
The name 'Samurai' is synonymous with the ultimate warrior. With their elaborate armour, fierce swordsmanship and code of honour, the samurai have become iconic figures whose influence can still be felt today . From Kurosawa's epic Seven Samurai to the figure of Darth Vader in Star Wars, to Manga comics and video games, the figure of the fighting samurai still inspires us today. In John Man's new book we discover the truth behind the legend.
From his birth in the shadow of the great volcano Sakurajima, to his glorious death by ritual suicide and disembowelment, Saigo Takamori was the ultimate Samurai leader. His fall brought about the end of hundreds of years of Samurai tradition and in many ways marks the birth of modern Japan. Saigo was a man trapped by paradox: a faithful servant to the emperor, and yet a leader of rebel troops; a mighty Samurai warrior, and also a master of Chinese poetry. His life, and ultimately his death, offer a window into the hundreds of years of culture and tradition that defined the samurai.
Publisher: Transworld Publishers Ltd
ISBN: 9780553825282
Number of pages: 400
Weight: 273 g
Dimensions: 198 x 127 x 24 mm
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“Good book but shocked by a disturbing chapter.”
Hello all,
This is a book about the legendary Saigo. In the movie by Akira Kurosawa: The 7 Samurai, the main samurai's characteristics is baised on Saigo.
John man goes through Saigo's childhood, uprising...
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“Great book”
Well written and sets the scene for the end of the Samurai way. Keeps you engaged throughout and explains at the right amount of detail.
The last reviewer had a problem with one chapter due to homosexuality-but...
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