4 stars (Good Book, worth owning) - I'm glad I bought this book, not only for it's historical significance, but also to be able to continuously refer back to it for refreshing. While I really enjoyed the first two chapters (also the longest), it started to get long-winded towards the end. This is still a very quick read and worth it's price. Two parts of the book bring up a sensitive subject (which I won't spoil) which surprisingly seemed to be a fairly common way of life for samurai. No, I'm not talking about ritual suicide, or some of their strong beliefs in honor and service, but instead something that 99% of us I'd wager never would associate with Samurai lifestyles. While unsettling, it's worthwhile learning the truths about their habits without over-glorification. Certainly a classic book which has the potential to enspire everyone to reach for their full potential. 3 stars (Hagakure for beginners) - As the title of my review suggests, I think this book makes a good introductory text for someone who doesn't have a lot of time to dedicate to studying bushido, someone who is just getting acclimated to the new way of thinking, or someone who is merely curious. The positives: -Each quotation is clearly titled and indexed, making it easy to find and reference specific quotes regarding specific topics. -Some translations have been changed to better accomodate the literal English-speaking reader. The negatives: -Short. It is only a small sampling of the wisdom of Hagakure. -While the modified translations will help English speakers avoid some of the pitfalls associated with reading from a different cultural context, they are also an incomplete and sometimes shallow understanding of the text. Again, as an introductory text this one is a good one. For a better, more complete translation of Hagakure, look for the one by William Scott Wilson. It is one of my favorite texts, though I will admit that when pressed for a quotation on short notice, I will still o... Square One Publishers :: Philosophy :: Mind & Body :: Martial Arts & Self-Defense :: Japanese Philosophy :: Ethics & Moral Philosophy :: Eastern - General :: Early works to 1800 :: Bushido :: :: Bushido- The Way of the Samurai (Square One Classics)
