynamic system of practical and moral training for effective leadership. In addition to interactive strategies for relating to the business world, this philosophy provides at its core a guide to the inner development necessary for consistent and long-term success. A terrific gift for a friend, relative, new graduate, or business associate, The Code of the Executive is filled with relevant wisdom and offers an enlightened path to business fulfillment.

Customer Reviews:

Bringing Core Values Back to Business.......2003-04-23

Two of my favorite books on leadership are The Art of War, and The Code of the Samurai. I've used both of these in writing my book the Art of Spiritual Warfare. This particular book by Don Schmincke takes ancient principles and applies them to the leader in business. With the recent scandals hitting the headlines a new look at some ancient codes of behavior may be exactly what is needed in today's business world. Schmincke uses the same type of cadence, poetry, and prose used by the ancient writers of the Samurai era. For the most part it works quite well. It's a bit of a stretch when talking about ancient codes but bringing in modern slang and pc style issues such as how to dress nicely or avoiding "sucking up" to the boss under such broad categories as Executive Knowledge and Leadership for warrior generals and such. However, his points are well taken. It's a good little book to keep in your desk, and remind you of the higher principles every leader should strive for. I also suggest going back to the original books by Sun Tzu and Daidoji Yuzan.

Great CEO Tool!.......2001-02-06

Great interpretation of an ancient philosphy for CEOs. Instead of these airy philosophical renderings that we see in many management books today, the author shows his experience with the thousands of CEOs he's coached over the years. I could apply it directly to my executive team. This translation allows specific business practice so it can be applied for bottom line impact without having to waste time intellecualizing it.

Surprisingly Disappointing.......2000-05-03

Maybe I expected too much. I was hoping for a work as impactful as Sun Tzu. Instead of allowing the reader to interpret and philosophize, the author made a well-intended but misdirected effort to force the code into specific business principles and issues. The translation simply falls flat and reads like a word processed document where "samuri" was globally replaced with "executive." Maybe I'm just a cruel, heartless cynic but I wish the author would have cut back on the handholding allowed the reader more intellectual room for personal interpretation.

A book which enhances one's personal and professional lives........1998-09-15

THE CODE OF THE EXECUTIVE, by Don Schmincke

The Code of the Executive ("The Code") is a long overdue, yet ancient, wake-up call for all executives but most especially for CEOs. The philosophy expounded in these moral, ethical and business precepts, called principles in the book, will enhance the personal as well as professional lives of those executives who follow the philosophy. The way is arduous for the executive who does so but the benefits are great. Inner growth, success and security in one's professional life await the intrepid executive. "The Code" puts forth a philosophy of responsibility, for individual executives and for organizations. A way of thinking and behaving is posited. Ethical and healthiest growth for the organization is at the forefront, yet the CEO is the symbol of the organization and must be supported as strongly. "The Code" asks all executives to give their organizations and their CEOs the utmost in loyalty and duty. Even more so, the CEO of an organization is required to give a greater amount of his or her life to the organization in return for greater benefits than the lower level executives enjoy. By following the precepts in "The Code" an executive can climb in the organization while being an aid to the real success of the organization. Those who wish to one day become an executive will also find their way made much smoother by following these precepts. In one's private life, the lessons of "The Code" are available to repair or build and enhance lasting relationships, to gain control over your ego, mind and life, and to balance your life between the inner and outer person, between an ideal and the ego. These lessons are similar in most cases, and the same in some cases, as the precepts handed down by Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, the Boy Scouts, and many more whose philosophies betokened a peaceful and balanced humanity. When I first read "The Code," I disagreed with most of what I read, until I read about half of the book. Then, I "got" it and was able to move my ego aside as I read. I had been reading with a modern mindset. I was thinking that people owed only as much loyalty as a paycheck would buy and no more! Then I realized that "The Code," besides being a business book, is a manual for those seeking to belong to something greater than themselves (as we all are) and who want to have their lives stand for something at the same time. When "The Code" speaks of death, in the first chapter, it seemed like it was asking too much of an executive, but the "death" it was speaking of was the death of the ego and the philosophical idea that "freedom's just another word for nothing else to lose." In other words, one can only risk what one is willing to lose. Of course, preparation and self-control make the risk, which is often necessary for success and growth, tolerable. So, "The Code" builds, from the first precept to the last. Each precept relies on the ones which come before for true appreciation of the wisdom is being offered. In conclusion, I wholeheartedly recommend that every executive, including all CEOs, read Don Schmincke's book, THE CODE OF THE EXECUTIVE. It is a road map for ethical and successful organizations, large, mid-sized and small. This is a very useful tool for growth even for the sole-practitioner, who is the CEO of his or her firm, or the head-of-household who wants to do the best possible job in his or her 'organization'. As a New York attorney, and CEO of my own firm, this book has become a golden treasure in my personal and business library. THE CODE OF THE EXECUTIVE has, in a relatively short period of time, proven itself to be a valuable asset in both my personal and professional lives.

