The Lone Samurai: The Life Of Miyamoto Musashi

Rating:
Summary: End of the myth
Review: For most Americans, Eiji Yoshikawa's fictional novel, Musashi continued to be the most vivid view of this legendary samurai warrior, Miyamoto Musashi. Yoshikawa's image of Musashi proves to be hard to shake. To reinforced that image, the three "Samurai Trilogy" movies starring Toshiro Mifune which was based on Yoshikawa's book, totally popularized Yoshikawa's Musashi. This is mostly due to the fact that Yoshikawa's book is probably the only book in the English language that dealt with Musashi's life in detail and even came out in popular paperback series in the 1990s. However, thanks to Wilson's new book, that is no longer the case.

The Lone Samurai is the first English language biography on Miyamoto Musashi ever published. The book is highly readable, informative and considering the limited primary sources, pretty well researched. I seem to get the feeling that the author was trying to do his best to debunked the popular Yoshikawa's Musashi to the real man and his life. Musashi as a real man, still remains somewhat of a mystery to most historians. The book really isn't that thick and its pretty reflective on the lack of information on the subject. However, the author was pretty successful in presenting the facts in the simplist and most effective way possible for American readers for whom Japanese history, zen and culture may be bit confusing. I also enjoyed the maps presented in the book, one which traces Musashi's journey through life which I thought to be well designed.

One of the few weaknesses I thought the book could used was that it could have probably used some diagrams illustrating Musashi's style and what make it stand out so much. If anyone out there have seen that movie "Kill Bill Vol. 1", Lucy Liu's character start her fight against Uma Thurman in a classical Musashi style.

I should also point out that there isn't that much background information on Musashi's time period in this book so it would help if the reader have little background on the late Sengoku Period of Japan and the Tokugawa take over.

Overall, a well written and highly informative book on the life and time of Miyamoto Musashi, one of Japan's premier experts on swordmanship and concepts that goes behind it.

Rating:
Summary: Personage of Musashi with Accurately Described Japan
Review: I think this book sould have done a better job addressing the reading needs of both Western and non-Western readers. This book should have been targeted to both Japanese intellects who can read English and non-Japanese intellects who can read some Japanese and Chinese texts. As a Japanese reader who can read English, I found myself frustrated as I read it.

It should have dauntlessly had more Japanese texts in parentheses to supplement the understanding and facilitate the further readings for the above mentioned readers. The book already has a glossary and notes with Japanese texts just for some terminologies, but in a sporadic way. The incomplete insertion of Japanese texts, as odd bits of information, created an inconvenience to Japanese readers. Those words in italic all should have had Japanese texts in parentheses. Those were Buddhism terminologies, names of people, and old literatures, and I was unable to identify the exact kanji(Chinese) for some words due to the poor references in Japanese texts even though I am a native Japanese reader.

If you can read Japanese, Amazon Japan (www.amazon.co.jp) has reviews on this same book, and you can find the same complaints described as a weakness of this book. This weakness, however, is a small weakness and does not cause me to value this book any less.

I had skeptically read this book, considering the author being non-Japanese. However, I must conclude that the author describes Japanese culture and history quite accurately. The degree of his understanding of Japan deserves a high respect. To those who have a strong interest in Japan, not limited to martial arts, will find plenty of information in this book, for history, politics, religion, philosophy, culture, and art, as well as Miyamoto Musashi's portrait, are dealt with in this book. However, I would assume readers who are casual martial arts fans may find it difficult to read. I find it more elaborate than I thought. However, I assure that any reader will learn something out of this book.

Rating:
Summary: True Story of a Legend
Review: In the 43 films about Musashi, he has developed a near mythological standing. The book he wrote, The Book of Five Rings, is available in at least a dozen editions in English, and many, many more in various languages. It is a standard text on modern Japanese corporate management. Modern implies that it was written a bit more recently than four centuries ago. But it was published just before his death in 1645.

This is an extensively researched book. Musashi left only a few sentences regarding his own life. Original sources used for this book included: the monument inscribed with the story of his life that was erected by his sone in 1645 to the Nitenki; a compilation of stories about Musashi and his disciples published in 1755; various clan records that were touched by Musashi's presence. This is easily the most accurate depiction of Musashi's life to date.

