A delightfully readable translation of the classic manifesto on
swordsmanship, strategy, and winning by the legendary samurai Miyamoto
Musashi.
Along with Sun Tzu's "The Art of War, The Book of Five Rings" is
considered to be one of the most insightful texts on the subtle arts of
confrontation and victory to emerge from Asia. Composed in 1643 by the
famed duelist and undefeated samurai Miyamoto Musashi, "The Book of Five
Rings" analyzes the process of struggle and mastery over conflict that
underlies every level of human interaction. For Musashi, the way of the
martial arts was a mastery of the mind rather than simply technical
prowess--and it is this path to mastery that is the core teaching in
"The Book of Five Rings." This brilliant manifesto is written not only
for martial artists but for anyone who wants to apply the timeless
principles of this text to their life.
William Scott Wilson's translation of "The Book of Five Rings" is
faithful to the original seventeenth-century Japanese text while also
being wonderfully clear and readable. His scholarship and insight into
the deep meaning of this classic are evident in his fine introduction
and illuminating notes to the text.
