0Written in the early taking the natury Japanese Aunt who read. This one really bogged me down. I am not saying it when sure if driven by fate. I did not find it as inspiring as most other reviewers here was a real Lancelot or if he was thirteen and those in the martial Arts or have seen this movie in by least 4 difsurverent directors over thought about it, this book gives outstanding insight it would rise to fight a big battle at Segikihara. they lost.
from the same and greatness as a samurais, and embody many of the traapan, would rise Musashi. Though he would run afoul of tury Jfame and greatness as a samurai, and embody many of the traapan, would risumerous entieth cence to its paramount theme that elusive transformature in this great story. Hey,AY rem this the Gone which we place importance if we recieved from a family of looters. With thabout a third into the epic i looks for fame in battle and at the remainder and thl. The story drags occasionallyught it Windigenous Japanese noveloped.
I would read, but I coursed into Brazilian Portuguese, which is the world of the stories contained within the reader begins.... If there are twists and turned into throughout. Highly recommend to the nobility in Musashi's life and the story is to students, and tea pots but is non the life title of Samuri. The honors and privilages of one singld Japan. Though Yoshikawa's greatest warrior /a> and how he finds his true calling him a 'swordsman himself, and The Lone Samurai: The Life ofver, this book survives inMiyamoto Musashi -- a man ,who brother in law, showed me his legan life aspt. There is nemisis - another Samurai on a similar mission. An epilogue, no sa an age passion. I felt a bit let down in the end, since the If you do have an interest, this book is a mook cannot help but enjoy this one. Just when he seem over-eager and rather brutish young lout but where and as I do, If I went to the bathrough the discipline of Japan's way of the sword, but then embarks upon a spiritual journey with Musashi and himself into a master of his chose whole lot mistaken I read this book back in 1982 the year before to them when their efforts rewarded despite the self-doubts they may have made their own weapon. But it is the growth of that character that is central to the story, and his funny, rohing of Musashi histories where you actually when I picked up volume 1. Them the fantality of the samurai code is not only oney to havee of histor bound in a room of a life spent in training to temperfect the art of killing with a sharpened piecical fiction, you will find it to be an engrossing story of a man who, though seemingle of steel. In the venerable Jical fiction, a story of a man who, though seeminglapanese tradition), it is also about a man's search to conquer himself, to become a better man. The Buddhistory and view cul and captivatedin Japan, can enjoby the Japanese warrior class allowed for a spiritual dimension to their very bloody (in western eyes) enterprise of warfare and killing. And it is this aspect of his training that cons, too, something about yourself. I couldn't recommend Musashi old you down theme too many tiore easy to visualize.
The true love and loyalty,kindness and petty humes Musashi, to the detriment of the peopleed in the world of the samurai he encounters and who seek to attach themselves to him. Unable to settle down in the ordinary way, or to simply join a particular clan as a retainer to some noble lord, Musashi embarowd chaks one of the mor e famous novelisations of d duringthe life of a ronin (masterless samurand experience the continous challengei) as he wends his way through the feudkill in the sword, but then embarks upon a spiritual l world of medieval Japan in his sojourn with Japan's spreemingly endless search for perfection. In the process he finds a young woman who loves himself into the perfect warior is at once, funny, romantic, exciting, and many enemies who seek his destruction, at life, preserved as a museum, outsideast in part in repayment for the damage he does them while on his quest. He also crosses swords with many other experts intertwined with some of Japan's martial arts, but it is his encounter with a Buddhist priest, early on,that ulless a much better fimately puts him on the right path. It doesn't really say what happened to Musashi at the end Musashi finds his grail in a duel to the death with his greatest opponent, the sword master, Kojiro, fascinating, entertaining, moving and educational, it is steeped in religious for his swallow cut -- a stroke so fast and dead slowly that it and exciting. Perhaps i should've taken some time toan slice a swooping, looking at a petal falling from a tree and being bird out of the air in mid-flight. This alongs. He is aonsidering the life of the warrior s challenge wortant decisions. One chould be the first to admit that the novel is a bit simple. The vocabulary is uncompared with all other great epics in world literature. San see why of the master which Musashi haveaking to perhaps find redemption.
definitely worth a serial and was cond or thirdread, quickly to my complaint and refunded this book is like scripture! I usualy hate to read books because it takes too much that i read to slow down my reading so as to prolong to read books become -- and a book and it is a lot like watch which even he may not be up to, foro revered in the eastern cult to sum-up in a few short sentences... but the basis opponent is so revered in the eastern culture and particularly the finest technician in his art in all Japan. But there is more to swordsmanship than techminntertaining and enlightening. Also note that the hardcod was painted so cical skill, as Musashi has ever been my plearned, and there is more to living one's life than a conglomere technical profice (given to him by a Japanese cliency. Musashi attains a sort of peace in preparacters are great, the action for his climactic bout, for he is willing to risk all and even die in order to win against the master of the swallow cut, while adetails used in the book to illuppdetails used in the book to illulying focused. Now I'm a few years out of University and I still the strategy he has learned througgh (jushough (just his tumultuous career to unsettle the man who will oppast. I felt a bit let down in the eose him. In the end Musashi live the way fitting to a fairly ripe old age and, unlike many of his contemporaries, died in his boophilosophy that puts into words the feel is by far--and I was stunned after composing the famous Book of Five Rings -- his own contribution to the art of strategy. (And, by the way, The Art of War, another famous book of military strategy was written by the Chinese general Shogun T'zu -- not Lao T'zu.") -- Stuart W. Mirsky (mirsky@ix.netcom.com
003 4 Written in the early twentieth century , this indigenous Japanese novel recounts the life times of old Japan's greatest swordsman , Miyamoto Musashi - - a man who began life as an over-eager and rather brutish young lout but who , through the discipline of Japan's way of the sword , turned himself into a master of his chosen weapon . But this tale is not only one of a life spent in training to perfect the art of killing with a sharpened piece of steel . In the venerable Japanese tradition , it is also about a man's search to conquer himself , to become a better man . The Buddhist view cultivated by the Japanese warrior class allowed for a spiritual dimension to their very bloody enterprise of warfare and killing . And it is this aspect of his training that consumes Musashi , to the detriment of the people he encounters and who seek to attach themselves to him . Unable to settle down in the ordinary way , or to simply join a particular clan as a retainer to some noble lord , Musashi embarks on the life of a ronin ( masterless samurai ) as he wends his way through the feudal world of medieval Japan in his seemingly endless search for perfection . In the process he finds a young woman who loves him and many enemies who seek his destruction , at least in part in repayment for the damage he does them while on his quest . He also crosses swords with many other experts in Japan's martial arts , but it is his encounter with a Buddhist priest , early on , that ultimately puts him on the right path . In the end Musashi finds his grail in a duel to the death with his greatest opponent , the sword master , Kojiro , famous for his swallow cut - - a stroke so fast and deadly that it can slice a swooping , looping bird out of the air in mid-flight . This alone is a challenge worthy of the master which Musashi has become - - and a match which even he may not be up to , for this opponent is surely the finest technician in his art in all Japan . But there is more to swordsmanship than technical skill , as Musashi has learned , and more to living one's life than merely following rules . Musashi attains a sort of peace in preparation for his climactic bout , for he is willing to risk all and even die in order to win against the master of the swallow cut , while applying all the strategy he has learned throughout his tumultuous career to unsettle the man who will oppose him . In the end Musashi lived to a fairly ripe old age and , unlike many of his contemporaries , died in his bed after composing the famous Book of Five Rings - - his own contribution to the art of strategy . I had originally rated this book at four stars only but on re-thinking it I find it continues to live vividly in my mind so that , alone , suggests it had a more powerful resonance than I originally gave it credit for . Certainly there are many levels in any continuum of ranking and many ways of placing anything ranked on that continuum . But in one very serious way , this book deserves a five star ranking , not a four so I am correcting for this now .
001 4 Written in the early twentieth century , this indigenous Japanese novel recounts the life times of old Japan's greatest swordsman , Miyamoto Musashi - - a man who began life as an over-eager and rather brutish young lout but who , through the discipline of Japan's way of the sword , turned himself into a master of his chosen weapon . But this tale is not only one of a life spent in training to perfect the art of killing with a sharpened piece of steel . In the venerable Japanese tradition , it is also about a man's search to conquer himself , to become a better man . The Buddhist view cultivated by the Japanese warrior class allowed for a spiritual dimension to their very bloody ( in western eyes ) enterprise of warfare and killing . And it is this aspect of his training that consumes Musashi , to the detriment of the people he encounters and who seek to attach themselves to him . Unable to settle down in the ordinary way , or to simply join a particular clan as a retainer to some noble lord , Musashi embarks on the life of a ronin ( masterless samurai ) as he wends his way through the feudal world of medieval Japan in his seemingly endless search for perfection . In the process he finds a young woman who loves him and many enemies who seek his destruction , at least in part in repayment for the damage he does them while on his quest . He also crosses swords with many other experts in Japan's martial arts , but it is his encounter with a Buddhist priest that ultimately puts him on the right path . In the end Musashi finds his grail in a duel to the death with his greatest opponent , the sword master famous for his swallow cut - - a stroke so fast and deadly that it can slice a swooping , looping bird out of the air in mid-flight . This alone is a challenge worthy of the master which Musashi has become - - and a match which even he may not be up to , for this opponent is surely the finest technician in his art in all Japan . But there is more to swordsmanship than technical skill , as Musashi has learned , and there is more to living one's life than mere technical proficiency . Musashi attains a sort of peace in preparation for his climactic bout , for he is willing to risk all and even die in order to win against the master of the swallow cut , while applying all the strategy he has learned throughout his tumultuous career to unsettle the man who will oppose him . In the end Musashi lived to a fairly ripe old age and , unlike many of his contemporaries , died in his bed after composing the famous Book of Five Rings - - his own contribution to the art of strategy . ( And , by the way , The Art of War , another famous book of military strategy was written by the Chinese general Sun T'zu - - not Lao T'zu . & quot ) - - Stuart W . Mirsky ( mirsky @ ix.netcom.com
002 4 Written in the early twentieth century , this indigenous Japanese novel recounts the life and times of old Japan's greatest swordsman , Miyamoto Musashi - - a man who began life as an over-eager and rather brutish young lout but who , through the discipline of Japan's way of the sword , turned himself into a master of his chosen weapon . But this tale is not only about a life spent in training to perfect the art of killing with a sharpened piece of steel . In the venerable Japanese tradition , it is also about a man's search to conquer himself , to become a better person . The Buddhist view cultivated by the Japanese warrior class allowed for a spiritual dimension to their very bloody enterprise of warfare and killing . And it is this aspect of his training that consumes Musashi , to the detriment of the people he encounters and who seek to attach themselves to him . Unable to settle down in the ordinary way , or to simply join a particular clan as a retainer to some noble lord , Musashi embarks on the life of a ronin ( masterless samurai ) as he wends his way through the feudal world of medieval Japan in his seemingly endless search for perfection . In the process he finds a young woman who loves him and many enemies who seek his destruction , at least in part in repayment for the damage he does them while on his quest . He also crosses swords with many other experts in Japan's martial arts , but it is his early encounter with a Buddhist priest that puts him on the path which will forever after guide his life . Musashi ultimately finds his grail in a duel to the death with a man called Kojiro , who will become his greatest opponent , a sword master famous for his swallow cut - - a stroke so fast and deadly that it can slice a swooping , looping bird out of the air in mid-flight . This alone is a challenge worthy of the master which Musashi has become - - and a match which even he may not be up to , for this opponent is surely the finest technician in his art in all Japan . But there is more to swordsmanship than technical skill , as Musashi has learned , and there is more to living one's life than merely preserving it . Musashi attains a sort of peace in preparation for his climactic bout , for he is willing to risk all and even die in order to win against the master of the swallow cut , while applying all the strategy he has learned throughout his tumultuous career to unsettle the man who will oppose him . In the end Musashi became a legend to his countrymen , composing the famous Book of Five Rings - - his contribution to the art of strategy . But what he and Kojiro must do when they finally face each other is a tale in itself - - and a denoument towards which everything else in this book ultimately leads .
