Status
Available
Call number
Collections
Publication
Bottom of the Hill Publishing (2010), Edition: 1St Edition, 60 pages
Description
The Book of Five Rings is one of the most insightful texts on the subtle arts of confrontation and victory to emerge from Asian culture. Written not only for martial artists but for anyone who wants to apply the timeless principles of this text to their life, the book analyzes the process of struggle and mastery over conflict that underlies every level of human interaction. The Book of Five Rings was composed in 1643 by the famed duelist and undefeated samurai Miyamoto Musashi. Thomas Cleary's translation is immediately accessible, with an introduction that presents the spiritual background of the warrior tradition. Along with Musashi's text, Cleary translates here another important Japanese classic on leadership and strategy, The Book of Family Traditions on the Art of War by Yagyu Munenori, which highlights the ethical and spiritual insights of Taoism and Zen as they apply to the way of the warrior.… (more)
Media reviews
Knjiga koja na engleskom nosi ispravan naziv „Knjiga pet sfera“, delo Mijamota Musašija posvećeno umeću ratovanja, predstavlja čisto pragmatični poduhvat. Musaši ismeva spoljašnji sjaj i komercijalizaciju borilačkih veština, usmeravajući pažnju na psihološki i fizički aspekt
Njegov naučno agresivan, u potpunosti nemilosrdan pristup vojnoj nauci, iako nije bio široko zastupljen među japanskim majstorima borilačkih veština, predstavlja jednu visoko koncentrovanu karakterizaciju određenog tipa ratnika samuraja. Iako se u vezi njegovih dramatičnih podviga razvio čitav korpus legendi, malo se toga pouzdano zna o životu Mijamota Musašija. Ono što je on izneo o sebi u svojoj „Knjizi pet prstenova“ je primarni izvor istorijskih činjenica. Prvi put je u borbi ubio čoveka sa trinaest godina, a poslednji put sa dvadeset i devet godina. U jednom trenutku svog života on je navodno prestao da koristi pravi mač, ali je nastavio da zadaje smrtonosne udarce protivnicima sve do kraja karijere mačevaoca. Poslednje tri decenije života Musaši je proveo usavršavajući i podučavajući svoju ratničku nauku. Priča se da se nikada nije češljao, da se nikada nije kupao, da se nije ženio, da nije stvorio dom i da nije podizao decu. Iako je poznavao društvene veštine svog vremena i uistinu ih je preporučivao svakome, Mijamoto Musaši je u suštini išao asketskim putem ratnika do kraja svog života.
Ovo izdanje sadrži u sebi još jednu proslavljenu knjigu, Knjigu porodičnih predanja o umeću ratovanja, Jagju Munenorija, čuvenog samuraja koji se u poznim godinama posvetio zen budizmu. Otuda ova knjiga predstavlja spoj zena i borilačkih veština.
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smrtonosnog napada i odlučne pobede kao suštine ratovanja.Njegov naučno agresivan, u potpunosti nemilosrdan pristup vojnoj nauci, iako nije bio široko zastupljen među japanskim majstorima borilačkih veština, predstavlja jednu visoko koncentrovanu karakterizaciju određenog tipa ratnika samuraja. Iako se u vezi njegovih dramatičnih podviga razvio čitav korpus legendi, malo se toga pouzdano zna o životu Mijamota Musašija. Ono što je on izneo o sebi u svojoj „Knjizi pet prstenova“ je primarni izvor istorijskih činjenica. Prvi put je u borbi ubio čoveka sa trinaest godina, a poslednji put sa dvadeset i devet godina. U jednom trenutku svog života on je navodno prestao da koristi pravi mač, ali je nastavio da zadaje smrtonosne udarce protivnicima sve do kraja karijere mačevaoca. Poslednje tri decenije života Musaši je proveo usavršavajući i podučavajući svoju ratničku nauku. Priča se da se nikada nije češljao, da se nikada nije kupao, da se nije ženio, da nije stvorio dom i da nije podizao decu. Iako je poznavao društvene veštine svog vremena i uistinu ih je preporučivao svakome, Mijamoto Musaši je u suštini išao asketskim putem ratnika do kraja svog života.
