History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

The Lone Samurai: The Life of Miyamoto Musashi

Average customer rating:

Art and spiritual balance warrior image
NEVER read anything about musashi
One of the only books I have ever read cover to cover.
A great life.
If Musashi were alive today, THIS would be the biography HE would recommend.

The Lone Samurai: The Life of Miyamoto Musashi
William Scott Wilson
Manufacturer: Kodansha International
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Similar Items:

The Book of Five Rings
Miyamoto Musashi: His Life and Writings
The Unfettered Mind: Writings of the Zen Master to the Sword Master
Hagakure: The Book of the Samauri
The Life-Giving Sword: The Secret Teachings From the House of the Shogun

ASIN: 477002942X

Book Description

The Lone Samurai is a landmark biography of Miyamoto Musashi, the legendary Japanese figure known throughout the world as a master swordsman, spiritual seeker, and author of The Book of Five Rings. With a compassionate yet critical eye, William Scott Wilson delves into the workings of
Musashi's mind as the iconoclastic samurai wrestled with philosophical and spiritual ideas that are as relevant today as they were in his times. Musashi found peace and spiritual reward in seeking to perfect his chosen Way, and came to realize that perfecting a single Way, no matter the path, could
lead to fulfillment. The Lone Samurai is far more than a vivid account of a fascinating slice of feudal Japan. It is the story of one man's quest for answers, perfection, and access to the Way.

By age thirteen, Miyamoto Musashi had killed his opponent in what would become the first of many celebrated swordfights. By thirty, he had fought more than sixty matches, losing none. He would live another thirty years but kill no one else. He continued to engage in swordfights but now began to show
his skill simply by thwarting his opponents' every attack until they acknowledged Musashi's all-encompassing ability. At the same time, the master swordsman began to expand his horizons, exploring Zen Buddhism and its related arts, particularly ink painting, in a search for a truer Way.

Musashi was a legend in his own time. As a swordsman, he preferred the wooden sword and in later years almost never fought with a real weapon. He outfoxed his opponents or turned their own strength against them. At the height of his powers, he began to evolve artistically and spiritually, becoming
one of the country's most highly regarded ink painters and calligraphers, while deepening his practice of Zen Buddhism. He funneled his hard-earned insights about the warrior arts into his spiritual goals. Ever the solitary wanderer, Musashi shunned power, riches, and the comforts of a home or fixed
position with a feudal lord in favor of a constant search for truth, perfection, and a better Way. Eventually, he came to the realization that perfection in one art, whether peaceful or robust, could offer entry to a deeper, spiritual understanding. His philosophy, along with his warrior strategies,
is distilled in his renowned work, The Book of Five Rings, written near the end of his life.

Musashi remains a source of fascination for the Japanese, as well as for those of us in the West who have more recently discovered the ideals of the samurai and Zen Buddhism. The Lone Samurai is the first biography ever to appear in English of this richly layered, complex seventeenth-century
swordsman and seeker, whose legacy has lived far beyond his own time and place.

---------------------------------------------------------------- INTERVIEW WITH WILLIAM SCOTT WILSON ABOUT BUSHIDO

Q.: What is Bushido?

A.: Bushido might be explained in part by the etymology of the Chinese characters used for the word. Bu comes from two radicals meanings "stop" and "spear." So even though the word now means "martial" or "military affair," it has the sense of stopping aggression. Shi can mean "samurai," but also
means "gentleman" or "scholar." Looking at the character, you can see a man with broad shoulders but with his feet squarely on the ground. Do, with the radicals of head and motion, originally depicted a thoughtful way of action. It now means a path, street or way. With this in mind, we can
understand Bushido as a Way of life, both ethical and martial, with self-discipline as a fundamental tenet. Self-discipline requires the warrior at once to consider his place in society and the ethics involved, and to forge himself in the martial arts. Both should eventually lead him to understand
that his fundamental opponents are his own ignorance and passions.

Q.: How did the code develop and how did it influence Japanese society?

A.: The warrior class began to develop as a recognizable entity around the 11th and 12th centuries. The leaders of this class were often descended from the nobility, and so were men of education and breeding. I would say that the code developed when the leaders of the warrior class began to reflect
on their position in society and what it meant to be a warrior. They first began to write these thoughts down as yuigon, last words to their descendents, or as kabegaki, literally "wall writings," maxims posted to all their samurai. Samurai itself is an interesting word, coming from the classical
saburau, "to serve." So when we understand that a samurai is "one who serves," we see that the implications go much farther than simply being a soldier or fighter.

Also, it is important to understand that Confucian scholars had always reflected on what it meant to be true gentleman, and they concluded that such a man would be capable of both the martial and literary. The Japanese inherited this system of thought early on, so certain ideals were already
implicitly accepted.