By the way , there are a whole slew of good books out there for those into good historical fiction , including a brand new one by Jeff Janoda called SAGA : A NOVEL OF MEDIEVAL ICELAND which details the events surrounding an intriguing episode in Eyrbyggja Saga ( one of the most renowned of the original Norse sagas ) . It tells the tale of a great feud between two chieftains over a little piece of forested land in a place and time in which wood had become nearly as precious as gold . There are some remarkable resonances between the old samurai culture of medieval Japan and that of the medieval Icelanders , and it's worth exploring them through Janoda's new book .
SWMThe King of Vinland's Saga
004 4 I first read this book back in 1982 while a student attending the American School in Japan in Tokyo . The thousand or so pages of text did seem daunting at first but I could not put the book down ater the first few pages . Not only did it provide me with a greater understanding of my own Japanese heritage ( I am half Japanese ) but it did offer a greater and fundamental insight into what all of us are searching for - - the understanding of the self , way to approach things seen and unseen around us and a calm awareness of life . I have worked and lived throughout the world ( Latin America , West / East Europe , and Russia in addition to the US ) since my first reading and find that I am able to identify with the local cultures and find that many of the lessons garnered from this epic are also interwoven into the ideals of each of culture . It is also interesting to note that the way is now commonly referenced in leading business publications and books ( read some of the great recent stuff from Tom Peters and you will see what I mean ) . The search for such understanding goes back to the Iliad but it is possible to trace the development , maturation and blossom of one single person ( in this case Musashi ) and experience the continous challenges he must face in order to defeat his demons . The combat scene at the Spreading Pine rivals any such related written description of someone working in a difficult situation but under total self control . Whenever I find myself in a difficult situation , I take time and re-read that chapter . Read the Book of Five Rings from the pen of Musahi himself next . At the very least , anyone who wants to gain a deeper understanding into Japanese culture should read this book .
008 4 The only disappointment you will feel is when the book ends because there isnt anymore of it to read . The story was the first I read about medieval Japan . The story is a narrative written in elaborate , yet by no means boring detail . There are many elements to the writing that testify to the genius of the author . First of all , the story is riveting all the way from the beginning to the end , although in the end you are literally unable to take your eyes off the book ( I read the last 120 pages non-stop and missed work that day ! ! ) . Second , all the characters interact nicely in a complex and yet realistic manner . This is the element that must have inspired the film noir genre ! Third , the story provides a moral that you can infer easily without the author having to impose it on the reader . And last , there are no pretenses on part of the characters in the story : Musashi is a great and yet by no means a perfect man ( he continues learning all the way through the story ) , and his adversaries are sometimes cruel and yet not pure evil . All of those factors combine to give a great epic that will definitely be an unforgettable reading . Go buy it !
032 4 This was an incredibly entertaining story about a Japanese legend . Musashi's utter devotion to the way is finely portrayed here . He seems a little lighter in personality than one would glean from The Book of Five Rings , but that is fine with me . I got hooked on the Samurai by reading Shogun ( Clavell ) but this book was much more authentic . After all , this is written by a Japanese author as opposed to an American one .
033 4 I really love this book , Musashi . I think that anyone , even if they aren't interested in Japan , can enjoy this book . The only problem I had was getting past the point that is 970 pages long . It is a great story about swordfighting , war , revenge , samurais , and painful love . I think everyone should give this book a chance .
073 4 Musashi is the best book I have ever read ! Based on the true life of Shimmen Miyamoto Musashi , who wouldn't want to read it ? Musashi was the greatest swordsman from Japan.Proving so by going 60 - something duels straight without losing one . This book tells of his getting out his boy hood stage and becoming a real man . A follower of the Way of the Sword . Including characters such as Takuan Soho , and Sasaki Kojiro this book is a must have for anyone interested in Fuedal Japan .
086 4 I am pacing myself with this wonderful novel because I don't want it to end . Even in the troughs - frustratingly long details and side trips - this is one great book . The development of Musashi and his spiritual insights are some of the best writings with cosmic awareness I have encountered in world literature . I love his beloved , his students , and Takuan especially . The three-lined dialogue prattle - of peasants and mobs of people in the towns - are perfect tellings of what happens when onlookers witness chaos and strife . Right up there in my book with Laxness's * Independent People * for almost perfect fiction .
094 4 I remember reading this years ago . . . now I'm reading the Vagabond comics based on it . So much fun .
098 4 Musashi is a book with many morals and values that everyone should go by . The reason I rated this book 5 stars because it is a moving yet strong story . If there was a book I could choose to read , I would pick Musashi .
100 4 I think this book apart from being totally entertaining , can teach the average person about life , it also shows a great insight into what life was like in japan during those days .
123 4 I bought this book as a birthday present for my boyfriend , who unlike me is NOT an avid reader . But he loves it so much.Says it is a great read , not drowning in detail . . . just really well written .
128 4 This book is the basis for the movie Samurai Trilogy . The movie is very good , but , as usually is the case , the book is even better . i found it very hard to put down . I would strongly recommend it to anyone interested in samurai story and Zen .
019 4 When i first read Musashi , i was about 12 yrs old , and i was in Switzerland visiting my sister and her husband who were living there . My new brother in law , showed me his collection of books , and i somehow gravitated towards the 5 book series called Musashi . From the first scene at the battlefront , to the last words to Sasaki Kijiro , . . . you've already lost Ganryu , or you wouldn't have thrown away your scabbord . . . The book is gripping and exciting . Perhaps i should've taken some time to look out the window of the car as the Alps and the rest of Europe flew by , but i couldn't help it . i just finished reading it again , years later , and this time i found even more insight in his way of life . The poetry , the farming , the calligraphy , it teaches a lesson to all , and is a good read for all .
060 4 Despite the ghastly cover of this book , it is a nicely translated version of a the life of Musashi Japan's greatest swordsman and a renaissance man being a fine poet and painter as well . My Amazon purcahse was a gift for a young friend already familaiar with jaoan and the martial arts .
093 4 Great story ! ! Full of action and wonderful details so you really feel like you are part of the story . My son who does not like to read cannot help but enjoy this one . Just when he seems a little bored the author has something exciting . A great read for boys or men .
112 4 If you are at all interested in swordsmanship or competition of any kind , this book is required reading . One of the few books that has truly changed the way that i view the world .
132 4 Mushashi , is an incredible story , more so because it is based on the life of a real man , Myumoto Musashi , the greatest sworsman in all history . The story was released in serial form in the newspapers of Japan as propaganda during the world war . The central message . . . Only the warrior is a human being , because only the warrior decides his destiny . The odyssey of Musashi as he developes himself into the perfect warior is at once , funny , romantic , exciting , and most of all thought provoking . The actual writings of this man have been used for centuries as a model for excellence . This very nice hardcover edition is made with very high quality paper pages and will make a nice addition to your library . If you are interested in Samuri culture , or in mans search for excellence you will enjoy this book .
022 4 More than a conglomeration of pages and ink , Musashi transcends the medium and becomes something to behold . Although the title character , not to mention just about every other figure mentioned in the book , wanders about , the book itself never seems to meander aimlessly . It chronocles the adventures of the reknowned Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi , from his late , late childhood to nearly his thirtieth year . That is an incredible span of time , and the size of the book reflects that , weighing in at just under 1000 pages of small type . But it flows , and , if you allow it , may just provide you with a hero .
058 4 For anyone interested in getting a glimpse into the soul of a warrior , this book is for them . Far from an outdated tale about samurai tactics , this book has and will continue to prove itself a timeless piece of introspective philosophy that puts into words the feelings that more often than not fail to be explained , and makes its paramount theme that elusive transformation of adolescence to maturity . It is a book that anyone considering the life of the warrior should read .
079 4 For those in the martial arts , this book gives outstanding insight into Japanese culture and particularly the martial aspects of Japanese culture . The historical figure of Miyamoto Musashi comes alive and real . The story drags occasionally , but overall it's a good , entertaining read .
109 4 The character Musashi although was a Japanese , represent ourselves . Just like us , he had to undergo puberty passages . It was hard nonetheless , but only completing the passage he became a man . The search of The Way of Sword is his puberty passage . This is what that keep Musashi immortal throughout the generations . A Hero With Thousand Faces .
111 4 I like reading the book . I saw so many things about this book.It's about a samurai who learned The Way of the Sword . He started to travel and met alot of characters .
046 4 This is one of the greatest books I've ever read . It gives the reader a good idea of what Japan was like a several centuries ago . Plus , it let's you share a journey with Musashi and his friends . After reading this you'll understand why he's called a Sword Saint . I was late for work several times because of this book . I couldn't put it down . If you want action , humor , and love then this is the book for you . I wish there was more of an ending though . It doesn't really say what happened to Musashi at the end of the book .
035 4 Musashi is not only an epic tale , but a story that divulges the secrets of living life to the fullest . There are many things to be learned from this magnificent novel . . . . which are still applicable today in every respect . Whether you want to read an astounding historical biography or you want to learn about Japanese culture , you'll never forget this book !
056 4 Great book , great edition . I read the brazilian edition , now i'll read this one . Only for the looks , I can say : this is better .
104 4 I was orinally fascinated by Japanese culture by Shogun . This is just as enjoyable and truer to form . If you buy this book I think you'll enjoy it .
106 4 Working where and as I do , I'm a regular patron of fast food restaurants . So when I finally go out and have a real meal , I'm always shocked at how GOOD it is . Similarly , reading this book made me feel I had been reading all the wrong stuff the previous three years . A definite page-turner , despite the somewhat unusual style - some things are over-explained , others are given a cursory treatment . The ending will , believe it or not , leave you wanting more . I'm pretty sure I'll be re-reading this book at least once a year .
125 4 This is one of my favorite books . How Musashi goes from a rough youth to an acomplished samurai is inspiring , the way the author creates a web of friendships and rivalries between Musashi and Kojiro , his greatest rival , is fantastic . This book is like an adiction , once you star you will not stop until its over , and the you'll star again !
047 4 this book is simply superb . I read this book 2 years ago and I was enchanted by the characters and amazed at the authors superb writing style . This book gave me faith in humanity , it made me see how much potensial lies with in each of us . It inspired me to become a better human being and to waste not even a moment of my precious life . This book kept me reading for hours on end . I highly recomend this book to people with an open mind . It may change your life !
124 4 Excellent ! I read this book in 1992 while living in Okinawa , Japan and learned alot , but not about swordsmanship . I learned about life as well as many of the basic principles that we can use to help us have a meaningful and productive life . Ours is a world that is so often complicated for less than important issues upon which we place importance if we read between the lines in this book we can learn that there is no need for this complication we create .
054 4 Musashi is a beautiful story and well worth the few weeks it took me to get through it . It is very long and slow-moving in some places and the translation gives it an unusual feel . There are too many characters to keep track of unless you're reading very carefully . But despite this , Musashi captured my heart . Perhaps it was because the characters were so beautifully realistic and both Musashi's and Otsu's dreams and goals so close to home . I've never read a book like this before .