A book for life that offers a paradigm shift of focus........1998-09-11

In ancient times, Samurai warriors lived by a rigid code known as Bushido. At the heart of this "code of life" lie forty-seven ancient principles. In his stellar book "The Code of the Executive", Don Schminke has rebirthed these ancient principles and codes, and the practice of Bushido.

"The Code of the Executive" contains ninety-eight pages of ancient text used by the Samurai warriors on a daily basis as they lived and fought. This text has been updated for use by executive managers in the 21st Century. In its entirety, this small book contains the entire code for successful leadership. Mr. Schminke offers these essential tools of life and leadership to managers throughout the world in the conferences that he conducts, now the philosophy is available to everyone in book form.

There is a myriad of books available to the business manager searching for enlightenment, interested in improving his skills, or satisfying a thirst for knowledge. Over the years I have read many of them. Unfortunately, virtually no page did I turn contain the philosophy essential to life. Not one page spoke of the foundation that we must establish before we can be successful in life. In fact, these books that I read spoke of business success as a tangibility to be acquired. Good managers do not become good managers with out a foundation. Executives can not effectively steer their organizations without Honor and Respect, without Integrity or Bravery. The principles necessary for success are not found, they are learned, they must be understood and practiced. The journey toward true leadership is profound and "The Code of the Executive" is the 21st Century Guide.

As a developing manager my journey continues. My own change, development, and growth can be traced. Mr. Schminke's book provided me with a paradigm shift of focus. My understanding of Role and Responsibility drastically changed as the Bushido introduced to me the concept of Death, and how all of the mighty principles are tightly woven around its strength. This book teaches that success is not found, the path to success cannot be memorized, and success cannot be taught. Business success coincides with life success. "The Code of the Executive" offers forty-seven principles of self fulfillment that must be learned, understood, and practiced.

Even though this book speaks in terms of the executive, it is not for a limited audience. The sooner that this book is read and the journey toward fulfillment begins the sooner that change and understanding will be realized. This journey is long and difficult. Once it begins, these principles will build the person who becomes the successful leader in life and business. I highly recommend "The Code of the Executive" as essential text for leadership training and development in all aspects of life. Students in high school or collage may never take a class as powerful as this self-study.

The Seven Samurai: And Other Screenplays (Classic Screenplay Series)
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Akira Kurosawa is the most important Asian filmmaker.

The Seven Samurai: And Other Screenplays (Classic Screenplay Series)
Akira Kurosawa
Manufacturer: Faber & Faber
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 057116224X

Book Description

These three screenplays are based on Kurosawa's shooting scripts.

Ikiru (1952) tells the painful and intimate story of a Japanese civil servant coming to terms with old age and death. In Seven Samurai (1954) the inhabitants of a small Janpanese village employ a roaming band of samurai to defend them. In Throne of Blood (1957), based on Macbeth, a samurai is encouraged by his wife to kill his lord.

This edition also includes a critical introduction to each screenplay.