Ovo izdanje sadrži u sebi još jednu proslavljenu knjigu, Knjigu porodičnih predanja o umeću ratovanja, Jagju Munenorija, čuvenog samuraja koji se u poznim godinama posvetio zen budizmu. Otuda ova knjiga predstavlja spoj zena i borilačkih veština.
Show Less
Knjiga koja na engleskom nosi ispravan naziv „Knjiga pet sfera“, delo Mijamota Musašija posvećeno umeću ratovanja, predstavlja čisto pragmatični poduhvat. Musaši ismeva spoljašnji sjaj i komercijalizaciju borilačkih veština, usmeravajući pažnju na psihološki i fizički aspekt
Njegov naučno agresivan, u potpunosti nemilosrdan pristup vojnoj nauci, iako nije bio široko zastupljen među japanskim majstorima borilačkih veština, predstavlja jednu visoko koncentrovanu karakterizaciju određenog tipa ratnika samuraja. Iako se u vezi njegovih dramatičnih podviga razvio čitav korpus legendi, malo se toga pouzdano zna o životu Mijamota Musašija. Ono što je on izneo o sebi u svojoj „Knjizi pet prstenova“ je primarni izvor istorijskih činjenica. Prvi put je u borbi ubio čoveka sa trinaest godina, a poslednji put sa dvadeset i devet godina. U jednom trenutku svog života on je navodno prestao da koristi pravi mač, ali je nastavio da zadaje smrtonosne udarce protivnicima sve do kraja karijere mačevaoca. Poslednje tri decenije života Musaši je proveo usavršavajući i podučavajući svoju ratničku nauku. Priča se da se nikada nije češljao, da se nikada nije kupao, da se nije ženio, da nije stvorio dom i da nije podizao decu. Iako je poznavao društvene veštine svog vremena i uistinu ih je preporučivao svakome, Mijamoto Musaši je u suštini išao asketskim putem ratnika do kraja svog života.
Ovo izdanje sadrži u sebi još jednu proslavljenu knjigu, Knjigu porodičnih predanja o umeću ratovanja, Jagju Munenorija, čuvenog samuraja koji se u poznim godinama posvetio zen budizmu. Otuda ova knjiga predstavlja spoj zena i borilačkih veština.
Show More
smrtonosnog napada i odlučne pobede kao suštine ratovanja.Njegov naučno agresivan, u potpunosti nemilosrdan pristup vojnoj nauci, iako nije bio široko zastupljen među japanskim majstorima borilačkih veština, predstavlja jednu visoko koncentrovanu karakterizaciju određenog tipa ratnika samuraja. Iako se u vezi njegovih dramatičnih podviga razvio čitav korpus legendi, malo se toga pouzdano zna o životu Mijamota Musašija. Ono što je on izneo o sebi u svojoj „Knjizi pet prstenova“ je primarni izvor istorijskih činjenica. Prvi put je u borbi ubio čoveka sa trinaest godina, a poslednji put sa dvadeset i devet godina. U jednom trenutku svog života on je navodno prestao da koristi pravi mač, ali je nastavio da zadaje smrtonosne udarce protivnicima sve do kraja karijere mačevaoca. Poslednje tri decenije života Musaši je proveo usavršavajući i podučavajući svoju ratničku nauku. Priča se da se nikada nije češljao, da se nikada nije kupao, da se nije ženio, da nije stvorio dom i da nije podizao decu. Iako je poznavao društvene veštine svog vremena i uistinu ih je preporučivao svakome, Mijamoto Musaši je u suštini išao asketskim putem ratnika do kraja svog života.
Ovo izdanje sadrži u sebi još jednu proslavljenu knjigu, Knjigu porodičnih predanja o umeću ratovanja, Jagju Munenorija, čuvenog samuraja koji se u poznim godinama posvetio zen budizmu. Otuda ova knjiga predstavlja spoj zena i borilačkih veština.
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User reviews
LibraryThing member PghDragonMan
There are other reviews here for “Book of Five Rings”, but I feel only one of them is close to understanding the essence of this book. “Five Rings” was indeed originally a martial arts treatise, but the Western Reader needs to remember that Martial Arts was a total way of life: all the
Mushai writes, “… the warrior’s is the twofold Way of pen and sword, and he should have a taste for both”. In the Overlook Press edition, there are numerous illustrations of artworks in different mediums created by Musahi himself. Example is the best form of teaching and he clearly shows that there is no division between martial art forms and art forms for pleasure.