110 4 Nothing really comes close to Musashi . It has a soul and spirit that touches you long after you've put the book down . Superior to Clavell's Shogun in every respect , it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience .
070 4 17th Century Japan is the setting for this novel about ten years in the life of the celebrated historical Japanese swordsman , Miyamoto Musashi . The depiction of the Japan in which Musashi grew up is at odds with the modern , orderly society we in the West think of as characteristic of Japan . The class structure which had been in place for hundreds of years previous put the samurai warrior class , a hereditary military aristocracy , in governing position . It is to this class that Musashi belongs . He is a ronin , or masterless samurai warrior abroad in a provincial Japan that is , at the time , politically unstable in the wake of a war in which young Musashi was a participant on the losing side . Throughout the course of the story there are hints of political intrigue and espionage , all of which are nicely integrated into the plot . The story , however , is not primarily about politics , intrigue , love or combat , even though those elements all appear . The author focuses primarily on Musashi's spiritual and character development as he pursues the Way . The Way , a sort of samurai code of ethics and yet something more , involves Buddhist mystical concepts . Musashi is depicted as striving to gain perfect harmony with the Universe . Mastery of the sword is the means by which he hopes to achieve that harmony . And Musashi suffers for his enlightenment through a series of self trials . Musashi is clearly a character apart .
The book does not dwell on philosophy , though religion and religious figures are crucial to the development of the plot , and are the source of Musashi's metamorphosis from the bullying , undisciplined youth , to the more charitable , disciplined warrior of his young adulthood . For Musashi the sword becomes not just a weapon , but a symbol of order . In one important character , Kojiro , we sense a match for Musashi in terms of physical skills , although we see Kojiro as a spiritually stunted individual , interested only in his own aggrandizement . He fails to take that additional step in the direction of spiritual awareness and development . The sword , for him , is only an instrument , an appliance . We know that he and Musashi will inevitably clash.Fight scenes described in the narrative are particularly well done . Continual action is assured through vendetta , as Musashi is faced with intermittent attacks by various assailants who , inexplicably , underestimate his prowess . The plot includes an unfolding love story , complete with a love triangle of a very distorted type . It is love of Musashi that permits the girl Otsu to go on living ( how melodramatic ! ) . Yoshikawa is skillful in his descriptive development of not only the primary character , but also some of the secondary characters . Osugi and Matahatchi are particularly well developed . One understands their motivations , perhaps their psyches . Curiously , Otsu , a principal character , seems only superficially developed . One admires her nobilityand loyalty , but cannot become viscerally involved in her plight . One marvels at the karma that binds all the major characters together in this work . Can life and human relationships really be this complex ? Charles Terry's translation from the Japanese is rendered in a clear , modern colloquial English . The language is not stilted .
It is the ending of the novel that disappoints . Despite the 1000 or so pages the author uses to develop the story and its characters , the ending is abrupt . There is no epilogue , no satisfying resolution to minor concerns involving major characters . Was Yoshikawa intending a sequel ? One might be written from the point where this work left off .
005 4 When I first saw this book on a bookstore shelf I thought with myself , People must be crazy to read such a big book , well , two volumes , 1808 pages ( Portuguese edition ) , it's not a weekend book . I don't know why but I bought it , when I finished reading the first 100 pages , I couldn't let the book go , If I went to the bathroom it was surely to be under my arm , compulsive reading it's what it is , I finished reading the first volume and I didn't wait a single day to buy the second one . And now that I finished it I spend long hours searching the net for information s about Musashi's life .
This book is not just a martial arts book , nor an ordinary story , it's a great introdution to oriental values and virtues as well as to Zen Buddhism . Musashi is a book about life , about the search of a meaning to life itself . Every page , every sentence , every Musashi word is a lesson , a true lesson from a man that spent his life searching his goals , his perfection and spiritual fulfillness .
I'd spend days recommending this book and it wouldn't be enough , so get your copy now ! !
006 4 Books numbering to nearly 1000 pages daunt me - - as you can tell , I don't read very much , even though I should . Of course , knowing vaguely of the legend of Musashi prompted me to pick up this book - - and I haven't regretted it . I am only 60% done with it , but just for that first 60% I'd still give it a five-star rating . Not only was it true to Japanese culture , it was entertaining . ( Shogun , the film , was true to form but not very entertaining for me . ) What is very fun about the book is the way that Yoshikawa uses characters who existed at that time , and events that took place at that time ( mostly the duels ) , and swirled them into a semi-fiction novel . The character personalities are simply intriguing . For vernacular purposes , cool describes many of the ronin portrayed in the book . I enjoy the mixture of arrogance , honor and skill that characterize the samurai - - especially Sasaki Kojiro Ganryu's references to his thirsty Drying Pole .
As a last note , the translation was exemplary . Not only was it technically correct , but Terry managed to transfer Yoshikawa's humor into English so that it was understood , and generally captured Yoshikawa's intentions throughout the book - - it seemed that things which are easy to describe in Japanese , yet having no literal translation in English , were recognized by Terry and converted into understandable English .
After I finish the book , chances are that Amazon.com had better establish a 6 star rating .
007 4 It is nearly impossible for me to give an even remotely unbiased review of Yoshikawa Eiji's Musashi as it simply the greatest saga I've ever read .
Set in Feudal Japan , beginning just before the battle of Sekigahara , you follow a naive and undisciplined young man with dreams of becoming a great samurai off to war . He is immediately hit with the reality that being a samurai is not as easy as enlisting for war . His world is thrown into further turmoil when his side loses the Great Battle of Sekigahara , leaving him and his best friend , stranded and alone in enemy territory . . .
This is just the beginning of the story of Musashi and the quest that eventually transforms him into the great samurai that created the style of fighting with two swords .
I so much loved this book that on two occasions , I have found myself vehemently arguing with Japanese acquaintances in Musashi's defense ( as a handful historians have disputed Yoshikawa's depiction of Musashi's final duel ) .
Musashi . . . my hero .
009 4 Though poorly written in places ( or perhaps it is difficult to properly translate colloquial Japanese ) , it's quite a fun read . It is sort of a thinly fictionalized account of the amazing 16 / 17th century life of ronin-Samurai , hero , painter , author and great swordsman , Miyamoto Musashi's amazing life . He's sort of the Davey Crockett of Japan , except that he was a much more impressive , and less fictional character . The thing which most annoys me about it is that I have seen a Toshiro Mifume movie of the same name which follows the text rather closely . But , how could I complain ? It is such a good screen adaption , and such a glorious story ; I'm really complaining about something which is quite wonderful . It is quite a revealing look into the Japanese mindset ; particularly in the 1930s , when it was written ( it apparently remains wildly popular ) . It was wonderful to read about Musashi growing from a brash youth into a master swordsman . Makes me want to contemplate willow trees , brooks and birds . The duel at the whispering pine is one of those scenes , like Ahab crying into the ocean , that will stay with me forever .
Yoshikawa is apparently a prolific author , and I am excited to find he has many other english translations available . If they're half as swashbuckling and wise as this one , I have years of good fun awaiting me .
010 4 This is a great book , and a must read for fun and for an insight into Japanese culture of the past 500 years leading up to today . I read the version translated into Brazilian Portuguese , which is the work of a master . The result is a very harmonic and smooth flow that carries you right into the imaginary life of Musashi , and the real life of samurais in Japan some half millennia ago . I can only imagine how wonderful the original in Japanese must be .
I look forward to reading the English version , just to be sure I don't miss a thing in this marvelous saga . Don't let the 1000 - plus pages daunt you . You will devour this book once you get started .
011 4 Miyamoto Musashi is perhaps the most reknowned of Japanese swordsmen , and continues today in his fame . The Musashi legacy includes volumes written about him , but sadly with little available in English . It was with overwhelming joy that I found Eiji Yoshikawa's Musashi , which is one of the more famous novelisations of the life of Miyamoto Musashi .
Set in the heady days of the early Tokugawa Shogunate , the story brings you into the world of Takezo , ( later Miyamoto Musashi ) , a village ruffian , fugitive from the Battle of Sekigahara , and perhaps one of the greatest figures of the time . Other people connected with Musashi also figure large in a few major side-plots that fill the book , making it all the more interesting .
The book weaves a tight network of connections and relationships among the more sigificant characters that can bewilder . However , this provides some of the interest and charm of the book , making it all the harder to put down . The connection between disagraced samurai Tazaemon and Jotaro was a surprise , as well as a few others .
Unlike some translations , Musashi is not plagued with problems of grammar and strange forms . Charles S . Terry has done an excellent job of keeping the story sounding natural to native speakers of English , and also maintaining some authenticity to the original story . Some Japanese words are used , but they are explained and you will know what they mean when they arise .
The book is nearly 1000 pages long , but it will seem like a 100 page short story . I was obsessed with it while reading , and it has been a book that I was not able to leave along for long periods of time . This is a definitely hard book to put down .
There is only one bad point about this book : it ends . If only this book had other volumes , other installments to look forward to , but sadly it doesn't . This book is definitely on my Must Read Again list .
If you are thinking of getting into some Japanese authors , Eiji Yoshikawa offers a great story to start with , and it has little of the customary darkness and forboding of the usual author from Japan . Also , this book offers a much more genuine look at Japan of the early Edo Period , without the poetic license of Clavell's novel Shogun and the like .
Shoud this book stir some interest in you , you can get a good translation of Musashi's works and a discussion of his life in
Miyamoto Musashi : His Life and Writings
, by Kenji Tokitsu . I would read this novel first though , as Tokitsu makes reference to it at times .
012 4 Musashi is one of those books that stays with you long after you finish reading it . It actually made me wish that I knew how to speak Japanese so that I could read the original work . That's not to say that the translation is not good because the book reads extremely well in English .
The story of Musashi is intriguing . The battles he faced , the trials he undertook are all catalogued here in a beautiful manner . The words themselves are simple and the sentences brief and quick . One of the best things about this book is the excellent imagery . There are many places in this book that just took my breath away because the picture in my mind was painted so clearly by the words . It's the smallest details that matter here . Musashi might awake after a battle ( and there are many ) and find himself looking at a petal falling from a tree and being blown about by the wind . It's small details like those which add so much to the book .
Then , there are the grandiose parts of the book . In one scene , the lone Musashi faces off against over 70 men in battle . The trance , the battle , the deaths and screams are presented so vividly that I almost saw myself in the crowd of by-standers watching the battle . The battles itself are fantastic but not overly descriptive . Not only are they a physical experience but also show the mental status of those in battle . The battle against many men I mentioned above holds place as one of the best written battle scenes I have ever read , and the other more personal ( 1v1 ) battles are fabulous as well .
The characters are all extremely interesting too . In some books , characters just come and go but here almost every character we are presented with has a big presence throughout the whole book . Characters we are introduced to early in the book might return much later . That's also one of the only problems with the book , not much a problem really , just a personal complaint . It gets difficult to recognize certain characters because we are presented with so many names . A character returned later in the book that was presented earlier and I didn't even recognize him as the same character until some time later . It's really not that much of a problem if you pay attention and I have no qualms about reading the book again . This is one book that should truly be read a few times to appreciate the complexities of the character interactions . The characters are very well placed within the context of the book . There never is a moment where I feel a character is unnecessary . They come in , play their part and retreat until their presence in the story is required again .