The warrior class ruled the country for about 650 years, and their influence-political, philosophical and even artistic-had a long time to percolate throughout Japanese society.

Q.: The Samurai were very much renaissance men - they were interested in the arts, tea ceremony, religion, as well as the martial arts. What role did these interests play in the development of Bushido? How did the martial arts fit in?

A.: This question goes back to the Confucian ideal of balance that Japanese inherited, probably from the 7th century or so. The word used by both to express this concept, for the "gentleman" by the Chinese and the warrior by Japanese, is (hin), pronounced uruwashii in Japanese, meaning both
"balanced" and "beautiful." The character itself is a combination of "literature" (bun) and "martial" (bu). The study of arts like Tea ceremony, calligraphy, the study of poetry or literature, and of course the martial arts of swordsmanship or archery, broadened a man's perspective and understanding
of the world and, as mentioned above, provided him with a vehicle for self-discipline. The martial arts naturally were included in the duties of a samurai, but this did not make them any less instructive in becoming a full human being.

Q.: What was sword fighting like? Was the swordplay different for different samurai?

A.: There were literally hundreds of schools of samurai swordsmanship by the 1800's and, as previously mentioned, each school emphasized differing styles and approaches. Some would have the student to jump and leap, others to keep his feel solidly on the ground; some would emphasize different ways
of holding the sword, others one method only. One school stated that technical swordsmanship took second place to sitting meditation. Historically speaking, there were periods when much of the swordfighting was done on horseback, and others when it was done mostly on foot. Also, as the shape and
length of the sword varied through different epochs, so did styles of fighting. Then I suppose that a fight between men who were resolved to die would be quite different from a fight between men who were not interested in getting hurt.

Q.: How is the code reflected in Japanese society today?

A.: When I first came to live in Japan in the 60's, I was impressed how totally dedicated and loyal people were to the companies where they were employed. When I eventually understood the words samurai and saburau, it started to make sense. While these men (women would usually not stay long with a
company, giving up work for marriage) did not carry swords of course, they seemed to embody that old samurai sense of service, duty, loyalty and even pride. This may sound strange in our own "me first" culture, but it impressed me that the company had sort of taken the place of a feudal lord, and
that the stipend of the samurai had become the salary of the white-collar worker.M

That is on the societal level. On an individual level, I have often felt that Japanese have a strong resolution, perhaps from this cultural background of Bushido, to go through problems rather than around them. Persistence and patience developed from self-discipline?

Customer Reviews:

Art and spiritual balance warrior image.......2007-01-13

Being a novice student of both the martial arts and Japanese culture and history (though I have a good collection of Japanese swords--fueling much of my interest in both the above subjects), I found Wilson's book both readable and enlightnening. I have read "The Book of Five Rings" three or four times, but after reading "The Lone Samurai" it is much more meaningful to me.

The best contribution of Wilson's book is his emphasis on Musashi the artist. I did not know previously that Musashi is also known not only as a great swordsman (and strategist), but is one of Japan's greatest artists in the india ink painting style. It is easy to see Wilson's point about the similarity between the total commitment of a deadly sword strike and the brush stroke of non-erasable ink. (This comparison also explains and qualifies one of Musashi's most famous and apparently mistranslated quotes from "The Book of Five Rings": "The way of the warrior and the way of the pen are the same." It should read, "the way of the warrior and the way of the BRUSH," which is more accurate if not quite so profound and philosophical-sounding.)

I was also very interested to learn for the first time that of Musashi's famous "over sixty duels" in fact most of them were not to the death. This, and the extensive discussion of Musashi's art, make him seem much less the grim fanatic that sometimes dominates Musashi's image.

Don't be fooled, therefore, by the inappropriately lurid style of the book's cover art! This is not another sensational/specialized publication for the macho martial artist and samurai wannabees. (I delayed buying this book for years because I was so put off by the misleading cover.) "The Lone Samurai" is actually and elegant and respectful study, written in a way that balances thorough scholarship with affection and readability.

My only criticism (other than the book's cover) is what other reviewers have noted already: Wilson could have included a chapter, or expanded parts of the existing book to include more context about the history and culture of Japan, especially during Musashi's time. However, this did not keep me from being able to follow the basic "plot" of the book.

Also, this is not really a "288-page" book. Wilson has tried hard (and fairly) to flesh out the limited factual material available with interesting comparative sources, but be advised that the actual biography is less than 165 pages, including analysis of Musashi's "Principles."

NEVER read anything about musashi.......2007-01-02

He is too lifted... like a god... who says it's all true what he has done, ok ok... he must have done a lot... but i guess he wasn't the only one around there... he even got beaten too.. is that written in there...

Always mushashi this and that... i don't mean disrespect here...

