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Rating: 
Summary: Buy it for the pictures
Review: I agree with Marc Winter's review. I had hoped that the book would contain old photographs of samurai with artificial coloring, but instead, the book was filled with modern day photographs. Nonetheless, I enjoyed looking through the book. The pictures make good reference material for conceptual, illustrative artwork, which is why I bought the book in the first place. It could have used more pictures to make up for its lack of authenticity, but I was happy with the numerous photographs provided.
The written-text is an interesting read as well. It discusses many different aspects of samurai, such as their overall history, military strategies, fashion trends of certain periods, weaponry, how to put on armor, etc. The book contains a good number of fun facts as well. It's not a heavy read, but it's very detailed.
Rating: 
Summary: Great book
Review: This book covers the Samurai pretty well. Unlike alot of the other books I've seen, this book covers all samurai periods from the earliest to the latest. If goes fairly in depth with armor and weapons giving accurate dates to everything. Loads of colour photos and drawings.
This should be the first book you buy on Samurai, even though it may not be you're last. Will impress non-beginers as well.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Summary of Samurai history and equipment
Review: This book is an excellent summary of samurai history, equipment and tactics. Of the Samurai books I've read, this is the best overall treatment. The author covers each major period with a general description of the history of the period. He then provides profuse illustrations, battle maps, photos of reenactors and surviving artifacts. It has the clear and easy to understand description and drawings of samurai armor. The photos of reenactors are really great. They really bring the subject to life. The historical narative is brief and covers just the basics of the complex maneuvering, diplomacy and warfare that was characteristic for this period. Hard core researchers will probably find this thin,. But for a reader interested in a solid overview of the period, this book is great.
Rating:
Summary: Another worth while book on samurai....
Review: This book is excellent and goes into good detail about samurai, warrior monks, warfare, armour and arms, etc. The Illustrations are great. If only other history specific books could be as informative has this.
Rating: 
Summary: Poor scholarship without historical pictures
Review: This is a coffes table book at its best: nice format, high quality paper and illustrations, thus the two stars.
The contents though are mainly photos from a Japanese festival where modern day Japanese history buffs wear reproductions of uniforms. There are no historic armors, the historic swords are only depicted in the sheaths, and the old photo of the warrior on the front is the only historic photo.
So you get a fair idea about today's reception of Samurai period Japan among Japan's clerks, but there is more to a warrior than the clothes - the look in their eyes for instance. Imagine a history of the Civil War with no pictures from the 1860, but rather only photos taken at the re-enactment that takes place in Gettysburg every once in a while.
The text written around the pictures is not very high standard scholarship, but rather "history lessons for foreigners", which really is not so surprising, since the author is a surgeon. Not baldy written, but sort of what you get from the introductory section of a well-written travel guide (more detailled though).
Rating:
Summary: Guy with too much time
Review: This is a great book about the history of samurai and there role in shaping Japanese history. It details key eras, and battles thus it also has lots of colored pictures and diagrams of campaigns, and few battle diagrams. Anyone who is trying to find out more about the armor of the differnt peiods should also check this book out cause it has tons of pictures of armor and names all the parts (note: it doesn't tell you how to make it though)and it explains alot about how the different families in Japan shaped the land. From the rise of the Samurai class to the Edo period and it even has a part about the Sengoku-Jidai or the age of the country at war (basically a huge 100 year long civil war)
A must have for people who prefer the samurai over the knight or if you just like the samurai.
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