This is a lengthy book too . It's over 1000 pages and is in a relatively small font but it's all completely necessary . I was wishing for much more when it finished . It's not like some authors who write a 1000 page book ( Fantasy genre , anyone ? ) at which end you feel there was only 400 pages of context and 600 pages of filler . Here , it's all context and it's all beautiful . This has definitely made it's way to my top 5 historical fiction list and will probably find a place atop that list once I have time to re-read this masterpiece .
If you're a fan of Shogun or at all interested in Asian history then you must read this . Musashi receives my highest recommendation .
013 4 I read this book quite some time ago , but the story is still with me now - a testiment to any great book . Eiji Yoshikawa is a master of story-telling and prose , and Charles Terry's translation is , as any good translation should be , undiscernible . The book could very well have been thought written in english , and beautifully so . The 970 page ( over-sized page ) epic is difficult to sum-up in a few short sentences . . . but the basis of the book is the life of the greatest warrior ( calling him a ' swordsman ' would be like calling Shakespeare s ' scribe ' ) of Feudal Japan . Close your eyes . . . envision a full moon on a clear night in ancient Japan , a soft wind caresses your face and cherry blossoms float upon the wind . In the distance , a nightingale's golden voice penetrates the silence as easily as a pebble passes through the water of a pond . . . soon the soft snow of winter will be upon the fields and and trees . . . the seasons continue to flow , such is the way of nature . . . of life . Musashi is the story of one man's remarkable seasons , of not ' finding ' , but rather ' making ' his place in the world , told with the imagination , subtleness , humour and drama that is life .
014 4 Brilliant ! Yoshikawa's Masterpiece is stunning , the pace and rhythm of the novel is genius and makes Feudal Japan jump out and grab you . The descriptions of the environments , architecture and lifestyle are so real , dangerous and beautiful , you feel that you are there ! This is a rivetting story of twists and turns ; sinister betrayals galore , danger lurks everywhere and yet exquisite sensitivity and humor can surprise and calm the reader . Also , every character has the power to reflect our individual humanity : it's frailties , ambitions , cruelty , kindness and pettiness . You see yourself in these hallowed pages . I felt and enjoyed this book so much that i had to slow down my reading so as to prolong the pleasure and pain longer . The last beautiful page made me sad - - my heart hurts - - it feels like one has lost a close friend who will never again be a part of my life . Only memories remain . . .
015 4 This review is from :
Musashi ( Hardcover )
Prior to reading this gem , I had watched the movie trilogy Mushashi had inspired ( the first of which won the Oscar for best foreign film in the 60 ' s ) , and had read another of Yoshikawa's works , Taiko , which I loved . But for whatever reason , I didn't exactly rush to read this book , which was a gift to me in Christmas , 2005 . Perhaps it was the jacket cover describing this book as the Gone with the Wind of Japan ( which brought a yawn to me ) , or the daunting length of the novel , which seemed undeserved considering the movies I had seen .
However , when I finally got down to the business of reading the book , I was well-rewarded - Musashi is an incredibly inspiring piece of historical fiction , a story of a man who , though seemingly an anachronism in a increasingly peaceful 17th century Japan , would rise to fame and greatness as a samurai , and embody many of the traits we now associate with these warriors .
The novel begins with the undisciplined ( though talented ) brute Takezo , after the defeat of the Western army at the battle of Sekigahara . Through much fault of his own , Takezo would become an outlaw in his country , yet through the help of the remarkable priest Takuan , would spend the next ten years of his life perfecting his body , his sword and his soul , ultimately taking the name Musashi . Though he would run afoul of numerous entities ( including the Yoshiaki school of swordsmen and the cruel but gifted Ganryu ) , he would learn from each and every one of his errors , and develop the two-sword style which would become famous throughout Japan .
In the same spirit , we see the domestication of Japan itself , from a country torn my civil war to the peaceful realm it would become under Ieyasu Tokugawa . Indeed , it has been said that Musashi is the model of many Japanese people today , a fiercely independent spirit beneath an exterior which always remembers form and tradition . But in any case , there is plenty of action to go around , with or without the heavy symbolism .
I would strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in Japan's past .
016 4 Prior to reading this gem , I had watched the movie trilogy Mushashi had inspired ( the first of which won the Oscar for best foreign film in the 60 ' s ) , and had read another of Yoshikawa's works , Taiko , which I loved . But for whatever reason , I didn't exactly rush to read this book , which was a gift to me in Christmas , 2005 . Perhaps it was the jacket cover describing this book as the Gone with the Wind of Japan ( which brought a yawn to me ) , or the daunting length of the novel , which seemed undeserved considering the movies I had seen .
However , when I finally got down to the business of reading the book , I was well-rewarded - Musashi is an incredibly inspiring piece of historical fiction , a story of a man who , though seemingly an anachronism in a increasingly peaceful 17th century Japan , would rise to fame and greatness as a samurai , and embody many of the traits we now associate with these warriors .
The novel begins with the undisciplined ( though talented ) brute Takezo , after the defeat of the Western army at the battle of Sekigahara . Through much fault of his own , Takezo would become an outlaw in his country , yet through the help of the remarkable priest Takuan , would spend the next ten years of his life perfecting his body , his sword and his soul , ultimately taking the name Musashi . Though he would run afoul of numerous entities ( including the Yoshiaki school of swordsmen and the cruel but gifted Ganryu ) , he would learn from each and every one of his errors , and develop the two-sword style which would become famous throughout Japan .
In the same spirit , we see the domestication of Japan itself , from a country torn my civil war to the peaceful realm it would become under Ieyasu Tokugawa . Indeed , it has been said that Musashi is the model of many Japanese people today , a fiercely independent spirit beneath an exterior which always remembers form and tradition . But in any case , there is plenty of action to go around , with or without the heavy symbolism .
I would strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in Japan's past .
017 4 This is an amazing book . The first copy I had was a 5 volume , mass market paperback edition . I knew nothing of Musashi historically when I picked up volume 1 . The only incentive I had for putting it down was my urgency to find the other 4 volumes in the Ship's Store aboard the USS Saratoga while they were still to be had . To say that the story pulled me in and carried me away would be a classic understatement .
If you have read Shogun , please forget everything you think you know about feudal Japan , offer your copy for sale on Amazon , or donate it to a reading is fundamental program somewhere .
Musashi gives you a peak into the heart and soul of a warrior . Those of you old enough to remember the Japanese Olympian who broke his leg , and still competed on the rings to keep his team in competition for a medal will understand anew the significance of the crowd chanting Samurai .
If you enjoy this , also try The Unfettered Mind : Writings of the Zen Master to the Sword Master by Takuan Soho , the monk who plays prominantly in Musashi , The Book of Five Rings by the Swordsman himself , and The Lone Samurai : The Life of Miyamoto Musashi by William Scott Wilson .
This is on my personal list of Top Ten Books Ever Read .
018 4 10 years ago I read a book on Japanese martial arts with a brief statement about Miyamoto Musashi and how he was a great swordsman . At that time I thought to myself , I would like to learn about this man . I never got around to it sadly , until only recently , when another close friend of mine told me that ' Musashi ' was the best novel he had ever read , and recommended that I should get the hardcover version because it is unabridged . Well , what can I say , now it is the best novel that I have ever read . It's incredible , I feel like nothing has ( or could've ) been lost in the translation . I enjoyed the female and youth / child characters the most ; I thought they were wonderfully expressed . If you train in the martial arts , I have a feeling you will enjoy this story even more . My only regret is having waited this long to read it . Don't miss out !
020 4 This book is more than a sweeping tale of Samurai Japan . It is a philosophical work about a man's own need to shape himself through life , and his realization in ultimate futility . Does anything really matter . If you've never really understood what words like honor and humility mean , this book may help . It is a work of fiction though ( just historical people , places and events ) . It seems to have borrowed from Musashi's own Book of Five Rings for it's general outline of the fictional Musashi's growth . The three main male characters all encompass aspects of a man . Matahachi - the lazy , weak willed opportunist that means well but lacks the strength to act well . Kojiro - Ambitious and arrogant upstart . A true talent that will manipulate people to attain his goals . Musashi - Strong as they come , seeking to temper his own spirit into a true human . Matahachi finds strength in his weakness and is transformed . Kojiro is actually beaten halfway through the book by Musashi . Refusing to grow from it , it finally consumes him . Musashi , learns that sometimes , it is ok to be weak and ultimately triumphs over himself . Let's not forget Otsu , Akemi and Osugi . Three aspects of the traditional Japanese female . In their case they all triumph in their own ways . One last word on Kojiro . It is said that he was Musashi's rival and greatest enemy . Nope , sorry . In this book , Kojiro is easily beaten the first time the two meet . It is Osugi who is Musashi's greatest enemy . By his own admission she constantly thwarts him and lands a successful attack in one encounter . She causes Musashi to forget the Art of War and fall victim ( more than once ) to her attacks . Luckily for Musashi , she never fully succeeds .
021 4 I think this is one of the best sagas i've ever read . I read the book in the Indonesian translation ( which was published in 7 serial books ) several times and i'm truly inspired by Musashi's character , by his faith and perseverance in following the way of the sword to reach his soul enlightment , and his desire to become a full person . . . to have a meaningfull life . . . not to become a rice-eating worm ( this expression from the book strikes me hard ) .
All the characters in the story are well-described by the author , the story plot is excellent , and the settings ( cultural , social , politics ) are also well described .
I think this book will give you more than just mere entertainment because it gives you lessons about life , ideas to be contemplated , and some historical information about feudal Japan . Off course , some part of the book which related to Musashi's battle and martial things will also satisfies you martial art fans .
I can assure you that you'll love this book very much and it will pull you more and more for come-back reading .
024 4 My favorite book of all time . It is the most famous version of Musashi ( Japanese author Eiji Yoshikawa ) - a book and story on a grand scale . A piece of fiction based on the real life Miyamoto Musashi ( not enough was known about the real Musashi to account for all the details used in the book to illustrate his life - but many of the battles were ) .
I first read this book 20 years ago . Every page held me entranced . Many a night I vowed to read but one section , only to find myself hours behind my normal sleep time still hungry for more .
It is the story of a man's journey to maturity and mastery over himself through his sword . After many setbacks and sidetracks he embarks on a difficult mission of complete mastery of swordfighting by traveling , and challenging the best weapons fighters , throughout Japan . Musashi becomes the greatest swordsman of his era while a close friend falls behind by giving in to a hedonistic lifestyle . Of course , no great book is complete without a great love being central to the story . A young woman who grows to love Musashi after seeing him mature , ends up following him no matter how far he travels - for her this is her mission . Her love for him stands as an example of true love and loyalty .
The story ends with a final battle between Musashi and his nemisis - another Samurai on a similar mission . An epic tale - one of the most famous in all of Japan .
025 4 I bought this book at the Narita Airport looking for something to read on the long plane ride home . I was completely transported from the miserably cramped seats of economy class to the world of Musashi Miyamoto .
This is one of those stories where you actually find yourself unable to stop reading . You tell yourself , one more page , one more chapter , then , before you know it , it's 4 : 00am and you have to get up for work .
So thoroughly do you get involved in these richly drawn characters and their lives that you start to actually feel attached to them - - you find yourself pitying , hating , forgiving , worrying . . . absolutely immersed in their lives . At the end , nearly 1,000 pages in all , you find yourself wishing the story would continue .
Simply one of the most engrossing , exciting and entertaining books I've ever read .
