Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy

Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy
by Miyamoto Musashi

Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy
Our Price: $19.49
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $3.93 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions


or

Book Summary Information

Author: Miyamoto Musashi
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 1988-05-28
ISBN: 0517415283
Number of pages: 96
Publisher: Gramercy

Book Reviews of Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy

Book Review: A pleasing introduction to a different era
Summary: 5 Stars

An old martial treatise that is more philosophical than one might expect. There are very few how-to sections of the work, but the very ambiguity of many passages allow deep inspection. The author of the second work translated here, Munenori, in fact reminds the reader - constantly - that everything written herein required careful consideration, practice, and reflection. As a glimpse into the warrior ethos of martial culture from 17th-century Japan, both are valuable books. The reader would most likely find this book even more rewarding after reading similarly-themed books from the near geographical area, such as Sun-tzu's "Art of War," or even the "Tao Te Ching."

Summary of Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy

Translated by V. Harris. Japan's answer to the Harvard MBA...Written over three centuries ago by a Samurai warrior, the book has been hailed as a limitless source of psychological insight for businessmen-or anyone who relies on strategy and tactics for outwitting the competition.
To learn a Japanese martial art is to learn Zen, and although you can't do so simply by reading a book, it sure does help--especially if that book is The Book of Five Rings. One of Japan's great samurai sword masters penned in decisive, unfaltering terms this certain path to victory, and like Sun Tzu's The Art of War it is applicable not only on the battlefield but also in all forms of competition. Always observant, creating confusion, striking at vulnerabilities--these are some of the basic principles. Going deeper, we find suki, the interval of vulnerability, of indecisiveness, of rest, the briefest but most vital moment to strike. In succinct detail, Miyamoto records ideal postures, blows, and psychological tactics to put the enemy off guard and open the way for attack. Most important of all is Miyamoto's concept of rhythm, how all things are in harmony, and that by working with the rhythm of a situation we can turn it to our advantage with little effort. But like Zen, this requires one task above all else, putting the book down and going out to practice. --Brian Bruya

General Books

Book Subjects
Most talked about in General Books
Smarts: Are We Hardwired for Success? ImageSmarts: Are We Hardwired for Success?
by Chuck Martin, Peg Dawson, Richard Guare
AMACOM; Published: 2007-01-15; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $0.01
Price in other shops: $21.95
Mobbing: Emotional Abuse in the American Workplace ImageMobbing: Emotional Abuse in the American Workplace
by Noa Davenport, Ruth D. Schwartz, Gail Pursell Elliott
Civil Society Publishing; Published: 1999-07; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.99
Price in other shops: $17.95
Beyond Code: Learn to Distinguish Yourself in 9 Simple Steps! ImageBeyond Code: Learn to Distinguish Yourself in 9 Simple Steps!
by Rajesh Setty
Select Books (NY); Published: 2005-09; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $7.45
Price in other shops: $19.95
Work Less, Make More ImageWork Less, Make More
by Jennifer L. White
Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company; Published: 1998-06-05; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $3.92
Price in other shops: $25.00
Getting Organized: Improving Focus, Organization and Productivity ImageGetting Organized: Improving Focus, Organization and Productivity
by Chris Crouch
Dawson Publishing; Published: 2004-09-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.79
Price in other shops: $15.95
Trak Da Prey Or U R Da Prey ImageTrak Da Prey Or U R Da Prey
by HunterVillager Inc.
Huntervillager, Inc.; Published: 2000-03-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $49.28
POP!: Stand Out in Any Crowd ImagePOP!: Stand Out in Any Crowd
by Sam Horn
Perigee Trade; Published: 2006-09-05; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $4.64
Price in other shops: $22.95
From Day One: CEO Advice to Launch an Extraordinary Career ImageFrom Day One: CEO Advice to Launch an Extraordinary Career
by William J. White
Prentice Hall; Published: 2005-12-09; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $4.50
Price in other shops: $24.99
Make It BIG!: 49 Secrets for Building a Life of Extreme Success ImageMake It BIG!: 49 Secrets for Building a Life of Extreme Success
by Frank E. McKinney
Wiley; Published: 2002-01-11; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $6.99
Price in other shops: $29.95
The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea ImageThe Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea
by Bob Burg, John David Mann
Portfolio Hardcover; Published: 2007-12-27; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $9.94
Price in other shops: $19.95
Similar Books and other products
The Life-Giving Sword: The Secret Teachings From the House of the Shogun ImageThe Life-Giving Sword: The Secret Teachings From the House of the Shogun
by Yagyu Munenori
Kodansha International; Published: 2003-12-18; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $11.08
Price in other shops: $19.00
Musashi ImageMusashi
by Eiji Yoshikawa
Kodansha International; Published: 1995-07-14; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $20.41
Price in other shops: $35.00
The Code of the Samurai: A Modern Translation of the Bushido Shoshinshu of Taira Shigesuke ImageThe Code of the Samurai: A Modern Translation of the Bushido Shoshinshu of Taira Shigesuke
by Yuzan Daidoji, Thomas Cleary
Charles E Tuttle Co; Published: 1999-07-30; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $6.14
Price in other shops: $14.95
The Lone Samurai: The Life of Miyamoto Musashi ImageThe Lone Samurai: The Life of Miyamoto Musashi
by William Scott Wilson
Kodansha International; Published: 2004-08-15; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $13.64
Price in other shops: $24.00
The Prince ImageThe Prince
by Niccolo Machiavelli
CreateSpace; Published: 2008-09-24; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.49
Price in other shops: $5.95
Bushido: The Way of the Samurai (Square One Classics) ImageBushido: The Way of the Samurai (Square One Classics)
by Tsunetomo Yamamoto, Justin F. Stone, Minoru Tanaka
Square One Publishers; Published: 2001-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.19
Price in other shops: $9.95
The Art of War by Sun Tzu - Special Edition ImageThe Art of War by Sun Tzu - Special Edition
by Sun Tzu
El Paso Norte Press; Published: 2007-06-22; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $19.45
Price in other shops: $29.95
The Art of War (Shambhala classics) ImageThe Art of War (Shambhala classics)
by Sun Tzu
Dover Publications; Published: 2002-11-13; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.85
Price in other shops: $4.95
The Unfettered Mind: Writings from a Zen Master to a Master Swordsman ImageThe Unfettered Mind: Writings from a Zen Master to a Master Swordsman
by Takuan Soho
Kodansha International; Published: 2003-01-17; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $11.00
Price in other shops: $19.00
Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai ImageHagakure: The Book of the Samurai
by Yamamoto Tsunetomo
Kodansha International; Published: 2002-08-30; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $11.37
Price in other shops: $19.95