But write me another book please about other samurais that time... without upholding the facemask of the japanese !!!

Like, what do we know about jinsuke shigenobu... minamoto no yoshimitsu... and lots and lots of others...

you won't fool me by telling he did it al by himself...

One of the only books I have ever read cover to cover........2006-11-12

The best part of this book is the fact that the author does not pretend to KNOW everything. He lays out his opinion, which I usually agreed with, but also will lay out what other people have interpreted things as. He has laid this out in a matter that makes the
works and writing of Musashi so easy to understand and relate to. The Book of Five Rings is a piece of work that is meant to make us think and practice the strategies over and over again. This book gives an easy way for the beginner to the expert to relate to and open ideas about Musashi's writing and ideas

A great life........2006-11-03

What an interesting life this guy led. Read it, and do likewise. If you dare :-)

If Musashi were alive today, THIS would be the biography HE would recommend........2006-08-20

In a rare blend of historical authenticity and superior storytelling, William Scott Wilson has condensed a plethora of information into a very exciting biography about one of the most unique and extraordinary warriors in history. The author has an uncanny ability to sift through his sources and distill them into an intoxicating brew of riveting narrative and full-bodied characters in a book that is impossible to put down.

The Taming of the Samurai: Honorific Individualism and the Making of Modern Japan

Average customer rating:

Fascinating historical analysis...
Excellent, but not for the novice
A modern classic, essential to understanding Japan
Sociological Emphasis

The Taming of the Samurai: Honorific Individualism and the Making of Modern Japan
Eiko Ikegami
Manufacturer: Harvard University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Bonds of Civility: Aesthetic Networks and the Political Origins of Japanese Culture (Structural Analysis in the Social Sciences)
Musui's Story: The Autobiography of a Tokugawa Samurai
Legends of the Samurai
Chushingura (The Treasury of Loyal Retainers): A Puppet Play
The Tales of the Heike (Translations from the Asian Classics)

ASIN: 0674868099

Book Description

Modern Japan offers us a view of a highly developed society with its own internal logic. Eiko Ikegami makes this logic accessible to us through a sweeping investigation into the roots of Japanese organizational structures. She accomplishes this by focusing on the diverse roles that the samurai have played in Japanese history. From their rise in ancient Japan, through their dominance as warrior lords in the medieval period, and their subsequent transformation to quasi-bureaucrats at the beginning of the Tokugawa era, the samurai held center stage in Japan until their abolishment after the opening up of Japan in the mid-nineteenth century.

This book demonstrates how Japan's so-called harmonious collective culture is paradoxically connected with a history of conflict. Ikegami contends that contemporary Japanese culture is based upon two remarkably complementary ingredients, honorable competition and honorable collaboration. The historical roots of this situation can be found in the process of state formation, along very different lines from that seen in Europe at around the same time. The solution that emerged out of the turbulent beginnings of the Tokugawa state was a transformation of the samurai into a hereditary class of vassal-bureaucrats, a solution that would have many unexpected ramifications for subsequent centuries.

Ikegami's approach, while sociological, draws on anthropological and historical methods to provide an answer to the question of how the Japanese managed to achieve modernity without traveling the route taken by Western countries. The result is a work of enormous depth and sensitivity that will facilitate a better understanding of, and appreciation for, Japanese society.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating historical analysis..........2007-07-26

...of the origin and ongoing evolution of the Samurai class in Japan.

I'd always thought that, despite congruences with warrior classes in other cultures, the Samurai were unique in a lot of ways. Certainly, no other warrior class ruled their society for 800 years.

Ms. Ikegami's book now informs me that they were unique in different ways, at different times, and frequently subject to unique stressors and sociological conditions. The changes in the samurai, from reputation-and-power-seeking free agents to powerful rulers, lords and warlords, finally to confucianist administrators in the Tokugawa shogunate, demonstrate remarkable adaptivity. The author describes these changes against the background of Japanese state formation. People more qualified than myself seem to think her approach is revelatory.

I had thought there would be more material documenting how the twin motors of bushido, honor-seeking and service-owing have been internalized in modern Japanese culture, but that final section was not in great depth. In any event, it was still an eye-opener, viewing the early stages of the class, and of bushido...anyone who has ever thought the Japanese culture inculcates only conformity, shame-aversion and discipline has gotten things badly wrong. (except for the discipline part)

As to the difficulty factor, Ms. Ikegami's ideas can be followed, and her historical attributions, while not dense, certainly seem sound. That said, parts of the book sounded very much like they were aimed at a dissertation-review committee rather than 'people interested in the samurai'. If you've ever read any dissertations-turned-general-release-books, you'll know how to wade through.