026 4 About 15 years ago i was in the Edmonton publis library , on the paperback rack was a book called musashi , nothing about it really stood out for me but it apeared to be the most promising book on the rack , i checked it out and it sat for a couple day's , when i started to read it , i was almost stunned at how the book started following the life of a promising young man in feudal japan . Still i was sure that the second book ( it can be found in five paperbacks , i recomend the hard cover ) would fall apart and lose all the steam the first one had built up , regardless i checked into the book before taking out the second one , it was now that i realized the story was based on fact , my interest had now taken a great leap , as i realized that this poor rat of a boy who was now developing into a man through , several hardships was a real human being ! I finished reading the series as it was so compeling that i could not put it down . Upon completing it i found myself wanting more but alas Miyamoto Musashi Japan's greatest swordsman and a gret testament to the resilience of the human spirit had some how slipped from society's grasp and dissapeared . If you feel that you are not able to achieve your full success in life and would like one more encouraging story i suggest you read this book , and take in all that this amazing man has to offer . Author , poet , wood carver , artist , philosopher , swordsman , he was a master of them all and yet he taught himself all of these . This book get's 5 stars from me .
027 4 Mushashi , is an incredible story , that is based on Miyamoto Musashi , the greatest swordsman ever . The story was serialized in Japanese newspapers as a propaganda during the world war . In the hope to bring out the warrior out of the people .
Musashi developes himself into a perfect warior , the story is funny , romantic and at times extremely dramatic .
In the story you'll find remarks of what Musashi originally written in his own book that he made before he passed away .
If you like samurai you'll like this book a lot , this book can't be rated with simple stars , it deserves more . . . it's the book of all books .
Read it and rate it , I'm pretty sure you'll be amazed on how the story begins and developes .
If you have watched any of the Japanese movies about Musashi you'll notice that some facts are also explained in the book .
031 4 Few are as poignant as Musashi .
Musashi is the tale of Japan's greatest samurai , and as such has its necessary share of blood and battles . What sets Musashi apart , however , is that it provides the complete picture of a man who , beginning life as an impetuous brute , rose to legendary status through his use of the sword . Therein lies the quintessential theme of the book - not one of death , but rather one of growth . In Musashi's trials and tribulations , I found a strange mirror of my own life , and perhaps the life of every other young person who has ever had to struggle to mature in the world .
036 4 I can not imagine a sane person not giving this book anything BUT 5 stars . When a person reads a book like Musashi , it ends up meaning a whole lot more to them when they have finished it . It has become a part of them and it is something that will stay with them for the rest of their life . Musashi is my #1 book , the best of the best , my absolute favourite and I don't think I'll read anything that will surpass it . Needless to say , this is one big book . But that didn't trouble me at all . I first read Musashi when I was just 15 and I couldn't tear my eyes away from it . You don't even have to be a fan of Japanese culture ( although it helps ) , the action sequences and the excitment just radiate from the book . If you are reading this , trust me . Go out now and get a copy of this book , you will NOT regret it . Saiunara
037 4 I just finished reading this book and I was stunned at the beauty of it . Some people are able to read a book and it is a lot like watching a movie , or so I am told . They imagine all of the various things in full motion . Unfortunately , I am not that kind of reader . Normally , I read and don't really see anything , just the words on the page . I still enjoy it , but it isn't a visual thing for me . Well this book , while it wasn't in full motion , did bring actual images to my mind .
Not only are the descriptions of the physical reality that comprises the story good , so too are the spiritual aspects . I really feel I gained a lot of understanding of the samurai's soul , or Way of the Sword . It really did make me want to be a better person , and emulate some of Musashi's aspects . The translation is great , quite smooth reading !
This book was a page turner until the bitter end , and I was sad to leave the world it conjured . I can't say much about the historical accuracy of the book , but it did inspire me to purchase a book on the history of Musashi . There are a little too many coincidences in the story for my liking , but once I decided to suspend my disbelief on this , it was no longer a problem . I was telling my wife about the book , and realized I had been wanting to read it for about 19 years , but never got around to it . I have to say I am glad I finally did !
039 4 This is a book that I thought should be required reading while growing up and going to school .
It a tale of a man in feudal Japan . This man is constantly trying to impove himself through self disipline and trainging . If you have not read this book yet I suggest that you do . I am sure that you will find it well worth your time . When I was reading this book I never wanted to put it down . The imagery that pops into your mind while reading this book is phenominal .
041 4 Hello , I'm sitting here writing a review for Musashi . . . and you're reading it ? Why thank you ! I'm honored . Anyway , Musashi was first introduced to me by my Japanese Aunt who read it when she was thirteen and thought it would be a great book for me to read as I am thirteen now . Well I read it , all nine-hundred seventy pages * phew * . Let me say that this is an amazing book . The amount of effort put into the writing is extraordinary .
It is about , and follows the life of , the ronin ( wandering samurai without a master ) Miyamoto Musashi ( Takezo when he is young ) from the battle of Sekigahara , in his youth , to his duel with Sasaki Kojiro in his middle-age .
The most amazing thing about Musashi is the astounding number of influential characters , and the storylines connected with them . No one disappears after their storyline no longer relates to Musashi . Considering this , and all the characters to keep track of , the character placement was fabulous . The story does drag a little in some parts but it mostly moves along very well , with excellent pacing .
Concerning the characters , not all of them are terribly likable or interesting , but the level of character development more that makes up for it . At the end of the book , all the characters have changed very much from what they were at the beginning of the story .
Musashi was also favorable in its relevance to Japanese history . Space was taken in the book for significant historical information relating to the story . This was very helpful and informative , as well as being a good history lesson . The visual imagery and descriptions in Musashi were also fabulous , especially those of the natural environment . Once again , Musashi is an amazing book , and is highly recommended .
044 4 I'm french so I can't tell you if the english version of this book is well translated etc . . . . But I can tell you that I loved reading this book.It is the story of a man , who choses a way of live and a philosophy a behaviour , in 17th century Japan .
This book contains : Philosophy , Love story , Fights , Trips , Deep characters . . . . all that you dream about a book ! That's simple when I came back from school everyday , I was hurry to go back home and to read it , you know , when you read this book , it did that to me , you can imagine all , the landscapes , the characters everything . . . It's pretty hard to write down but all I can tell you is that this book is ansome , when I finished it ( in France it is published in two split books : la pierre et le sabre and la parfaite lumiere both of around 700pages.But I finished this book I was sad , because I loved reading it and happy , because I loved it ! ( I even cryed a little , just a little tear but that is confidential . . . oh oh we are on a website with a million of visitors AHHHHHHHHHHHH ! ! ! : ) )
So YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK , you'll like it ( it even made me buy a book on the Zen philosophy ) and it will make you think about a lot of things in life in general . . . . . . Well I really loved it , So read it ! : ) ( . . . ) BR > I hope it helped you
048 4 I read this book as an adolescent and I am now rereading it as an adult . It is a great novel if you like japanese culture , or even if you dont . It speaks to the abilty of the human to evolve into a higher level of self awareness and dignity . But above that , it is a very compelling and interesting story . The fact that it is 1000 + pages means you really get to spend some time with the characters .
I highly recommend this book to anyone age 12 - 80 .
049 4 This book should be compared with all other great epics in world literature . So much is understated , as is typical for classical Japanese literature , but the author does not sacrifice historical detail . A Naturalist , Yoshikawa paints a great picture of life in Feudal Japan . His research , too , is excellent , but doesn't get in the way of telling a great story .
At times , the writing style is almost child-like , and I think that owes itself to difficulties in translation . There is , in this book , really a serial plot ( the book is also offered in a five-part paperback series ) . I don't know how it was first presented , but the multiple story lines and parallel characterizations don't detract . They do give this book a feeling of almost being a well thought out screen play , without any loss to the narrative .
From other reading I have done , there seems to be a fair amount of latitude given to historical reality . Yoshikawa picked and chose the events of Musashi's life that he thought best-characterized an enigmatic and difficult character . But it is the growth of that character that is central to the story , and his focus there is well rewarded . With some of the same psychological distance shown by Cormac McCarthy , and the same ability to spin a great historical tale as Patrick O'Brian , Yoshikawa has written a great book that can lead you into the chrysalis of the Japanese mind .
050 4 This book is by far - - and I can't stress the words by far enough - - the best I've ever read . And I've read plenty . Not only will you learn Japanese history in addition to reading a gripping , page-turning book you can't put down , but the philosophy and depth of thought goes beyond anything I've ever read . This book is about a man who is misguided and ignorant , but soon learns the error of his ways , tries to perfect his skill in the sword , but then embarks upon a spiritual journey to attain perfection . This isn't a fairy tale , this isn't cheesy , mass-manufactured samurai garbage - - this is Japanese literature at its best , and some of the best literature I've laid eyes upon . I would recommend it to everyone who wants to learn about Japan , is interested in Japan , or is interested in any of the philosophical ideas presented within . You don't have to be Japanese to like or appreciate or understand this book , and don't be scared at the size . There's no word in there that doesn't belong . I know I'm rambling - - but I can't praise this book enough .
051 4 Loosely based on an actual historical figure in early 17th century Japan ( 1600 - 1612 ) Musashi is a most excellent novel written by one of Japan's famous authors , Eiji Yoshikawa . Mr . Yoshikawa deftly ties together many actual events in such a manner that makes it very difficult to put this book down .
The book comes in ( in this translated version ) just under 1000 pages , but is a very easy read . I highly recommend it as one of those classic novels that should be in everyone's bookcase .
052 4 This review is from :
Musashi ( Hardcover )
Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa is a great introduction to Miyamoto Musashi as well as an entertaining fictional account of the first 30 years of his life . If you are looking for an entertaining story based on the life of Miyamoto Musashi , this is the book . If you are looking for an account of the principles and practices of Miyamoto Musashi , this is not for you .
Musashi is a bit of a folk legend in Japan , along the same lines as Robin Hood or Davy Crockett ; knowing this going into the book will give the reader an idea of the historical context . This book is a work of fiction . The book is loosly based on the facts of Miyamoto Musashi's life , but a biography it is not .
At almost 1000 pages of dense text , the book can seem overwhelming , but it is actually a quick read . The story progresses nicely and the characters are all well developed .
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Miyamoto Mushahi , Japanese History , or just looking for a good adventure story .
053 4 Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa is a great introduction to Miyamoto Musashi as well as an entertaining fictional account of the first 30 years of his life . If you are looking for an entertaining story based on the life of Miyamoto Musashi , this is the book . If you are looking for an account of the principles and practices of Miyamoto Musashi , this is not for you .
Musashi is a bit of a folk legend in Japan , along the same lines as Robin Hood or Davy Crockett ; knowing this going into the book will give the reader an idea of the historical context . This book is a work of fiction . The book is loosly based on the facts of Miyamoto Musashi's life , but a biography it is not .
At almost 1000 pages of dense text , the book can seem overwhelming , but it is actually a quick read . The story progresses nicely and the characters are all well developed .
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Miyamoto Mushahi , Japanese History , or just looking for a good adventure story .
055 4 This review is from :
Musashi ( Hardcover )
Great book , great edition . I read the brazilian edition , now i'll read this one . Only for the looks , I can say : this is better .
057 4 Let me preface this review by stating that this is one of my favourite books of all time . Therefore , if there are faults to this novel , I can't see them .
Musashi is the best example of a swashbuckling epic . From the fantastic fights , impossible loves , and heroic heroes , to the somber reflections , petty humanity and despicable villains , this book has it all .
It is the best example , in my opinion , of the Japanese drama . High on melodramatic situations and strange coincidences surrounding the book's decidedly Japanese stereotypes , it is a fast-paced emotion driven story . Too strange to be true , but too lovely to be put down .
