The Book of Five Rings (Bushido--The Way of the Warrior)
by Miyamoto Musashi
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Book Summary Information
Author: Miyamoto MusashiTranslator: William Scott Wilson
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: Japanese (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2002-03-01
ISBN: 4770028016
Number of pages: 160
Publisher: Kodansha International
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9784770028013
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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Book Reviews of The Book of Five Rings (Bushido--The Way of the Warrior)
Book Review: Way of the Samurai
Summary: 4 Stars
Written in the 1600s by one of the great Samurais in history Musashi puts forth his ideas on sword fighting combat and life. I found this interesting. While the ideas are obviously geared toward sword fighting some with a slight alteration could apply to other martial arts/fighting sports. I'll leave the all the overly contemplative philosophical musings on this book to all the Zen Buddhists out there. There was also some good biographical stuff and artwork by him in this too.
Summary of The Book of Five Rings (Bushido--The Way of the Warrior)
Setting down his thoughts on swordplay, on winning, and on spirituality, legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi intended this modest work as a guide for his immediate disciples and future generations of samurai. He had little idea he was penning a masterpiece that would be eagerly devoured by people in all walks of life centuries after his death.Along with The Art of War by Sun Tzu, The Book of Five Rings has long been regarded as an invaluable treatise on the strategy of winning. Musashi's timeless advice on defeating an adversary, throwing an opponent off-guard, creating confusion, and other techniques for overpowering an assailant was addressed to the readers of earlier times on the battlefield, and now serves the modern reader in the battle of life.
In this new rendering by the translator of Hagakure and The Unfettered Mind, William Scott Wilson adheres rigorously to the seventeenth-century Japanese text and clarifies points of ambiguity in earlier translations. In addition, he offers an extensive introduction and a translation of Musashi's rarely published The Way of Walking Alone. This gift-book edition also features original art by Musashi himself as well as new calligraphy by Japanese artist Shiro Tsujimura.
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
Military Science Books
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