Excellent, but not for the novice.......2005-06-03

This was one of the first studies on the samurai I ever read, and it proved a very tough read, yet rewarding as well. Now that I know much more than I did on the topic back then I've re-read this book, and it's reaffirmed how great it is.

As the other reviewer states, this is a sociological study of the samurai rather than a history book, so this is not the book for you if you are after a rundown on the history of the samurai - for that I'd recommend you pickup the three Sansom 'History of Japan' books. This book instead deals with the warrior class of Japan's evolution sociologically, focussing primarily on the evolution that the class undertook during the Edo period of Japan, after the great civil war was over.

During these final two centuries of samurai rule there were no large scale battles to be fought, and with a ruling class whose right to rule was based on it's warrior status & lineage this created many tensions in society, requiring a series of changes that took place over the years aimed at refocussing what it meant to be a samurai. It is with this topic that Eiko Ikegami excels and what makes this book such an interesting read.

Though it may not be a history book, it does contain many historical case studies and even has chapters devoted to several of the more well known samurai incidents & works, including the case of the 47 ronin & the infamous Hagakure. The Hagakure section in particular is fantastic, being the first text on this topic I've read that doesn't either take it at face value or outright dismiss it as garbage. Instead Eiko interprets it as it should be interpreted - the work of a man who was struggling to envision the meaning of being a samurai during times of peace.

I really can't recommend this book enough if you have an interest in this area of the samurai, though I'd definitely recommend that you are already familiar with the basic history of the samurai beforehand.

A modern classic, essential to understanding Japan.......2004-06-18

Professor Ikegami examines the evolution of the samurai as a social institution from its beginnings nearly 1,000 years ago up to the formal dissolution of the samurai in the late 19th century, as well as the continuing influence of samurai society on modern Japan. She shows that the concept of honor was central to the samurai throughout their history, but also demonstrates that their concepts of honor changed greatly. The samurai are presented not as distant, inscrutable creatures of a mysterious culture but as human beings constructing and living within a society adapted to their needs and circumstances. Their combination of ferocity and refinement are made comprehensible.

Along the way she presents important and insightful analyses of such familiar aspects of samurai life as ritual suicide, bushido, the _Hagakure_, and the story of the revenge of the 47 ronin.

The book begins with a section in which Ikegami sets out her analytical structure and theses. This may seem dry to some, but it is important in introducing concepts that run through the subsequent narrative. The bulk of the book consists of a chronologically arranged history of the development of samurai society, based in a wide range of Japanese and western sources.

The book is well written and has many touches to aid the reader (such as reminders of the meanings of key Japanese terms and avoidance of unexplained jargon). Nevertheless, the density of the argument and facts demand careful and thoughtful reading.

As the title should suggest, this is not a book for the novice, unfamiliar with the broad outlines of Japanese history. Nor is it a military history of the samurai.

Will O'Neil

Sociological Emphasis.......2003-12-24

It was difficult for me to finish this book. I am relatively new to the samurai culture as well as Japan in general. Though the book brings some interesting facts to light that interest the beginner enthusiast, it's depth of sociological theory and comparison proved dry and monotonous at times. My impressions were largely influenced by the fact that I have yet to read, or be instructed about Japanese history as well as ethics and politics in Japanese culture.

Product Description

`History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2` is the second volume of the most explosive and astounding tractate on history ever written - however, every theory it contains, no matter how unorthodox, is backed by rock solid scientific data. The book is easy and pleasant to read; it is well-illustrated, contains hundreds of charts, graphs and illustrations, copies of ancient manuscripts, and countless facts attesting to the falsity of the chronology used nowadays. You will be amazed to discover: - That the chronology universally accepted today and taken for granted is simply wrong; - That ALL methods of dating of ancient sources and artefacts known today are erroneous or non-exact; - That there is not a single document that could be reliably dated earlier than the XIth century; The Author refers to the Middle Ages as the Antiquity and proves mutual superimposition of the Second and the Third Roman Empire, both of which become identified as the respective kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Furthermore, he asserts that the famous reform of the Occidental Church in the XI century by Pope Gregory Hildebrand was the reflection of the XII century reforms of Byzantine emperor Andronicus who in his turn identifies with Jesus Christ. The Trojan war counted by Homer happened only as late as of the XIII century A.D. and the great poet actually lived in XIV century A.D. No stone in history of Antiquity is left unturned. Literally. This book is the beginning of a major correction to the chronology we live with.

Customer Reviews:

Check and see.......2007-06-21

I don't care what other people say of this book. Those affirmig it's fake, they hadn't ever read it. Or have some special reasons to do so. "Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see..." This book won't make you feel comfortable. It'll make you feel free. It'll make you feel you're "not the only one" to feel you'd been lied to for centuries.