For the Way of the Warrior, every battle plan must be researched, your enemies’ weaknesses known, your plans constructed accordingly and executed flawlessly. Applying this to the way of the Artisan, something the Western mind sees diametrically opposed to warfare, Musahi’s dictum means the artist must fully understand the medium they are working in, fully understand the idea they are trying to represent and must flawlessly execute their work.
The book itself is written like a classical brush painting. Broad strokes suggest the theme and the more we look at the work, the more detail we see in the work. Musahi writes in broad terms, supplying enough detail for us to understand what he is suggesting, but he does not overwhelm us with detail. In many places, the student is admonished to research the subject of his discourses themselves.
It is this last aspect that makes this work so enduring and all encompassing. These principles may be applied to any situation, to any profession. It is not a book to be read once and put away. To appreciate “Book of Five Rings” to the fullest, read the book, practice the concepts in everyday life, then, read the book again. Each time you read the book you will find some new insight, just as each time you look at a well-done artwork, you notice new detail. Apply this new insight and read the book yet again.
Research this well and practice often.
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principles of Martial Arts was applied to everyday life as well. This theme of strategy applying to everything is one Musahi mentions frequently in this work. As you read the book keep this in mind.Mushai writes, “… the warrior’s is the twofold Way of pen and sword, and he should have a taste for both”. In the Overlook Press edition, there are numerous illustrations of artworks in different mediums created by Musahi himself. Example is the best form of teaching and he clearly shows that there is no division between martial art forms and art forms for pleasure.
For the Way of the Warrior, every battle plan must be researched, your enemies’ weaknesses known, your plans constructed accordingly and executed flawlessly. Applying this to the way of the Artisan, something the Western mind sees diametrically opposed to warfare, Musahi’s dictum means the artist must fully understand the medium they are working in, fully understand the idea they are trying to represent and must flawlessly execute their work.
The book itself is written like a classical brush painting. Broad strokes suggest the theme and the more we look at the work, the more detail we see in the work. Musahi writes in broad terms, supplying enough detail for us to understand what he is suggesting, but he does not overwhelm us with detail. In many places, the student is admonished to research the subject of his discourses themselves.
It is this last aspect that makes this work so enduring and all encompassing. These principles may be applied to any situation, to any profession. It is not a book to be read once and put away. To appreciate “Book of Five Rings” to the fullest, read the book, practice the concepts in everyday life, then, read the book again. Each time you read the book you will find some new insight, just as each time you look at a well-done artwork, you notice new detail. Apply this new insight and read the book yet again.
Research this well and practice often.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Highlander99
The creator of Librarything, Bookmeister Spaulding, must have read this book. The Winning Strategy of Miyamoto Musashi,(1584-1645)tells us among other things that one must cultivate a wide range of interests in the arts; be knowledgable in a variety of occupations; be discreet regarding one's
Read the Master's words. You'll be a changed Thingmalibrarian. Highly recommended - its the Zen and Art of Library Maintenance and pretty much everything else.
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business dealings; nurture the truth to perceive the truth in all matters; not be negligent, even in trifling matters; and, my personal favourite: Do Not Engage in Useless Activity.Read the Master's words. You'll be a changed Thingmalibrarian. Highly recommended - its the Zen and Art of Library Maintenance and pretty much everything else.
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LibraryThing member Wprecht
If you are this deep into my website, you are no doubt aware that I do medieval sword fighting in the SCA and books like this are simply must reads. It was originally recommended to me by my teacher. He was convinved it was the seminal work on swordfighting and it would help me master the weapon.
I have to say that after the first reading, I did not believe him. It took me 2 week to plow through this thin book and mostly it left me confused. When I mentioned this to him, he suggested that I reread it about 10 more times, slowly and I will start to ‘get’ it. I thought he was nuts, to that point I had never read a book more than twice and that was a work of fiction that I reread because I didn’t have a book that I hadn’t read and I needed something to do... I also thought that perhaps the fact that he had blown his own weight in dope might have had something to do with his ‘deeper’ understanding. I reality, he simply thought about it more (although being high probably gives you more time to contemplate these things).
