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Learning about samurai

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jkid
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Learning about samurai

Postby jkid » November 16th, 2006 5:34 am

Hi all,
I want to learn more about the samurai class in Japan. Any book recommendations?

Thanks. :)

Bueller_007
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Re: Learning about samurai

Postby Bueller_007 » November 16th, 2006 8:15 am

jkid wrote:Hi all,
I want to learn more about the samurai class in Japan. Any book recommendations?

Thanks. :)

I've not read any of them, but from what I know, these are the standard samurai books:

Book of the Five Rings
Bushido
Hakagure
Musashi

Otherwise, I'm sure Wikipedia has a ton of information.

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jkid
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Postby jkid » November 16th, 2006 1:42 pm

I will look into these. I didn't even think of Wikipedia *wow* how very ばか of me! :)

Thanks Buellerさん 

Bueller_007
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Postby Bueller_007 » November 17th, 2006 12:11 am

Oops. It's "Hagakure", not "Hakagure".

The 47 Ronin Tale might also be a good thing to read.

Ben
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Postby Ben » November 19th, 2006 2:29 pm

Stephen Turnbull has written some excellent books on the history of the samurai.

jkid
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Postby jkid » November 21st, 2006 8:31 am

Thanks for that, his book are sure to be very helpful.

Ben
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Postby Ben » November 21st, 2006 4:56 pm

No problem, glad to be able to help! ^^

Yoshiko
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Postby Yoshiko » December 18th, 2006 11:45 am

I read 'Taiko' by Yoshikawa.

asahi_nysurf
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Postby asahi_nysurf » December 25th, 2006 6:55 am

Death in Midsummer by Mishima. :wink:

Jordi
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Postby Jordi » March 24th, 2007 4:31 pm

I'm reading Musashi by Yoshikawa right now and I must say, it's really informative! :)

Yoshiko
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Postby Yoshiko » March 25th, 2007 10:00 am

Great! I bought Musashi in a second hand bookstore. Not read it yet.

What do you think of Haruki Murakami? I read 'Umibe no Kafuka'. Well, in dutch (Kafka op het strand) ... I think in English it is 'Kafka on the beach'.
I also saw a documentary about him, 'Dinner with Murakami'.

debito
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Postby debito » March 31st, 2007 6:27 pm

Murakami-san does not write about Samurai.

If you want to learn the true ways of the bushido warrior, watch the movie "The Last Samurai"

Yoshiko
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you believe the movies? :wink:

Postby Yoshiko » April 1st, 2007 1:11 pm

I know Murakami doesn't write about samurai. OK, maybe its a bit off-topic.
I've got the DVD of The last samurai and also saw it in the cinema. But I think Tom should have died. :evil: and it's too Hollywood. If you want to know something about samurai, this movie is just a start.
I recommend 'Gohatto' :lol:
Anyway, the books mentioned above are much more useful, like 'Go rin no sho', like Bueller-san said. (Book of five rings)

debito
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Postby debito » April 1st, 2007 10:34 pm

Gohatto? I wouldn't recommend such a homo-erotic pretty boy film for anyone learning about Samurai. Check out Akira Kurosawa's films. Thanks.

Yoshiko
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Postby Yoshiko » April 2nd, 2007 8:51 am

Did you see the smiley? I said it because The Last Samurai is this 'great hero' epic kind of movie.

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