Suprise! Suprise!.......2007-03-22

Here is a serie of books which turns "the whole world" upside down. I learned a lot of it and I hope that a new book from A.T. Fomenko will follow very quick. A absolute must for everybody who is interested in history or even a little bit from it.

Prescient St Augustine?.......2006-02-05

We can so far divide the New Chronology into the following three parts:

a) The verifiable theory that proves consensual chronology wrong with the aid of astronomy, statistics and mathematics;

b) The new chronology hypothesis based on a new understanding of known historical facts and the most likely logical explanation of the most obvious inconsistencies inherent in the official version of history;

c) The history conjectures, that is experimental historical reconstructions based on assumptions that the authors believe to make sense in the light of their research and linguistic parallels - void of ironclad factual support to date.

Fomenko's theory complies with the most rigid scientific standards as a whole:

It gives a coherent explanation of what we already know.

- It is consistent: independent lines of inquiry all lead to the same conclusion.

- The predictions it makes are confirmed empirically.

Fomenko goes by the following axioms:

- Chronology is the basis of history;

- Human evolution has always been linear, gradual and irreversible;

- The "cyclic" nature of human civilization is a myth, likewise all the gaps, duplicates, "dark ages" and "renaissances" that we know from consensual history;

- The accumulation of geographical knowledge as reflected in cartography is a gradual and irreversible process;

- The chronological distance between a given manuscript and the events described therein is proportional to the amount of distortions it contains;

- There is no "useless" information in authentic ancient sources.

Why the mainstream historians do not shower mathematician Academician Dr.Prof Fomenko with thanks and laurels?

The Russians:

Because Fomenko asserts that there was no such thing as the Tartar and Mongol invasion followed by three centuries of slavery, providing a formidable body of documental evidence to prove his assertion. The so-called "Tartars and Mongols" were the actual ancestors of the modern Russians, living in a bilingual state with Arabic spoken as freely as Russian. The ancient Russian state was governed by a double structure of civil and military authorities. The hordes were actually professional armies with a tradition of lifelong conscription (the recruitment being the so-called "blood tax"). Their "invasions" were punitive operations against the regions that attempted tax evasion. Fomenko proves that Russian history as we know it today is a blatant forgery concocted by a host of German scientists brought to Russia by the usurper dynasty of the Romanovs, whose ascension to the throne was the result of coup d'état, charged with the mission of making their reign look legitimate. Fomenko proves Ivan the Terrible to be a collation of four rulers, no less. They represented the two rival dynasties - the legitimate rulers and the ambitious upstarts. The winner took it all! Over some 30 years of controversy, Russian historians have made a most remarkable transition - they were initially accusing the young mathematician Fomenko of anticommunist dissident activity and attempts to deface the historical legacy of Soviet Russia; nowadays the middle-aged mathematician is accused of adhering to "pro-communist Russian nationalism" and defacing the proud historical legacy of Great Russia.

The Westerners:

Because Fomenko blows consensual Russian history to smithereens, successfully removing a crucial cornerstone from underneath the otherwise impeccable edifice of World History. Fomenko adds insult to injury, wiping out one by one the Ancient Rome (the foundation of Rome in Italy is dated to the XIV century A. D.), the Ancient Greece and its numerous poleis, which he identifies as the mediaeval crusader settlements on the territory of Greece, and the Ancient Egypt (the pyramids of Giza become dated to the XI-XV century A. D. and identified as the royal cemetery of the Global "Mongolian" Empire, no less). The civilization of the Ancient Egypt is irrefutably dated to the XII-XV century A. D. with the aid of the ancient Egyptian horoscopes cut in stone. He was the first one to decipher and date all such horoscopes, coming up with mediaeval dates in every case. English historians rage at the suggestion that the history of Ancient England was de facto a Byzantine import transplanted to the English soil by the fugitive Byzantine nobility. To reward the English historians who consider themselves the true scribes of World History, the cover of the present book portrays Tintoretto's Jesus Christ crucified on the Big Ben.

The Chinese:

Because Fomenko wipes out the Ancient History of China outright. No such thing. Full point. The compilation of the so-called Ancient Chinese History is reliably datable to the XVII-XVIII century only. It is perfectly recognizable as the Ancient European history, reworked and transcribed in hieroglyphs as yet another historical transplantation, this time performed on the Chinese soil by the loving Jesuit hands. The Chinese are the next in line to go berserk. Chinese history is inevitably bound to get both more ancient and more eventful, proportionally to the growing involvement of China in the world affairs. Chinese historians will keep on finding valid proof of prehistoric Chinese spaceflights until the Politburo orders them to shut up.