It took me a while to get around to attempting the text again. In fact, it took untilo after I was knighted and had squires of my own. These students wanted information that they could work on on their own time and books like this are always mentioned as important reads. I felt that I couldn’t ask them to read it without rereading it and maybe preparing myself for their questions. The second read was better, I didn’t have to stop to read the extensive footnotes, I had significantly more experience as a fighter and, probably most importantly, I was mentally a lot more mature.
Then I got an audio tape of it, that is the way to go. Driving in the truck and spinning an unabridged 90 minute tape on sword fighting philosophy will surely take your mind off the length of the drive. I have now read the complete text about 5 times and listened to the tape at least a dozen times. I think I get most of it now. The last chapter (The Book of the Void) is deep, deep Zen shit though.
OK, we are four paragraphs into the review and you are thinking, “all he has talked about was how hard it is to read...” OK, none of this was meant to discourage you, in fact, quite the opposite. But, I want to start off by making sure you understand what the book is not. This is not a how-to manual on swordfighting, it isn’t that explict. If you want something like that, get a Kendo manual with pictures. It is often billed as a must read strategy guide for businessmen, I am not sure that most of the managers that I have met will benefit from this text. Again, it isn’t a how-to guide, it is a philosphy treatise. It’s focus is swordfighting, but the concepts can certainly be applied to many other ways of life, including business. However, that is going to take a lot of reflection to internalize the philosophy presented here and apply it to something like business. You would be better off with The Prince, I would think.
OK, on to the book itself: This is a very thin book. The translator starts off with a 75 or so page section that includes a biography of Musashi, a political and cultural overview of feudal Japan before getting into the text proper. These parts are useful for getting the context of the work, but are not critical.
The book itself is divided into, you guessed it, five parts: Ground, Wind, Water, Fire and Void. Each address a different aspect of strategy. Musashi himself says in the work that this isn’t intended as a breezy read, “read a word and reflect upon it.” Of course, he is referring to the Japanese characters which can stand for several English words, but you get the point. Another point that he pounds home over and over again is, “you must practice constantly.”
It was intended for his students to learn the ways of the warrior from someone with the unusual perspective of old age and what each thing meant in a greater context. The thing to take away from this text, as an SCA fighter isn’t so much the sword moves he teach (many are at illegal targets), but the concepts of strategy: waiting for an opening, being in harmony, observe everything, etc. These are the things that are generally missing from more practical how-to guides, including those penned by SCA fighters.
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So, I read it like a good student, I did want to be a good fighter after all...I have to say that after the first reading, I did not believe him. It took me 2 week to plow through this thin book and mostly it left me confused. When I mentioned this to him, he suggested that I reread it about 10 more times, slowly and I will start to ‘get’ it. I thought he was nuts, to that point I had never read a book more than twice and that was a work of fiction that I reread because I didn’t have a book that I hadn’t read and I needed something to do... I also thought that perhaps the fact that he had blown his own weight in dope might have had something to do with his ‘deeper’ understanding. I reality, he simply thought about it more (although being high probably gives you more time to contemplate these things).
It took me a while to get around to attempting the text again. In fact, it took untilo after I was knighted and had squires of my own. These students wanted information that they could work on on their own time and books like this are always mentioned as important reads. I felt that I couldn’t ask them to read it without rereading it and maybe preparing myself for their questions. The second read was better, I didn’t have to stop to read the extensive footnotes, I had significantly more experience as a fighter and, probably most importantly, I was mentally a lot more mature.
Then I got an audio tape of it, that is the way to go. Driving in the truck and spinning an unabridged 90 minute tape on sword fighting philosophy will surely take your mind off the length of the drive. I have now read the complete text about 5 times and listened to the tape at least a dozen times. I think I get most of it now. The last chapter (The Book of the Void) is deep, deep Zen shit though.