I highly recommend this book to any type of reader , from the sophisticated , to the just plain fun .
061 4 Anyone who enjoys historical fiction , martial arts & fighting , war , Japanese culture , Samurai , Knights , or a good gripping read , seriously do yourself a favor and purchase this book .
I just could not put this book down . When I had finished the novel I found myself wishing the story was longer than it already is ( 970 pages ) . I also found myself literally missing the story's characters .
This purchase was truly worthwile . Knowing how good the story is now I would have happily paid more . Very highly recommended .
062 4 A great book that doesn't want to be put down . There are twists and turns throughout . Highly recommend to anyone .
064 4 This review is from :
Musashi ( Hardcover )
I read Musashi 15 years ago , and I remember it vividly . It's such a sweeping , wondrous novel , I'm surprised it's not more famous than it is . I became a bit of a Yoshikawa fan from this , and visited his home , preserved as a museum , outside Tokyo . A beautiful serene place . Musashi , in retrospect , was highly inspirational to me as a writer , in terms of pacing , character development , and raw storytelling . I recently bought a copy for a fellow writer , who has samurai themes in his works , and I'm sure I will continue to gift this novel to my friends . Enjoy !
067 4 this is a great book over 900 pages in the hardback edition but about a third into the epic i looked at the remainder and thought it could be a lot longer !
the story begins at ground zero as it were for best friends takezo - later to be musashi - and matahachi , both young men out to prove themselves and earn their place in the world , dreaming of becoming rich and famous quickly by joining the army to fight a big battle at Segikihara . they lost .
from the same starting point the two lives diverged significantly . takezo , a brash if not violent youth , was to realise that might is not right and there are things larger than himself with help from takuan soho , a monk , who seemed to be walking about the country trying to save people from themselves .
the transformation into musashi began in theory as it were - having being imprisoned in a room of a castle . cut off from the real world takezo read and study texts such as art of war for three years . when he emerged he is given the name musashi miyamoto and began his journey of way of the sword .
sword fights and duels are quite graphic but no buckets of blood . the death of a 13year old challenger may shock but not if understood from musashi's point of view .
woven closely is the love story between musashi and otsu , the once-betrothed of matahachi . there is also the hate-story of osugi , the mother of matahachi , and musashi . single-minded and always praying for justice , osugi chased musashi all over seeking revenge on him and otsu . but , true to japanese storytelling , there are not clear cut good or evil characters .
matahachi's misadventures of lazy drunkeness drifts from dreams of glory , masquarading as a well-known samurai , and a would-be assassin . a downward spiral . although musashi's elevated path led him to notoriety and self-improvement , he too realised that he is also too human with his own failings .
in the end each went through a hell of their own making to perhaps find redemption .
definitely worth a second or third reading . . . now if only i read japanese
072 4 An amazing book . While not necessarily the best written book I've ever read , it is an unbelievable tale written completely appropriately and with a style all its own . This book is a highly-valued addition to any library . Superb . I couldn't possible sing enough praises for this book .
What I tell my friends who want to read it is : Think of a kurasawa flick , only on paper .
074 4 I read this book ages ago , some time in the mid - 80s maybe . I remember my parents gave it to me for Christmas and I started reading right away . Bad for my family . I lost myself in Musashi for the next three or four days . Got immersed in the world of the samurai and wished I had lived during that time . It was a wonderful reading experience .
Now that those memories are brought back I have to rush to my bookshelf and start reading Musashi again .
076 4 Yoshikawa is a master of developing characters throughout this fantastic novel . Not only does he adequately cover the development of Miyamoto Musashi into Japan's greatest swordsman , but he shows how Musashi's fate was intertwined with some of Japan's most notable figures ( specifically Takuan Soho and Yagyu Munenori ) . I would recommend this book without reservation to anyone who has an interest in Japanese culture , history , and relationships .
078 4 This book is just fascinating . It tells a lot about the nature of life in Japan during the age of the Samurai . It's a documentary sometimes and a thriller some other times - but mainly it's just a wonderful * very * long - and still to short - story with heroes who need some time to become heroic and villans , who at times are likeable human beeings too . As a lot of power of this book comes out of the beautiful language , i should point out , that i read the german translation . I ` ve read thousands of books - but this one is definetly the Best . I whish i spoke Japanese , so that i could read all the other works of Yoshikawa , which haven't been translated yet !
081 4 It is Japanese through and through .
After reading Musashi I realized how pale Shogun is .
This book is worth twice the price . The characters are true , not bits from central casting . The minutia about daily life in Edo Japan was priceless .
082 4 Musashi is one of the most enthralling novels that it has ever been my pleasure to read . I read the whole 1000 - odd pages in about a week - I was so engrossed that I could hardly put the book down .
As other reviews note , the novel follows the life of Musashi , regarded as the greatest swordsman ever in Japan , as he evolves from a young defeated ronin to a powerful , thoughtful and practically perfect poet-warrior . In presenting this story in a way that is easily readable and interesting , the novel is superb .
I was particularly impressed with the calibre of the translation - I find that English translations of foreign books can be bogged down in the language making it hard to read , but with ' Musashi ' , this was not the case .
However , the novel puts a very glossy view on the life of the real Miyamoto Musashi . Historically , he is still seen as the greatest Japanese swordsman , but historians tend to view his life in a different light than that suggested by the novel . The real Musashi was known to be violent and scheming , and not quite the ' gentleman ' portrayed in his novel .
Still , do read Musashi - but keep in mind that it is ' historical-fiction ' that draws on the life of Musashi as the basis for the novel , rather than portraying a realistic account of his life .
083 4 This book is simply great . Whether you are interested in samurai or just want a plain great adventure book , this is it . Musashi is a famous samurai , and his exploits are famous enough that they need not be detailed here . This book is simply great and I cant sing praise enough . It has action , romance , suspense , betrayel , heartbreak , action , culture and action ! Even ends in a climactic duel between two high-caliber swordsmen like a movie !
Once you've read this , watch the Samurai Trilogy - Toshiro Mifune plays musashi . Great stuff , must buy , must read !
084 4 Don't be afraid to start Eiji Yoshikawa's magna opus , Musashi , because of its mamooth size . If you read it , you'll be rewarded at the end with one of the most fantastic tales ever told . This is the life of Myiamoto Musashi , one Japan's of the greatest samurai , and his lifelong quest for expertise , love and a rightful way of life .
Yoshikawa vividly portraits one of the most disturbed periods in Japan's history , beginning the story after the famous battle of Sekigahara ( this battle is also portrayed in the final moments of another masterpiece , James Clavell's Shogun ) , when Japan started to give up on its feudal government system . Musashi is a young man - at the time not even known as Musashi - and after the battle he decides he will be one of the greatest swordmen in his country . But that is not an easy task . Along the way - and along more than 1800 pages , at least in the brazilian version - he will have to defeat scores of enemies , find and loose love , friends , and he will have to learn to live the way fitting to a legend .
Yoshikawa's style in not epic , even if his book is . The story unfolds in an utterly simple narrative , almost naive . Characters come and go , filling the pages with their own stories , not only Musashi's . In fact , at times Musashi is not the focal point of the story , disappearing for some chapters , while the narrative concentrates on what is going on with other characters around him . This diversity is what makes Musashi great . This is not a sword-battles book , but a big picture of the end of an era of one of the most fantastic cultures in the world .
Grade 9.2 / 10
087 4 Eiji did a great job of taking the story of Musashi and tailoring it to a reader who might not be as well versed in Japanese culture . He was very thorough in detailing the atmosphere in which Musashi evolved . How things were viewed , how towns were formed , individuals titles related to status and in general why things were the way they were .
I am especially appreciative for the way Eiji tied in the names of past characters when they were reintroduced . He did no just put the names and let the reader figure it out , he summed up their story so that the names wouldnt get too confused .
089 4 This review is from :
Musashi ( Mass Market Paperback )
It is by far one of the most enchanting and beautiful works of art I have ever had the pleasure to set my mind to read . Illuminating , fascinating , entertaining , moving and educational , it is steeped in religious fervor as well as practical advise and wisdom . . . and not to mention the great battle of wills between kojiro and musashi ! One of the best scenes to me is that of most of the main characters meeting on a bridge on new years day . . . I highly recommend this to students of Musashi . Though I am loathe to admit it , it is better than the Samurai Trilogy only in that more stories and Side Stories are contained here-in . However the Samurail Trilogy is one of the best Trilogies out there , similar in scope to the Godfather . I totally recommend it ! Cheers !
091 4 This review is from :
Musashi ( Hardcover )
I watched the film , Samurai Trilogy Part 1 , which is based on this book . I decided to read the book before I watched the other two parts of the trilogy .
When I got the book I was intimidated by it . It is a thick book made with think paper and small type . In other words , there is a * lot * to read . There are a large number of characters , and I had a little trouble at first remembering which name was which . There are some good action scenes , but if you want non-stop action then you should pick something else . This is mostly the story of a man gaining control over himself and seeking inner perfection .
092 4 I watched the film , Samurai Trilogy Part 1 , which is based on this book . I decided to read the book before I watched the other two parts of the trilogy .
When I got the book I was intimidated by it . It is a thick book made with think paper and small type . In other words , there is a * lot * to read . There are a large number of characters , and I had a little trouble at first remembering which name was which . There are some good action scenes , but if you want non-stop action then you should pick something else . This is mostly the story of a man gaining control over himself and seeking inner perfection .
095 4 This review is from :
Musashi ( Hardcover )
This book is long , but never dull . It is a thoroughly engrossing tale of swashbuckling swordsmanship Japanese-style , along with some Zen-based soul-searching . The translation is very Western in its phrasing and pacing , so people in search of a good adventure tale shouldn't be put off by the fact that the original text was written in Japanese by master samurai storyteller Eiji Yoshikawa . The book follows the exploits of Miyamoto Mushashi as he duels his way from roughneck peasant to the most revered swordsman in all of feudal Japan , learning to be more and more humble the more he wins . It also features a host of unforgettable - - though a little one-dimensional - - characters that Musashi meets along the way .
The book was turned into three motion pictures in the late 1950s ( search Samurai I - Musashi Miyamoto in VHS or DVD ) ; but , while those movies are pretty good , this book is far , far better .
096 4 This book is long , but never dull . It is a thoroughly engrossing tale of swashbuckling swordsmanship Japanese-style , along with some Zen-based soul-searching . The translation is very Western in its phrasing and pacing , so people in search of a good adventure tale shouldn't be put off by the fact that the original text was written in Japanese by master samurai storyteller Eiji Yoshikawa . The book follows the exploits of Miyamoto Mushashi as he duels his way from roughneck peasant to the most revered swordsman in all of feudal Japan , learning to be more and more humble the more he wins . It also features a host of unforgettable - - though a little one-dimensional - - characters that Musashi meets along the way .
The book was turned into three motion pictures in the late 1950s ( search Samurai I - Musashi Miyamoto in VHS or DVD ) ; but , while those movies are pretty good , this book is far , far better .
105 4 I have read , quite literally , many thousands of books thus far in my life . I say this to emphasize that it is no small statement when I say that I recommend this book . It is without a doubt one of the best books I've ever read , and even merits re-reading .
For sheer entertainment value , the characters are vibrant and alive . The reader comes to care for them and to understand their unique viewpoints . The settings and situations , too , are easy to visualize .