The Arabs:

Too bad. Islam with all its key figures is datable to XV-XVI century A. D. Arabic historians may find consolation in the crucial historical role of the Ottoman Empire in the XVI-XVII century. The trouble is that this empire was initially a Christian state, with Hagia Sophia identifiable as Temple of Solomon, according to Fomenko! We can only guess if the acquisition of Alexander the Great (a Macedonian and a Christian) as the founder of the Muslim World Empire will make Fomenko's theories more acceptable to the Arabic mainstream. He certainly does not spare any holy cows at all, claiming The Stone of Qa'Aba in Mecca to contain the lost Arch of the Covenant.

The Divinity:

Despite of reiterated statement that his theory is all about chronology and not Religion, Fomenko stirs up a whole condominium of wasp nests. His collection of anathemas, fatwa, and other condemnations from all parties concerned is already considerable. Little wonder, considering that the history of religions à la Fomenko looks as follows: the pre-Christian period (before the XI century and JC), Bacchic Christianity (XI-XII century, before and after JC), JC Christianity (XII-XVI century) and its subsequent mutations into Orthodox Christianity, the Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism, and so on.

According to Fomenko we know strictly NOTHING about the events that predate the X century A. D.

St Augustin was prescient when he spoke unto us: "be wary of mathematicians, particularly when they speak the truth."

Something of a disappointment.......2005-09-09

After having read the first volume of this expected series of 7 volumes I was triggered by the thesis of these authors that ancient Greek and Roman history did in fact take place in the Middle Ages. So I started studying medieval history of the Middle East - also known as Islamic history - to find out if the opponents of the ancient Greeks and Romans - the Acheamenid Persians, Sassanids, Scythians, Egyptians, etc. - also have their duplicates in medieval history. My search was disappointing: none of the many medieval Islamic dynasties seemed to correspond to the ancient middle eastern rulers.

However, I did find a close correspondence between Herodotus' Persian kings and medieval events:

- the defeat and capture of an Anatolian king - the Lydian Croesus - by the Persian conqueror Cyrus is identical to the defeat and capture of another Anatolian king - sultan Bayezid - by the Asian/Mongol conqueror Tamerlane;
- the Persian conquest of Egypt by the cruel tyrant Cambyses reds almost exactly as the Ottoman conquest of Egypt by Selim the Grim (note the nickname!);
- Darius the Lawgiver of the Persian Empire looks very much alike to Sulayman the Magnificent, the Lawgiver in Islamic history;
- Xerxes, whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by the Greeks at the naval battle of Salamis, looks like Selim II (the Sot) whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by a Spanish-Italian alliance at the naval battle of Lepanto.

I should have expected Fomenko et al. to arrive at similar conclusions, however, they claim that the Persian kings are the alter egos of the Angevin kings of Sicily whose biographies do not contain the exploits of the Persian kings.

The similiarities I indicate lead to the conclusion that Herodotus must have written his Histories at the close of the 16th century. But this is extremely late, given that Herodotus is "the Father of History", so therefore all other "ancient" histories must have been fabricated even later. Yet, the founders of modern chronology - Scaliger and Petavius - laid their foundations also at the close of the 16th century and had the full corpus of ancient histories already at their disposal.

It seems to me that Fomenko has to address these inconsistencies, maybe in the forthcoming 5 volumes?

Another critique of their book is that the correspondencies between different rulers are often based on a superficial comparison of the biographies; upon a more thorough comparison many details appear that do not correspond at all.

Finally, the authors rely heavily on the works of Gregorovius (1821-1891!!) - his medieval histories of Rome and Athens - as the source of medieval history; these works are - at least in the West - hoplessly outdated and have been superceded by more up-to-date works (for instance, Julius Norwich's trilogy on Byzantine history is not even cited).

Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy.........2005-07-30

If you agree with Fomenko that Roman chronology is basically the foundation of the entire edifice of global chronology; you would also certainly agree that despite its numerous gaps and inconsistencies, Roman history is the best-documented field of ancient history, and thus a reference scale. But how well is the actual date of the Eternal City's foundation known?

Firstly, Rome is supposed to have been founded by the Trojans who had to flee after the fall of Troy. Some claim Rome to have been founded by Aeneas and Ulysses shortly after Troy had fallen; others are of the opinion that there was an entire dynasty that ruled for 500 years between the fall of Troy and the foundation of Rome.

Well, that's just an innocent 500 years long misunderstanding compared with what heretic Fomenko says, asserts, proves in his second volume: Second Roman Empire, Third Roman Empire, Biblical Kingdom of Israel, Biblical Kingdom of Judah, Holy Roman Empire are stories about basically same events, written from different points of view at different times. The underlying events have actually taken place during xii-xv cy. These histories have been written and perfected by multitude of highly talented humanist and clerical writers of xiii-xvi cy disguised as "ancients" with glorious names like Homer, Pluto, Thucydides etc..Chronology 2.0 beta..

Historians are kindly invited to report the bugs.

