Rating: 
Summary: A dreamy coming of age novel
Review: The book describes a year in a young man's life as he encounters the perplexing unfolding web of three other lives in Japan in the late 1930's. The story has much to say between the lines if one ponders the issues. It creates a peaceful delicate atmosphere - very much like the garden of the title of the book. In my opinion it was poorly written in a sharp directed fashion from a young man's viewpoint lacking in poetic depth and substance. I cannot recommend the book unless you have plenty of time on your hands with the ultimate goal of reading everything that ever gets published.
Rating: 
Summary: A beautiful masterpiece with the power to change lives
Review: Gail Tsukiyama is a masterful and wondrous storyweaver. The tale of Stephen and Matsu-san is a wonderful story of life, love, acceptance, forgiveness, and the power of all living things. By the second section I was captivated by the strong and silent character Matsu-san. And as I heard the despair of Sachi-san's life, in the section of 'Spring', and the terror that she lived through, I could not keep the tears from falling. This book helped me realize so many things about myself. I find that it teaches so much as the legends of characters unfold. I will keep their stories close to my heart ALWAYS. I would reccommend this book to absolutely every person on the planet. It moved me soo much! It is not only my favorite book. It is like a sudden realization of life and what is most important in life.
Rating:
Summary: This book is beautiful
Review: This is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. The character development was paced beautifully and the storyline was heartfelt. I was moved to tears at the end. I would recommend this book to anyone. I loved it and am sad to have it end. I just loved Stephen, Matsu and Sachi.
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Summary: Beautifully written - honestly could not put it down.
Review: This book drew of every emotion within me. It is a story of lonliness,growth, courage, goodness, and love. I recommend this book to EVERYONE. Steph 17yrs
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Summary: A Heart-warming novel of human virtues and character.
Review: This novel was a 50th birthday gift from a favorite cousin and one of my all time favorite books. As I read it, I was impressed with a peaceful and healing feeling in my soul. The wonderful characters became so real and I was there in the different beautiful gardens of the Japanese seashore watching the lovely young man learn from his elders some amazing things that make life so precious and sweet. What a truly beautifully written sweet story "The Samurai's Garden" is and I am sending it to my child-hood friend who is turning 50 this year, also.
Rating:
Summary: Fiction, Poetry and Inner Peace
Review: This book is, without a doubt, the most beautiful piece of writing I have ever read. On a literary note the writing is wonderful and the story is captivating. On an emotional level, the depths to which the author takes both you and her characters is fascinating.Every year, my friends receive the book that has meant the most to me the previous year. This year, small, brown-paper wrapped SG's will be crossing the land.
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Summary: I was completely drawn in
Review: I was unable to put this book down. I was immediately drawn into the characters and couldn't wait to find out their history. I also found the time period very interesting as I was not familiar with a lot of the history between the Japanese and Chinese in WWII.
Rating:
Summary: A beautiful novel
Review: This book was wonderful! As a person interested in China and Japan, this was a perfect book to read. It gave insights into both of their cultures, as well as what World War II was really like for the people in those countries. It was a very easy and enjoyable read. Simply a great book!
Rating:
Summary: A novel about the transformative power of courage and beauty
Review: Gail Tsukiyama's "The Samurai's Garden" is an extraordinarily moving tale about the transformation of human lives through pain and sadness to beauty and dignity. The movement of the language is like a soft focus picture coming into sharper focus. The author handles telling scenes so simply and poetically because they are universal themes of loss, longing, and of belonging to a community. Most vivid are Sachi's scene in the ocean with the other leprosy victims from her village, and the pearl diver story of Sachi's first caregiver, Michiko. With the latter, Michiko's life is revealed in 4 or 5 pages, and I was moved to tears by this character's remarkable selflessness, capacity to love, and faith in the goodness and rightness of things despite the horrendous disfiguring disease she suffered from. Gail Tsukiyama is a worthy successor to my favorite Japanese author, Yasunari Kawabata. Stephen's story is rendered warm and humane.
Rating:
Summary: A coming of age book; explores duality in Japanese culture.
Review: As other reviewers have stated, this is a hauntingly beautiful story of the coming-of-age of the protagonist, Stephen. While recovering from tuberculosis, he becomes initiated into the world of adult relationships-- including infidelity, unrequited love (and lust), betrayal, and despair. Tsukiyama also explores the puzzling (to my Western mind) duality in Japanese culture, the blend of serene harmony with a brutality that led to rape of Nanking and many other atrocities. An extraordinary story that I never wanted to end.
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