OK, we are four paragraphs into the review and you are thinking, “all he has talked about was how hard it is to read...” OK, none of this was meant to discourage you, in fact, quite the opposite. But, I want to start off by making sure you understand what the book is not. This is not a how-to manual on swordfighting, it isn’t that explict. If you want something like that, get a Kendo manual with pictures. It is often billed as a must read strategy guide for businessmen, I am not sure that most of the managers that I have met will benefit from this text. Again, it isn’t a how-to guide, it is a philosphy treatise. It’s focus is swordfighting, but the concepts can certainly be applied to many other ways of life, including business. However, that is going to take a lot of reflection to internalize the philosophy presented here and apply it to something like business. You would be better off with The Prince, I would think.
OK, on to the book itself: This is a very thin book. The translator starts off with a 75 or so page section that includes a biography of Musashi, a political and cultural overview of feudal Japan before getting into the text proper. These parts are useful for getting the context of the work, but are not critical.
The book itself is divided into, you guessed it, five parts: Ground, Wind, Water, Fire and Void. Each address a different aspect of strategy. Musashi himself says in the work that this isn’t intended as a breezy read, “read a word and reflect upon it.” Of course, he is referring to the Japanese characters which can stand for several English words, but you get the point. Another point that he pounds home over and over again is, “you must practice constantly.”
It was intended for his students to learn the ways of the warrior from someone with the unusual perspective of old age and what each thing meant in a greater context. The thing to take away from this text, as an SCA fighter isn’t so much the sword moves he teach (many are at illegal targets), but the concepts of strategy: waiting for an opening, being in harmony, observe everything, etc. These are the things that are generally missing from more practical how-to guides, including those penned by SCA fighters.
Show Less
LibraryThing member blackbelt.librarian
I've studied Taekwon Do for 17 years. A fellow classmate recommended this book to me. A bit difficult to get through at first, but it gives invaluable insight into fighting techniques. It changed the way I thought about sparring & I took this book with me when I competed in the 13th World Taekwon
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Do Championship in South Korea in '04. Show Less
LibraryThing member antiquary
Not nearly as interesting as I expected; more philosophical than practical --I had hoped for more useful applicable advice for actual sword combat
LibraryThing member pathlessness
A famous book written by an invincible samurai of XVI century Miyamoto Musashi – he wrote it few months before his death. “Traite des cinq roues” takes its name after the five elements composing the universe according the Taoist tradition. Symbolically he attributed certain components of the
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Art of Sword to certain elements: basic qualities and facilities of this arm come with “Earth” (basic element), positioning and limb works with “Water”, as well as other “water” strategies as sticking and following. “Fire” deals with application of extra energy – taking initiative, dominating, producing a cry, intimidating etc. “Air” – characteristics of other schools and traditions – to know and understand the others’ way of acting. These are four primordial components. The fifth is the “Emptiness” – the description takes two pages but as the masters says “Think well about it” – and I let you discover it by your own. Show Less
LibraryThing member antiquary
Frankly, I was disappointed reading this, but I approached it as a devotee of western sword combat looking for practical advice. If I had approached it with more humility seeking spiritual guidance perhaps I would have gained more from it.
LibraryThing member hermit_9
The Book of Five Rings is not really a book; it’s a way of life.
LibraryThing member BryanJ
Excellent book, Excellent Author, and informative enough to keep you on your toes.
LibraryThing member marvintate
This book written by a legendary tokugaiwa/samurai of 1600's , Miyamoto Musashi ; he wrote this a little before he died . In this book he talks bout the way of the samurai and the how to weild a sword and stuff;he would say like when you were challenge in a duel w/ swords , you would never stab ,
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you always slash (i cant tell u why though) He also talks about certain components of the Art of Sword to certain elements such as basic qualities and facilities of this arm come with Earth.Water is positioning and works with strategies as sticking and following through. Fire is pretty much giving out extra energy ,just over powering your oppenent , giving hi no chance to think . Air isjust talkin about other schools and traditions ; to think inside an opponents ,and thinking of his next move. Those four elements earth ,water , fire , and air are the basic compenents and structure of his way of the samurai . I dont want to kill the ending , but the last ring is Emptiness and Ms.dickie said i cant tell u ppl the ending, so yea. Show Less
LibraryThing member yoursources
In ancient times a great warrior named Musashi devoted his last years to the task of setting down the samurai secret that he alone knew. He formulated a winning strategy that transcends the clash of war and speaks directly to everyone who wants to succeed in life. Here are laid down the timeless
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principles of craft, timing and spirit which result in victory. Show Less
LibraryThing member bpinchot40
this is a good book if you want to know more about swordplay and war strategy.
