The definitive history of the Samurai, by acclaimed author of Ninja:
1,000 Years of the Shadow Warrior
"One could ask for no better storyteller or analyst than John Man."
--Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of Jerusalem: The Biography ***
The inspiration for the Jedi knights of Star Wars and the films of
Akira Kurosawa, the legendary Japanese samurai have captured modern
imaginations. Yet with these elite warriors who were bound by a code of
honor called Bushido--the Way of the Warrior--the reality behind the
myth proves more fascinating than any fiction. In Samurai, celebrated
author John Man provides a unique and captivating look at their true
history, told through the life of one man: Saigo Takamori, known to many
as "the last samurai." In 1877 Takamori led a rebel army of samurai in a
heroic "last stand" against the Imperial Japanese Army, who sought to
end the "way of the sword" in favor of firearms and modern warfare.
Man's thrilling narrative brings to life the hidden world of the samurai
as never before.