Average customer rating:

One of Turnbull's best
Hai!
"Samurai Warfare" an Ideal Source
A reference you will return to again and again
Again, an strong GENERAL reference from Dr. Turnbull

SAMURAI WARFARE
Stephen Turnbull
Manufacturer: Arms and Armour
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Samurai: The Weapons and Spirit of the Japanese Warrior

ASIN: 1854094327

Book Description

Samurai Invasion is a lively account of the two sixteenth-century Japanese invasions of Korea, untold before in such detail, and a vital period in the history of samurai culture.

Dr Stephen Turnbull, the world's most acclaimed historian of the samurai, links the overall history of the war with the experience of ordinary soldiers, as related in diaries and anecdotes, and recounts tales of noble combat and heroism, as well as cowardice and desertion, with technical information on the weapons and tactics of the day.

Customer Reviews:

One of Turnbull's best.......2007-02-25

I've been a fan of Stephen Turnbull's informative and beautiful Samurai books since the early 90's, when I discovered his books in my local library. This is one of his best, much better than many of his recent works. If you're interested in the Ikko-Ikki sects, the warrior monks, or the conquests of Oda Nobunaga, this book delivers!

Hai!.......2004-05-11

Really informative. I was actually surprised! Some really nice pictures in the book also. After reading, I now have a thorough understanding of Samurai, warrior monks, japanese warfare, etc.

"Samurai Warfare" an Ideal Source.......2001-10-21

With lavish illustrations and comprehensive text, "Samurai Warfare" by Dr. Stephen Turnbull gives the reader an overveiw of Japans elite soldier caste from the earliest use of the term to the advent of gun powder in Samurai warfare.
For those just delving into this ancient and mystic age in Japans history, Samurai Warfare offers the reader an easy to understand primer in the history of those responsible for enforcing the will of the Emporer and Nobles

A reference you will return to again and again.......2000-07-31

Although very brief, and covering a lot of ground, this book takes a new look at some familiar topics (familiar to students of Japanese military history, that is!). There are some fascinating surprises here, such as the Kuniyoshi illustration of a samurai musketeer with a rather ominous-looking gun and sashimono. The color reproductions of key paintings are extremely detailed and sharp.

Again, an strong GENERAL reference from Dr. Turnbull.......2000-04-10

After the concise overview of the dynamic changes in samurai warfare over the centuries, Turnbull rewards the reader with informational case studies toward the end of the book. Although somewhat short on specific details and explanatory maps (maps at more frequent intervals during the campaign study would have been helpful), the strength of the book lies in its analysis of the specific construction of the hatamoto of certain daimyo. In addition, the analysis of the Battle of Anegawa (along with additional research by the reader) provides a good reference for scenario construction by gamers and hobbyists. Overall, Turnbull provides an inspirational resource.

God's Samurai: Lead Pilot at Pearl Harbor (The Warriors)

Average customer rating:

johnarthur
The Providence of God
A Japanese Fighter Pilot becomes an Evangelist
Reconciliation in the midst of Clash of Civilizations
A materfully written and truly inspirational book!

God's Samurai: Lead Pilot at Pearl Harbor (The Warriors)
Katherine V. Dillon , Donald M. Goldstein , and Gordon W. Prange
Manufacturer: Potomac Books Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1574886959

Book Description

God's Samurai is the unusual story of Mitsuo Fuchida, the career aviator who led the attack on Pearl Harbor and participated in most of the fiercest battles of the Pacific war. A valuable record of major events, it is also the personal story of a man swept along by his times. Reared in the vanished culture of early twentieth-century Japan, war hero Fuchida returned home to become a simple farmer. After a scandalous love affair came his remarkable conversion to Christianity and years of touring the world as an evangelist. His tale is an informative, personal look at the war "from the other side."

Customer Reviews:

johnarthur.......2007-01-03

The Second World War completely changed its major participants and exacted some huge sacrifices from all involved. This and other books about the people who did the fighting shows how similar the attitudes were on all sides. The main character changes some of his thinking after the war, but his thoughts and actions during the war are really interesting, especially when compared to the thoughts and actions of the people on other sides.

The Providence of God.......2006-09-05

If ever a book (other than the Bible) showed the divine hand and providence of God, this is it. I wish I could have met the man.

A Japanese Fighter Pilot becomes an Evangelist.......2003-05-13

Excellent detailed story of Pearl Harbor's lead Navy pilot who through special circumstances wrought only by God found himself after the war travelling in the USA with Billy Graham and preaching the Gospel in Christian Crusades.

Reconciliation in the midst of Clash of Civilizations.......2001-10-24

An awesome true story. Definitely one of the three best books I've read in the past decade. In a time like this of Osama bin Labens and shocking inter-civilizational conflict, Fuchida's life story shows how true reconciliation and inter-cultural brotherhood can be experienced. It gives hope in spite of the huge obstacles to inter-cultural understanding. A powerful human interest story. Don't miss it!

