Description
Their name means “one who serves,” and the samurai were the most skilled elite group of combatants the world has ever seen. Their legendary prowess inspired some of Japan’s finest films and literature: years of training, discipline, and self-sacrifice, combined with advanced weaponry and unprecedented tactical acumen, created a force unmatched over centuries of history. This remarkable illustrated volume reveals the essence, truth, and wisdom of these unique warriors. Meet the most renowned of them, see their weapons, explore their military strategies, and even follow their daily lives. Above all, this sublime work illuminates the samurai’s unwavering Bushido philosophy—the strict code of honor that required absolute loyalty to their master above all else, and ritual suicide in preference to dying a dishonorable death.… (more)
Library's review
Samurai explores the essence, truth, and wisdom of these remarkable warrors. It features renowned samurai warriors, their weapons armor, and military strategies and illuminates their unwavering Bushido philosophy-the strict code of honor requiring absolute loyalty to their master above all else, and ritual suicide in preference to dying a dishonorable death.
This book explores the spirit, body, and minds of these sublime paladins who long ago passed into legend, but still live on today.
Contents
Introduction
Timeline
Chapter 1 Rise and fall of the samurai
Chapter 2 Samurai daily life
Chapter 3 Samurai armor and clothing
Chapter 4 Samurai weaponry
Chapter 5 Samurai at war
Epilogue
Glossary
User reviews
Overall the information seems fairly accurate, but one thing really bothers me about this work: the names. They never clarify whether they are using the Japanese (surname first) or Western (surname last) style of names, and indeed they seem to switch back and forth between the two styles often. It can be distracting, and if you were using this book as a resource for some reason, I can only imagine that it would be very confusing.