Rating:
Summary: A superlatively written biography of a truly remarkable man
Review: In The Lone Samurai: The Life Of Miyamoto Musashi, William Scott Wilson draws upon his considerable expertise as a preeminent translator of classic samurai texts to write an original biography of the legendary Japanese swordsman who lived and fought in 17th century feudal Japan. For some four hundred years, Musashi has been one of Japan's most revered historical figures. Since 1908 there have been 43 films produced about him. Fighting more than 60 duels from the age of 13 to the age of 29, Musashi was undefeated at the end of his career as a samurai. He was best noted for his skill at handling two swords at once. Uniquely, in nearly all of his matches, Musashi used a wooden sword instead of a metal blade. In addition to his swordsmanship, Musashi designed castle towns with an eye towards defense and within these castles, he is noted for designing Zen temple gardens as well. Musashi was also a respected ink wash painter and many of his painting are still in existence. The ultimate Japanese equivalent of a Renaissance man, Musashi excelled in calligraphy, sculpture, metallurgy, poetry, tea ceremony, Noh drama, and carpentry. Enthusiastically recommended reading, The Lone Samurai is the superlatively written biography of a truly remarkable man.



Rating:
Summary: The historical Musashi
Review: Miyamoto Musashi, like Billy the Kid, Rob Roy MacGregor and Robin Hood, is a historical figure who has become so obscured by fictionalized accounts and romantic dramas that it is difficult to separate fact from fancy. In "The Lone Samurai: The Life of Miyamoto Musashi," William Scott Wilson has stripped the legends away and presents a true historical account of the wandering swordsman, artist and philosopher. In this instance, the history is no less interesting than the fantasy.

Wilson, who has an impressive resume when dealing with Musashi and the Samurai, having translated Samurai works such as "Hagakure," "The Life-Giving Sword" as well as Musashi's own "The Book of Five Rings," presents us with a "Real Live Human Being." He has sifted through the various conflicting history books and biased clan records, investigated the several "confirmed" birth places and graves of Musashi, and logically assembled an accurate history of the man, his philosophy and his biography. From his first lethal match at 13, to the famous duel at Ganryu Island that was to secure Musashi's place in history, followed by his later years refining his technique and maturing into the warrior-poet who would write "The Book of Five Rings," secluded in an isolated cave on the grounds of a Buddhist temple, Musashi's complete life is detailed.

More than Musashi the warrior, it is clearly the seemingly contradictory image of Musashi the philosopher and artists that interests Wilson the most. Of Musashi's 60 duels, only the most important are given any coverage, but several of his paintings and works of art are analyzed in-depth, discussing both the skill Musashi had with an ink brush as well as the Zen Buddhist philosophies backing each piece. Backgrounds are given on the various art styles, including an analysis of the kanji (Chinese characters) that make up each art form. Perhaps he felt that Musashi the warrior had received enough attention from other sources, but the artists needed a bit more spotlighting. It does make one wish for a Musashi art book, detailing his works.

Wilson does assume some familiarity regarding Japanese history and Musashi's life on the part of the reader. Such things as the Waring States period, familiar to anyone who knows Japanese history, are not explained but are put forward as common knowledge. There is some interesting analysis of the kanji for the various names of the warriors, and Wilson shows how, in spite of the books title, Musashi was not an actual Samurai at all, as he never served a lord. Musashi was a bushi, a warrior.

In addition to the main text, Wilson includes some fascinating appendixes, juxtaposing the legend of Musashi as told in Kabuki plays, movies and Yoshikawa Eiji's famous book with the accurate history. Also of interest is a comparison of the philosophies of "The Book of Five Rings" with similar tomes such as Sun Tzu's "The Art of War."

All of this is packed into a fairly slim and highly readable book. A definite must have for anyone interested in Japan's greatest legend, Miyamoto Musashi.


Rating:
Summary: Well Done!
Review: This was a spur of the moment purchase to take with me on an airplane. Boy am I glad I picked it up! The book is fast paced and interesting. The author has done fantastic historical research, very accurate. It reads more like an adventure novel than a work of non-fiction. I'm really impressed!

William Scott Wilson spends the first half of the book chronicling the extraordinary life of Miyamoto Musashi, arguably the best swordsman who ever lived. This portion is intriguing and insightful. The second half covers much of what I have already seen in other adaptations of Musashi's famous Book of Five Rings. Since I already knew that material I found it somewhat less interesting than the first half, but well above average. Overall, it's a great read.

Lawrence Kane
Author of Martial Arts Instruction: Applying Educational Theory and Communication Techniques in the Dojo


Rating:
Summary: Very good
Review: What first attracted me to this book was the cover illustration although the one that i own has a different image of musashi on it. When i began to read the book it was hard for me to put it down. Wilson does a very good job of presenting the life of Musashi to the reader. Included in this book is a map and a section of notes that help you to follow and understand every one of Musashi travels. According to Wilson himself the difficult aspect of writing a biography on Musashi is that not much was known about the man however through his studies Wilson carefully weaves the story of this man together. His approach is very realistic in the sense that there are no parts of the book that made me think that a particular incident could not have happened. Also included towards the end of the book were sections from the art of war and the book of five rings including others in which Wilson compares and contrasts the work of Musashi to other well respected men. If you have an interest in Musashi or just admire the samurai pick it up.