Tokugawa Ieyasu: Shogun

Rating:
Summary: Good introduction to Ieyasu
Review: I found this book to be an excellent introductory book on the life and time of Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate which lasted for nearly 250 years. Since the author don't make any bones that this is just an introductory work, I am judging on his intent, which was just write a simple biography which will be readable and understandable to the English speaking population. I think he accomplished his goals quite admirably and anyone who have any interest in this man cannot go wrong in starting out reading this book.

Rating:
Summary: What are you looking for?
Review: If you are looking for a readable bio of Tokugawa Ieyasu in English, you have found one in Totman's. However, this is a rather lightweight historical work. Much of it was copied from a Japanese text, and the author admits this. Unfortunately, pickings on Tokugawa in English are slim. General works on Japan's 16th century are better. I recommend Boxer's The Christian Century in Japan, Elison's collection Warlords, Artists, and Commoners, and Sansom's A History of Japan: 1334-1615. They give a clearer picture of the times.

Rating:
Summary: Written with Sympathy - good and easy read
Review: This book is a biography of one of the most interesting men in history of Japan and the whole mankind. Tokugawa Ieyasu created the order which outlasted him for several generations and which in its stability was something so many talented warriors and politicians (due to the character of age in question - Sengoku Jidai - everyone had to be a little bit of both) aimed at, but did not succeed.

This books explores many very interesting and important subjects in realities of that age such as "marriage politics", means of securing peace with neighbours (such as, among others, exchange with hostages) and some military campaigns. But most of all, the book concentrates on one subject which is the personality of this extraordinary individual. As the author states in Acknowledgements, the book was not intended to be a definitive scholarly study and it is based on one source only - Ieyasuden by Professor Nakamura, the authority on this subject.

This book is very good as a stand-alone reading and to read in conjunction with other books on this subject (e.g., books by Stephen Turnbull for military aspects and Campbridge history of Japan for socio-economic depth).