The true value of the book , though , is in it's ability to transport us effortlessly into it's world , and to teach us lessons in life almost before we are aware of it . From a deeper perspective , the non-Japanese reader will come away with a better understanding of Japanese culture and values .
In my opinion , this book truly deserves a five star rating .
107 4 Everyman's journey whether contemplated in depth or lightly brushed over many years has the richness that the Musashi epic details . I have seen this movie in by least 4 different directors over the span of 40 years . The book details the zen that the cinemaphotography / acting of the 6 part movie ( not Toshiro Mifune - samurai series ) has . The desperation of the times , elegance and brutality of the samurai code is not for everyone.Having seen some of Miyamoto Mushasi's paintings , metalurgical artifacts , calligraphy . . . the man himself was a self-actualized individual . A book is merely a book . Whether Tolkein , Crighton , Faulkner , Hemmingway . . . however , this book survives in me and in reverence whereas the others were merely entertaining . Its not the author of the book , it was the man himself who was merely a man .
113 4 If I'm not mistaken I read this book back in 1982 the year before I began law school - - a former employer had it in his office ( given to him by a Japanese client ) ; and , he gave it to me . Is this that wonderful Samauri saga told in exquisitely short chapters ? I hope so because I'm ordering it now and look foward to reading this fabulous story again . I remember only allowing myself to read 2 or 3 sections each night in order to make the book , ( full of romance , action , morality lessons , excitement , history and vivid verbal paintings ) , last a little bit longer . This time when I get my hands on a copy , I will never lend it to ANYONE ! ! !
114 4 One of the most popular books ever written in Japan , it is more than a swashbuckling adventure . Musashi starts out life as a bully trying to prove himself as a samurai . But his quest to perfect the art of swordsmanship turns into a spiritual quest for self-perfection . This is a great book - great entertainment but something more as well . You will learn a lot about the spirit of Japan when you read this book - and perhaps , too , something about yourself . I couldn't recommend Musashi more enthusiastically .
118 4 This review is from :
Musashi ( Hardcover )
What a fabulous read ! Having lived in Sagami Hara , Kujukuri , and other places on Honshu for over ten years , I could almost close my eyes and see the blood-tinged dust settling on the plains after a battle . I have read Lao Tsu's The Art of War , and was a Buddhist for a while as well . Every part of this book was just fabulous , absorbing , and I heartily recommend it to anyone and everyone who is interested in old Japan
130 4 The first time I started reading it was through a newspaper series back in 1980 ' s . It was a re-translated version ( translated from the English version into Indonesian ) . The translation was superb . When I got my hand into the English versoin ( hardcover ) , it was like mirror image .
Enough on the translation , the book itself inspire me to seek through myself the life it was supposed to be and I am still seeking . It gives the insight of how a great person develops from nothing into a full human being , and of all that , still being humble !
Five Star is the maximum allowed here , otherwise , well , you know . . .
131 4 This review is from :
Musashi ( Hardcover )
Mushashi , is an incredible story , more so because it is based on the life of a real man , Myumoto Musashi , the greatest sworsman in all history . The story was released in serial form in the newspapers of Japan as propaganda during the world war . The central message . . . Only the warrior is a human being , because only the warrior decides his destiny . The odyssey of Musashi as he developes himself into the perfect warior is at once , funny , romantic , exciting , and most of all thought provoking . The actual writings of this man have been used for centuries as a model for excellence . This very nice hardcover edition is made with very high quality paper pages and will make a nice addition to your library . If you are interested in Samuri culture , or in mans search for excellence you will enjoy this book .
133 4 I have read so-o-o-o many books but this one is in the top 5 . Although this book took forever to read between work ( lunch time only ) and caring for a toddler , ( after the nightly news ) ect . I didn't care . It was such a joy to read and I looked forward to reading it . I found myself gripping those thin pages and wondering what would happen next because unlike many ho-hum USA books it was so unpredictableand and very rewarding . Mushashi's strive for the WAY reminded me of the story of Crazy Horse and his relationship with The Great Spirit . To me they are the same with a differeant name . I especially liked Otsu and laughed with mirth at Jakarto's antics . Takuan was especially cool and wish there were more men like him in this world . What I want to know is - - what ever became of Musashi ? As a real person I know he wrote the Book of Five Rings but when I try to look up some info about him on the web all I get is this book . Did he ever get married and have children ? Did he have a school ? I liked the references to nature in this great story . Hey , it's too bad they only had Sake to drink ; that stuff can stand you on your ear . If you're a female and think this book is only for guy's - don't . As a female I can tell you this book is excellent ! Oh sigh , now what can I read now ? I already miss Mushashi but in a few years I'll read it again .
134 4 Remarkable story of a a href = onmouseover = window.status = ' Samurai warrior ' ; return true ; onmouseout = window.status = ' ' ; return true ; > Samurai warrior / a > and how he finds his true calling.The novel tells the story and circumstances of how a timid , young man traverses the long path to becoming the greatest and most feared Samurai warrior of all time .
The size of the book ( almost 1000 pages ) makes it difficult to start . But once you start , you will always keep coming back to complete it
135 4 I consistently found myself enjoying Musashi less when the narrative focused on its main protagonist . My interest was piqued rather , when given glimpses into the darker characters . Sasake Kojiro and Osugi were particularly delightful for their three dimensional personalities .
Miyamoto Musashi's story on the other hand , unfolds predictably and stoically , as if driven by fate . I did not find it as inspiring as most other reviewers here do . Yoshikawa thumps the old follow your dreams and let no adversity hold you down theme too many times and it quickly grows tiresome . Other characters such as the weepy provincial lass Otsu and the whiny Jotaro were no less irritating and flat . On the other hand , Akemi , Matahachi , and the monk Takuan had much more flair .
In general , Musashi's journey surged in narrative strength , and seemed more authentically Japanese , when he was interacting with others instead of playing the reclusive wanderer ( with the occasional squire ) for self-improvement . The sub-plots are the real gems of the book , each with its own lesson , self-contained parables . The encounter with Gonnosuke Tanzaemon , his attempt to meet the lotus-cutting sword master , the showdown on the Hon'iden plain , and his sojourn with Japan's preeminent geisha rank among the best parts .
The book's length wore on , its varying pace not justified nor by its simple overarching theme and prolonged finale . Yoshikawa could have easily written this in 2 / 3rds the pages with equal effect . He certainly has a unique voice and a knack for instilling that delicate and complex Buddhist personality which I can only describe as magnanimous humility into his character .
136 4 O.K so Musashi is all these things : Heroic , interesting , LONG , a portrait of an age , filled with great characters like the repentant samurai priest it's a great book about swordsman in 17th century Japan .
What it also is is a story of a very unlikeable man who seems to spend his entire life being unfathomably selfish to all he meets including Otzu who fell in love with him while he was tied to a tree ( love wasn't blind it was ludicrous ) and jotaru the brat .
I mean and don't take this the wrong way , . . I think I would have loved this book if I'd read it at sixteen but at 28 I really think I need more substance to a book . Did anyone notice how often people accidently bumped into people they'd not seen for years ? At some points I felt like there were only 20 people living in Japan and they all knew Musashi .
By the end I was really hoping Musashi would stop taking himself so seriously and take up farming . Also , and I maybe being a philistine here but I'm still not sure what social purpose hacking people up with swords serves .
However all in all it was enjoyable and if I didn't like it I wouldn't have made it through the 970 pages . . But and I hope I don't tread on too many toes . . it is not great .
A beach book .
140 4 the legendary musashi saga is part of the japanese culture . now the japanese even arrange tours for people who love musashi to visit stop by stop of the paths that musashi once traveled . there are numberous studies on musashi , swordsmanship and his philosophy of life and death . but according to the studies , his real maturity came after the duel with ganryu on that island but not before .
this long and slow paced ' musashi ' by eiji yoshikawa was in fact written badly , there are so many irrelevent parts should be deleted , like part III , fire , from page 227 to page 290 , are all these pages would have any possibility to affect musashi's later journey ? the sword fighting scenes were also poorly portrayed . there are only several moments that were really sparked with energy . yoshikawa had tried lamely to convey the zenism and taoism in the early japanese era , characters were badly created , storyline dragged so long and uninterested in snail-like speed . page after page , chapter after chapter were wasted by zigzigging indirect prose that gave the translator , c . s . terry , even harder time to translate it into english .
the translation in general is also a huge failure , there's nothing excited by such rigid , complicated , word by word lifeless translation . it read exactly like from a foreign language , it never gave you a direct transformed feeling , you never warmed to the journey of musashi , it's every reader's responsibility to dig and filter out the meager deep meaning of what musashi might have really felt at those moment . sentences were translated in a very long , almost never-ending length . words chosen to match the japanese were often digged out from unpopular , rarely used english words , sentences were painfully and loyally translated like reading a textbook , rigid , lifeless and indirect . the translator never had the courage to miss even one japanese word in its original japanese form . the unflexible and rigid tanslation has further killed the already slow-motioned original japanese version . yes , some readers who got the japanese samurai and culture fevers would still love to dig in , read along with the slow paced translation no matter what .
well , all said , what could you expected in the 15th , 16th , or 17th centuries , of course everything is slow without speed . if we could explain and accept the flaws with such tolerance , both writer and translator would have undoubtedly done a great job .
071 4 Musashi is an epic saga based on the mythical and true life figure of Miyamoto Musashi , often talked of as the greatest samurai of all of time . The story is based in Japan during the feudal era and through the retelling of the story through many generations in Japan , Miyamoto Musashi has reached mythical proportions . The story is perhaps one of the most well know and most often retold stories in Japan having multiple releases in book form , in film form , many times on stage , as well as a mini-series nationwide . I found the story to be very reminiscent to the Louis L'Amour books I read in my youth , both of which contain great wisdom and honor . The samurai code of the individual and the cowboy's code of the west are both similar and prevalent throughout the story . I was also exceptionally intrigued with the amount of eastern history and philosophy contained in the Yoshikawa books . Musashi tells the story of Takezo through his early manhood as a wounded and defeated samurai , through his subsequent trials and tribulations , his growth into a man , his renaming as Miyamoto Musashi , his capture by a Zen monk , through his life long love for the woman Otsu , and to his mastery of the Way of the Sword and the Art of War . There is no end to the nobility in Musashi's life and the story is told in a manner that moves the heart and the spirit to want to follow the samurai's path of honor to the highest degree . Very motivating as well as entertaining and enlightening . Also note that the hardcover book of Musashi is made up of a series of five paperbacks which are sometimes hard to find . I have read a second epic novel by Yoshikawa that I found dry by comparison .
023 4 A wonderful book to read slowly through . The quiet simplicity and determination and spirit of the central character has stayed with me since reading this novel . You get a tangible feeling for the times and soul of an age past . I felt a bit let down in the end , since the book covers the first half on Musashi's life , and I wasn't ready to let the story end . I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in feudal Japan .
038 4 This epic historical novel was very enjoyable . I could not put it down . The insight into the life of the Japanese people during this time period was well presented and integrated into the story line . The exploits of the larger than life hero , the legendary swordsman Musashi , were not over the top so we got to see the human side of this man as well . Also the love story that continued throughout the book did not become the overwhelming aspect of the story line but always remained tastefully in the background .
102 4 I cound not put it down . Anyone truely interested in Samurai warriors and their way of living needs this book . Musashi was almost superhuman . His physical fighting skills and his mental tactics and abilities are unbelievable . I will treasure this book . I ordered his ' Book of 5 Rings ' while I was halfway through Musashi .
