Samurai

· Random House
4.2
12 reviews
eBook
400
Pages
Eligible
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About this eBook

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.

Ratings and reviews

4.2
12 reviews
Marku Walker
29 August 2015
The last samurai.... u need to live by the sword to fully appriecate it...
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Veena Baradan
24 August 2015
I hate this book
1 person found this review helpful
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About the author

John Man is a historian and travel writer with a special interest in Japan and China. His books have been published in over twenty languages. His previous books include The Great Wall, Xanadu, Attila and the bestselling Genghis Khan.

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