LibraryThing member BenjaminHahn
It's been a while since I read this and it was worth another go through. There are a couple different groups of readers I can think of that would find this book helpful. First, martial arts enthusiasts, who, for instance like reading ancient war manuals such as Sun Tzu's Art of War or German long
The book is divided into five elemental parts: water, wind, fire, earth, and void. Most of these have paragraphs focused on a certain strategical concept that should be studied. Here is a typical example:
The Mountain-Sea Change
"The 'mountain-sea' spirit means that it is bad to repeat the same thing several times when fighting the enemy. There my be no help but to do something twice, but do not try it a third time. If you once make an attack and fail, there is little chance of success if you use the same approach again. If you attempt a technique which you have previously tried unsuccessfully and fail yet again, then you must change your attacking method. If the enemy thinks of the mountains, attack like the sea; and if he thinks of the sea, attack like the mountains. You must research this deeply."
Almost every technique has a clever metaphorical title such as "To Penetrate the Depths" or "Rat's Head, Ox's Neck". It reminds me of my gung-fu years down in Washington and all the names for the strikes and maneuvers we learned. Almost every paragraph ends in an admonishment like "You must study this well." or "You must learn this." This also reminds me of Sifu Lane or Sifu Fogg after every drill or technique plucked from a move set. I have a sneaking suspicion that the fundamentals of martial arts training has not changed much since 1645 when Musashi wrote this manual.
Anyway, a fun little book. I will keep an eye out for other translations. Many of the statements in this book hinge on the meaning of single words and Japanese is known for its use of quadruple entendre. Overall, this edition was a nice reintroduction to the classic.
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sword manuals. Second, samurai movie enthusiasts or Japanophiles, who like to study, in detail, well known samurai film directors who have treat this book as a guide to action sequences. Thirdly, CEO's or Mafia Don's who may be looking for philosophical advantages in planning their next move. I could see Tony Soprano reading this and feeling sophisticated.The book is divided into five elemental parts: water, wind, fire, earth, and void. Most of these have paragraphs focused on a certain strategical concept that should be studied. Here is a typical example:
The Mountain-Sea Change
"The 'mountain-sea' spirit means that it is bad to repeat the same thing several times when fighting the enemy. There my be no help but to do something twice, but do not try it a third time. If you once make an attack and fail, there is little chance of success if you use the same approach again. If you attempt a technique which you have previously tried unsuccessfully and fail yet again, then you must change your attacking method. If the enemy thinks of the mountains, attack like the sea; and if he thinks of the sea, attack like the mountains. You must research this deeply."
Almost every technique has a clever metaphorical title such as "To Penetrate the Depths" or "Rat's Head, Ox's Neck". It reminds me of my gung-fu years down in Washington and all the names for the strikes and maneuvers we learned. Almost every paragraph ends in an admonishment like "You must study this well." or "You must learn this." This also reminds me of Sifu Lane or Sifu Fogg after every drill or technique plucked from a move set. I have a sneaking suspicion that the fundamentals of martial arts training has not changed much since 1645 when Musashi wrote this manual.
Anyway, a fun little book. I will keep an eye out for other translations. Many of the statements in this book hinge on the meaning of single words and Japanese is known for its use of quadruple entendre. Overall, this edition was a nice reintroduction to the classic.
Show Less
LibraryThing member omyasuda
1. The Book of Five Rings
2. The Book of Family Traditions on th eArt of War, by Yagyu Munenori
2. The Book of Family Traditions on th eArt of War, by Yagyu Munenori
LibraryThing member NRTurner
Despite the earnest efforts of the translator to place the work in its contemporary context, this translation leaves many questions unanswered. Students of Japanese literature (particularly contemporary strategy literature) may get much more out of it than other readers. Ambiguous statements and
The form is letters to a promising young warrior - the writing is didactic and dogmatic assuming a high degree of you-know-what-I-mean knowledge on the part of the reader. As general pedagogy it would be more effective with diagrams to show explicitly what the vague statements mean. Just *what* is a "corner" of the body? Is the head? What about the genitalia?