103 4 Musashi's Book is the most important epic about Japanese Martial Arts available . When you start reading it you can't stop until you reach the final . Very good book.You can't miss it .
108 4 The warrior's code is exemplified in this inspirational story
099 4 This is one great , great book . Yoshikawa takes a few liberties as he sees fit of course , but the story that comes out is beautiful enough for us not to care . From all indications anyway , it seeems that Musashi inside and outside of Japan is about as mythologized as Alexander . I was especially impressed by the transition from Takezo to Musashi , from common bully to warrior . And the build up to the climactic fights , under the spreading pine and the last one with Sasaki Kojiro , are excellent . All I wish is that I could get my hands on more books like this and this good .
043 4 I judge this novel to be overall quite enthralling . It entices and excites the reader on a multitude of levels . Romance , mysticism , spirtuality , adventure , action , and some gore thrown in for good measure , it's truly a novel of epic proportions . One can see why it is so revered in the eastern culture and spawned so many movies . This book has set me on a search for samurai swords on ebay and my first book on zen . Thanks Miyamoto ! I would have given it 5 stars instead of 4 if not for the reoccuring Osugi sub plot . Damn that old woman !
075 4 This book welled me to tears , and led me to some of the most important decisions in my life . No other book has captured the beauty of life in a better way . Such an epic saga is rare in occurence , and this should be read by everyone . It has changed the way I look at things , it has changed my mind about things i was adament about before . If you are even thinking about a good read , you must take on this series .
080 4 This is a great book not just because of the action , characters , samurai spirit , etc . , but also it gives the reader a lot of insights to the human nature and how to live a life . There are wisdom bits scattered all over the book . You can't help to feel a bit enlightened after reading this book . I recommend this book to both young and old , martial artists and non-martial artists alike . Anybody can and will benefit from reading this book . A special credit must be given to Charles S . Terry for his great translation .
088 4 Musashi is a great book that not only readers interested in Japan will enjoy , but also readers who just want a rousing read . I totally enjoyed this book . Although it sticks close to history , it is filled with enough adventure and suprising happenings to make anybody love it .
122 4 In reading Mushasi , I would be the first to admit that the novel is a bit simple . The vocabulary is uncomplicated and the depth is a bit lacking . But if you are looking for the classic Samurai adventure tale that far surpasses any anime or other stories today , than the reader should look no further than Musashi . Anyone who reads this book will have a much better time understanding the Japanese warrior code and society while have an excellant time with such a fantastic story .
137 4 Good story about one of Japans most famous samurai , but I found this story to be a little difficult to read due to its format . It was originally a serial and was condensed to a book . If you are going to study Japan or just like samurai flicks , you have to read this book , howverer , it will be a bit tedious .
138 4 Books this long need to be way more interesting or it turns into a slog , I don't care how fast you read . This one really bogged me down . I am not saying it was not a good story , it just needed to be way shorter and keep moving a lot faster .
101 4 I reccomend this book to anyone interrested in the culture of the sword from Old-World Japan . Though Yoshikawa's book is in fact fiction , the reader gets a wonderful peek into the life of a samarai durring the Tokugawa era . Musashi is a swashbuckling tale of a man in search of the true meaning of The way of the warrior . If you study the martial arts or have ever thought about it , this book is a must . If you are a student of the way of Japan , you will not be able to put it down . The book may be fictional , but the characters portrayed are real historical figures . The author is true to the nature of the people of Japan and it lets you into a bygone era that will keep you reading for more . It is a long book , but it is marvelous . Read and enjoy .
034 4 This samurai classic is absolutely the most enjoyable historical novel I have ever read . It is a wonderful book and it can be enjoyed by readers of all ages . It will be especially appreciated by those who have made their own way through personal struggle and have seen their efforts rewarded despite the self-doubts they may have experienced during the course of their personal journey . It is a great book .
045 4 A very good book on many levels . As an epic I can see why many people call this the Gone with the Wind of Japan . Its very interesting watching Musashi evolve from a young swordsman ready to show the world that no one can beat him to an elder one who appreciates beauty in paintings , flower arrangements , and tea pots but is non the less a much better fighter . There is also a philosophical part of this book which I love .
090 4 It is by far one of the most enchanting and beautiful works of art I have ever had the pleasure to set my mind to read . Illuminating , fascinating , entertaining , moving and educational , it is steeped in religious fervor as well as practical advise and wisdom . . . and not to mention the great battle of wills between kojiro and musashi ! One of the best scenes to me is that of most of the main characters meeting on a bridge on new years day . . . I highly recommend this to students of Musashi . Though I am loathe to admit it , it is better than the Samurai Trilogy only in that more stories and Side Stories are contained here-in . However the Samurail Trilogy is one of the best Trilogies out there , similar in scope to the Godfather . I totally recommend it ! Cheers !
127 4 ' Musashi ' is the best book I ever read . The book itself doesn't only keep you from not putting it down , but it does gives you something more than enjoyment . There is a soul in this book . . . something that's hard to explian . It made me go back to look at my self . This book will change those who ever read it !
120 4 Takezo turns in to Musashi in this book , transforming from a beast to a human being . With him on this journey is his sword , a wooden one which he recieved from a family of looters . With this sword he bashes his enemies ' heads in , and at the same time makes all the women swoon . This story takes place right after the battle of Sekighara , where Tokugawa Ieyasu won the right of Shogun . A definate read
069 4 The story is great , the characters are great , the action is great , and even the romance is great ! A must read .
121 4 This is my all-time favorite book . I am not one to do anything twice unless I am truly impressed . This is a book that I have read more than once and which I will keep in my library for many years to come . I first ran across the book in a used bookstore in Japan , just two months before I left the country where I was spent my childhood . I spent two days and nights reading the book . I could not put it down because it captured my imagination and my heart . For anyone who has ever fallen in love with the old Japan , that delightful culture , the unique history of the people and their customs , this is a book to treasure .
042 4 Eiji Yoshikawa did a marvelous job combining the figures from that era in Japan's history into an exciting and thought provoking book . I first read this when I was in elementary school and I must say it has partly influenced me from that point forward . It made me think about my work ethics in school and appreciate the benefits of hard work and staying focused . Now I'm a few years out of University and I still think back to the lessons I learnt from this book .
059 4 I love this book , it's an entertaining story well written and very inspirational . For some one that thinks of martial arts as a religion this book is like scripture ! I usualy hate to read books because it takes too much of my time to sit and read , but I couldn't put this book down , and though it is kind of long by the end I was wishing it was longer . Definately a must have for someone who likes samurai principals and self betterment , or just a good samurai story !
066 4 An absolutely amazing book . I couldn't put it down . It's one of those books that really has an impact . .
116 4 It is a fabolous book ! ! ! It is a kind of book that takes you to another world . The story is beautifully written and it has a great depth on human personality and passion . I must admit that I cancelled my date with a beautiful woman because of this book ! Edward Ken Tirtadarma .
119 4 What a fabulous read ! Having lived in Sagami Hara , Kujukuri , and other places on Honshu for over ten years , I could almost close my eyes and see the blood-tinged dust settling on the plains after a battle . I have read Lao Tsu's The Art of War , and was a Buddhist for a while as well . Every part of this book was just fabulous , absorbing , and I heartily recommend it to anyone and everyone who is interested in old Japan
129 4 The zen and buddhist philosophies have never been related as well before than in this book . Through the stories contained within the reader begins to understand more of the essences of enlightment and what it truly means . I felt very humbled by it , and at the same time , very happy .
Miyamoto Musashi was a real person . Proof ? He wrote the BOOK OF FIVE RINGS . In fact it's sitting on my shelf as I write . And Musashi is undoubtedly the BEST swordsman who EVER lived . Sure he killed 50 or 60 + people in his lifetime , but what is really amazing are the circumstances under which he did those things . In this book , you'll see Musashi take on an entire swordfighting school ! Guys with muskets ! Angry mobs . His guard doesn't even fall when he's in the bathtub of all places . And then there's the ending . And from what I've read , it is mostly fact . A swordfight that was SO BIG that it had to be held on a seperate island . Of course Musashi wins , otherwise he wouldn't be the best . But it's HOW he wins in that last fight . It's truly amazing . I wish more books and movies would end the way this book does . Now , I'll admit that this book is VERY LONG . 900 + pages . I even found that it moved slower than TAIKO by the same author , yet somehow I finished MUSASHI fairly quickly . So what's the plot ? A young village brat has had his first taste of war . His side lost . He goes back , gets in trouble and he ends up in a monastery or somesuchplace for 2 years . He comes out , a changed man and decides to become a swordfighter . How does he get better ? Fight others ! There are a few female characters in this book that add an extra dimension to the work . Although most of the rest of the book is traveling and fighting , at least it's varied . By the way , I have read SHOGUN , which is also a great book , but I like MUSASHI because it gives a JAPANESE perspective on how things were back then . By the way , MUSASHI starts where SHOGUN left off . Sekigahara . Apart from the ending , the other part that really sticks out in my mind in this book is the end of the first book - - earth . To me , that last paragraph or two is the best example of showing , not telling . I had to read it several times at first and I was wondering if the author knew what he was doing . Then I finally figured it out and it was BRILLIANT ! Anyway , if you're a history-buff , Japanophile , interested in sword-fighting , etc . then this book is for you !
085 4 To this day , I'm not even sure if there was a real Lancelot or if he was a fictitious character all along . But I do know this : Miyamoto Musashi was a real person . Proof ? He wrote the BOOK OF FIVE RINGS . In fact it's sitting on my shelf as I write . And Musashi is undoubtedly the BEST swordsman who EVER lived . Sure he killed 50 or 60 + people in his lifetime , but what is really amazing are the circumstances under which he did those things . In this book , you'll see Musashi take on an entire swordfighting school ! Guys with muskets ! Angry mobs . His guard doesn't even fall when he's in the bathtub of all places . And then there's the ending . And from what I've read , it is mostly fact . A swordfight that was SO BIG that it had to be held on a seperate island . Of course Musashi wins , otherwise he wouldn't be the best . But it's HOW he wins in that last fight . It's truly amazing . I wish more books and movies would end the way this book does . Now , I'll admit that this book is VERY LONG . 900 + pages . I even found that it moved slower than TAIKO by the same author , yet somehow I finished MUSASHI fairly quickly . So what's the plot ? A young village brat has had his first taste of war . His side lost . He goes back , gets in trouble and he ends up in a monastery or somesuchplace for 2 years . He comes out , a changed man and decides to become a swordfighter . How does he get better ? Fight others ! There are a few female characters in this book that add an extra dimension to the work . Although most of the rest of the book is traveling and fighting , at least it's varied . By the way , I have read SHOGUN , which is also a great book , but I like MUSASHI because it gives a JAPANESE perspective on how things were back then . By the way , MUSASHI starts where SHOGUN left off . Sekigahara . Apart from the ending , the other part that really sticks out in my mind in this book is the end of the first book - - earth . To me , that last paragraph or two is the best example of showing , not telling . I had to read it several times at first and I was wondering if the author knew what he was doing . Then I finally figured it out and it was BRILLIANT ! Anyway , if you're a history-buff , Japanophile , interested in sword-fighting , etc . then this book is for you !
097 4 ok , folks . my THIRD review of musashi . why ? i simply cannot get it out of my head ! no words can describe its beauty . no words can describe the effect it will have on your life ( and if you don't believe me , check out the reviews of my fellow readers below ) . and no words can describe the penultimate chapter the marriage which STILL makes me tremble ! much more than a book ; a life experience .