Customer Reviews:

Akira Kurosawa is the most important Asian filmmaker........2002-02-08

Not only because he is a great director, but because he knows Asian literature. In Seven Samurai, Kurosawa quotes from an important book: Water Margin. Water Margin has influenced Asian thinking throughout the centuries. As a matter of fact, there is a part where a teacher organizes seven volunteers. Obviously, an influence on Seven Samurai. Take it from Kurosawa, who knows his stuff.

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Snow White and the Seven Samurai
Tom Holt
Manufacturer: Book Club Associates
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JCFT9G

Average customer rating:

Very detailed for a book of its size...
If You Can't See the Movie, Read This Book

Seven Samurai (BFI Film Classics)
Joan Mellen
Manufacturer: British Film Institute
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 085170915X

Book Description

In Seven Samurai (1954), a whole society is on the verge of irrevocable change. Akira Kurosawa's celebrated film, regarded by many to be the major achievement of Japanese cinema, is an epic that evokes the cultural upheaval brought on by the collapse of Japanese militarism in the sixteenth century, echoing also the sweeping cultural changes occurring in the aftermath of the American Occupation.
The plot is deceptively simple. A village of farmers is beleaguered by a horde of bandits. In desperation the farmers decide to hire itinerant samurai to protect their crops and people from the bandits. There had never been a Japanese film in which peasants hired samurai, or an evocation of the social transformation that made such an idea credible.
There are six samurai and one who is accepted as such. Together they reflect the ideals and values of a noble class near the point of extinction. Seven Samurai may be the greatest action film, a technical masterpiece unmatched in its depiction of movement and violence, but running beneath the sound and fury is a lament for a lost nobility, "a dirge for the spirit of Japan," according to Joan Mellen, "which will never be so strong."
Mellen contextualizes Seven Samurai, marking its place in Japanese cinema and in Kurosawa's career. She explores the film's roots in medieval history and, above all, the astonishing visual language in which Kurosawa created his elegiac epic.

Customer Reviews:

Very detailed for a book of its size..........2004-11-01

While Joan Mellen tries to be very complete, with lots of information on the cultural background, use of sound, light and stories about the cast, the book barely touches the surface of the movie. Of course, with less than 80 pages, there is only so much you can do. Also, the information is not well ordered, bouncing about a lot. Some of the space is kind of wasted on attacking people who, themselves, attacked Kurosawa and his greatest film.
A great little book, but I bet there are larger, more massive tomes about the subject.

If You Can't See the Movie, Read This Book.......2002-08-05

It has been years since I have seen "The Seven Samurai," a movie I greatly admire. Reading Mellen's book brought back all the things I love about that film.

Mellen goes into the origins of the film, into Kurosawa's script and his ideas about history. She discusses how the different characters represent aspects of the samurai class. Her analysis of the last scene, where the surviving samurai leave the village, is quite powerful and accurate.

If the book has a flaw, it is that Mellen devotes a bit of time to bashing those writers who are critical of "The Seven Samurai." If they can't appreciate Kurosawa's film, that is punishment enough.

If you enjoy "The Seven Samurai" this book will amplify your understanding of that film and thus increase your enjoyment when you watch the movie again.

The Seven Labors of Jack (Samurai Jack Chapter Book)
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The Seven Labors of Jack (Samurai Jack Chapter Book)
Mike Teitelbaum
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding
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Book Description

Jack has a new challenge to face -- he must perform seven deadly labors straight from Greek mythology. The tasks are nearly impossible, even for a trained samurai, and Jack has suspicions about who's behind them. Is it really the fearful goddess Divina -- or is she just another minion of Aku sent to punish him? Either way, Jack has no choice -- he must complete the tasks or serve Divina forever...

THE SEVEN SAMURAI. English translation and introduction by Donald Richie. Modern Film Scripts.

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THE SEVEN SAMURAI. English translation and introduction by Donald Richie. Modern Film Scripts.
Akira. Kurosawa
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N78TGW

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Seven samurai: a film
Akira Kurosawa
Manufacturer: Lorrimer Publishing Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: 0900855428

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