Today, the philosophy of utilitarianism and "enlightened" self-interest are well known leading to a feeling that there is nothing new to modern readers about the principles presented.
I won a giveaway of the Victor Harris translation which had a mix of British and American English spellings.
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overuse of abstract words gave me the feeling that a better translation is possible.The form is letters to a promising young warrior - the writing is didactic and dogmatic assuming a high degree of you-know-what-I-mean knowledge on the part of the reader. As general pedagogy it would be more effective with diagrams to show explicitly what the vague statements mean. Just *what* is a "corner" of the body? Is the head? What about the genitalia?
Today, the philosophy of utilitarianism and "enlightened" self-interest are well known leading to a feeling that there is nothing new to modern readers about the principles presented.
I won a giveaway of the Victor Harris translation which had a mix of British and American English spellings.
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LibraryThing member Kurt.Rocourt
More of a book on thinking than on specific strategies. It's a way to think on different situations with basic thought as a base that can lead to complex strategy.
LibraryThing member SPQR2755
One of the classic books on military thought from East or West and a must read for anyone interested in tactics or strategy. It is very good for understanding the samurai mindset. There is much on personal combat in the book but it is a bit tough to use as a training manual as there is much that is
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implied but not really stated (to be fair, Musashi says he wrote it that way intentionally). On the other hand, I found Musashi's method of applying the same ideas of strategy and tactics to both personal combat and "large scale military science" to be somewhat of a stretch as these are not always, as he claims, equally applicable (he is essentially equating the methods of the tactical and operational levels of war which is too broad of a claim). When approaching this book it is necessary to remember that Musashi was a duelist and a soldier, not really a general or field commander. Show Less
LibraryThing member ladycato
I read The Book of Five Rings when I was a teenager and don't remember much of the experience. Now I realize why. It's a very dry and sparse read by modern standards. I can't judge it beyond that; it's a classic, and must be viewed within the context of history and culture.
This particular volume
This particular volume
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also included The Book of Family Traditions on the Art of War by Yagyu Munenori, which I found to be an easier, more relatable read as it explored more of the Zen aspect of swordfighting. Show Less
LibraryThing member SqueakyChu
I found this vintage book (published May, 1982) in my Little Free Library and decided to read it because I've recently become interested in things Japanese. The book was written by a masterless samurai, Miyamoto Musashi, who lived in the late 1500's and early 1600's and practiced what he called
I liked this book for learning about this particular form of swordsmanship, but I never took it to be a book about "Japanese success in business" as was advertised at the top of this mass market paperback. It was weird, though, reading a book about mastering the skill to kill another individual. I'm not unhappy that the time of samurai is gone.
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heiho. It is said that he never lost a bout with 60 individual swordsmen before reaching the age of thirty. In this book, he wrote the principles of his heiho.I liked this book for learning about this particular form of swordsmanship, but I never took it to be a book about "Japanese success in business" as was advertised at the top of this mass market paperback. It was weird, though, reading a book about mastering the skill to kill another individual. I'm not unhappy that the time of samurai is gone.
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LibraryThing member Paul_S
Can't help but think people read this like tea leaves, not like a book.
LibraryThing member mbmackay
Classic Japanese book from the 1500s. A master swordsman sets out the philosophy of living (and surviving) by the sword. Maybe it works better in the original Japanese, or maybe its relevance to the 21st C is limited, but I wasn't greatly enlightened by the end. But I'm glad to have been exposed to
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the book. Show Less
LibraryThing member jamestomasino
An interesting book, though more like a collection of thoughts squished together than an outright book. Some of the parts are very basic and I found myself almost skimming ahead. Other parts are wonderfully philosophical. I think it'll make a nice reference book.
Second reading: I moved this down to
Second reading: I moved this down to
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three stars. It relies heavily on the contradictory patterns in Buddhist philosophy at the expense of much content. There are just a few parts with direct information of value to strategy and mindset. Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Audie Award (Finalist — Classic — 2011)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1643
2007
1936 Kyōzaisha (J)
1993 Cleary (GB)
Physical description
60 p.; 5.98 inches
ISBN
1935785974 / 9781935785972