Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai

I ordered this book hoping to gain an insight into the Japanese mindset. It did this admirably. Obviously, an island culture is insular, and around 800 AD CE they lapsed into a culture that glorified the warrior, and not the scholar. This background is still apparent in Japanese culture. If you are interested in Bushido, and the attendant culture that goes with it, I recommend.

This work is from the memoirs of an enlightened soul . written some 600 years ago, still applies to every day life in the 21st century. Better than any "self help" book on the market. It's a self help guide, to peace - integrity - and enlightenment of our soul . Seen through eyes of a free spirit, indentured to service. living by a code

This review is only for this edition. The text has many transcription errors. It looks like it was OCR'd and never read through to catch all the mistakes. I recommend buying a different version. If I hadn't waited so long to read this, I'd return it.

This particular eBook translation - the $0.99 one - is rife with errors in both spelling, translation, and formatting. Bargain bin prices for a reason.

==

I liked the little bits of philosophy in Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai. This book is where those quotes were pulled from, and I was very interested in reading it.

Aside from the occasional bit of weird commentary, this book does have a lot of interesting lessons from the perspective of a lifelong servant. This is a book that doesn't just teach you what it means to serve - it teaches you what it means to live a life of service.

The book itself is also very sturdy and can take quite a bit of abuse. I've spilled a drink on the cover once or twice, I've dropped it... hell, I used it as a coaster, once. And it still lasts to this day. I've since given it away as a gift and I'll be buying it again when I can get a reprint of the same size and quality.

This book must be read with careful consideration of whom the author was, with this in mind, Tsunetomo offers the modern person a series of views applicable to modern life. It is a reference of ancient eastern philosophy which brings peace to me when I read it.

This ebook is filled with typographical errors and incorrect automated word replacement errors. I seriously doubt that it was ever proofread. Yes, the ebook is inexpensive, but the sloppy errors are a disservice to the author, subject, the store, and reader.

This is one of the absolute best treatises on Bushido and the Way of the Samurai. For understanding their philosophy one cannot do better than this simple volume. I highly recommend it. It is such a classic that it is best owned in hardback...and varycarefully read and studied.

I seldom write reviews but this digital book is terrible. I read Hagakure 20 years ago and it was a great introduction to the Samurai code. I remember thinking that if more people lived according to these guidelines our society would be very different and much more ethical. Watching the corruption in Washington and the lack of ethics on Wall Street made me want to re-read Hagakure. It's ironic that a book that describes and defines how to live an honorable life could be so dishonored by it's publisher. I have a feeling that Tsunetomo would not be very pleased with this version of his work.

Sign of the times I guess, no one cares about making a good product if there is a quick buck to be made.

This book honestly was not enjoyable whatsoever it basically talks about how the samurai were ruthless and violent people and would kill others for the simplest things in order to protect their honor. All the book is about is basically samurai killing others and how if their honor was blemished they would then commit suicide . I lost count how many people I read here that committed suicide. Beyond boring. Wouldn’t accept this book even if it were given to me free in the future

Second time buying this over the years.

To know what Hagakure is, one must first understand what it is not. This is not a life manual for the samurai. This is not the key to the ancient knowledge of self, nor does it claim to be. This is not something that you should directly apply to modern life, nor does it ask you to.

I can't tell you what this book will be for you. For me it's a window into another time, what Tsunetomo was trying to express in this text still comes through, and the contemplative aspects of these passages can help to enhance your perspective. History is always to be respected, analyzed, and critiqued, this book is no different. Take from it what you will

The spelling errors start at the cover and you lose count of them by page 8. This book is just a print on demand piece of junk. No one has bothered to proofread this thing at any point. I tried to email them about returning my copy and no one ever responded. It's a fake. Save your money.

This book has gained its notoriety from Jim Jarmusch's excellent movie "Ghost Dog - The Way of the Samurai". Personally, I would purchase this book anyway, because I'm fascinated about the samurai and their philosophy. I love it.

This is a deeply profound piece of literature. I highly recommend it to anyone that is interested in bettering themselves as an individual and genuinely wishes to live a live of sencerity, selflessness and service.

This is not just for your martial artist or Samurai enthusiast. Much like the Art of War is prized by todays business men. The Hagakure can be incorporated into your daily view on life. Easy to follow book that may stay with you long after you read it.