A materfully written and truly inspirational book!.......2000-08-16

A friend of mine introduced me to this book in April of this year. He told me it was unlike any book about the Pacific war that he had ever read. Although skeptical at first, I sill went ahead and purchased the book. I left it on my book-shelve for several months and forgot all about it. As I began packing up in July to move I noticed this book again, so I picked it up and began reading it. I found the style of writing extremely fluid, and the chapters were concise. This well balanced account of Mitsuo Fuchida life traces it from his days as an Imperial naval aviator to Christian evangelist. 'God's Samurai' is a truly inspirational book filled with numerous accounts of honor, bravery, loyalty, and sacrifice - all the codes of a Samurai warrior. I have enjoyed this book tremendously, and I have just begun reading, 'Midway: The Battle That Doomed Japan: The Japanese Navy's Story' by Mitsuo Fuchida, Roger Pineau (Editor),Masatake Okumiya(Contributor). Both 'God's Samurai' and 'Midway' are 'must-have' books for anyone who is truly interested in the Pacific war and naval battles!

Average customer rating:

Woodblocks of the 47 Ronin
okay, but not definitive

The 47 Ronin: A Story of Samurai Loyalty and Courage
Barry Till
Manufacturer: Pomegranate Communications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0764932098

Book Description

Here is an exciting true tale of the famous vendetta of the 47 Ronin, the samurai left masterless after their leader, Asano Naganori, was forced to commit seppuku (suicide) by the court official Kira. For two years the men plotted to avenge Asano's death; with cunning and bravery they succeeded, killing sixteen of Kira's men; wounding twenty two, including his grandson; and cutting off Kira's head and carrying it to their lord's grave. The Ronin surrendered and subsequently committed seppuku; they are buried side by side near their master's tomb, in what is now Tokyo.

Naturally, news of such vengeance and martyrdom spread far and wide, with the Ronin becoming national heroes. They were so popular that their saga inspired a series of kabuki plays, the most successful being Chushingura (Treasury of Loyal Retainers). Many artists produced woodblock prints that portrayed the original events, scenes from the kabuki plays, or the actors. Barry Till, curator of Asian Art at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria and a longtime contributor of articles to Arts of Asia magazine, summarizes the play; prints from the Gallery's collection illustrate the intricate story. As spellbinding as any modern movie, The 47 Ronin will fascinate with its story and appeal with its beautiful artwork.

Customer Reviews:

Woodblocks of the 47 Ronin.......2007-09-07

This book is about the 47 Ronin but does not tell their story in detail. It is about the artwork, in this case woodblocks, based on the scenes from the plays which were made to show the tale of the 47 Ronin. So after the book gives you a very, very short version of the life of a samurai, the tale of the 47 Ronin, and the plays made on it, which gives you a point of reference to work with, you then get to see the artwork based on the plays. Certain scenes and characters have been captured by the artists' skills and woodcraft.
In other words, if you are looking for the complete, well written and detailed story of the 47 Ronin, look someplace else. If you are looking for something related to them, as in how they were seen in the eyes of history and immortalized in plays and artwork, this is the book for you.

okay, but not definitive.......2007-03-31

The 47 Ronin is a truly great story. I keep looking for an outstanding illustrated version. I was hoping this was it, but I was a little disappointed. It uses authentic period images, but they are images of kabuki performances of the story, not images of the story itself. The book I wanted is still an outstanding niche...

Average customer rating:

Readable overview of the samurai throughout history.
Great illustrations
Excellent for Japanese Samurai historians
Buy it for the pictures
Poor scholarship without historical pictures

Samurai: An Illustrated History
Mitsuo Kure
Manufacturer: Charles E Tuttle Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0804832870

Book Description

Samurai: An Illustrated History brings the violent, tumultuous, and, at the same time, elegant world of the medieval Japanese samurai to life. With a general introduction that examines the origins of the samurai and their rise to power, Samurai presents a chronological coverage of samurai history detailing the main battles, personnel, and general themes. Additional chapters are studies of samurai armor and weaponry, fortifications, and the changes in strategy and armor upon the introduction of firearms and cannon. All chapters are illustrated by photographs of battle re-enactments meticulously conducted by the enthusiastic historical re-enactment societies of Japan, and by line drawings of fortifications and armor. Samurai vividly details the long bloody era of the samurai, when sons killed their fathers, brothers attacked their brothers, wives betrayed their husbands and hosts their guests, and the forces of the samurai rulers destroyed those of the emperors and the monasteries. The samurai fought for property, lands, and money, and only rarely for honor--Samurai tells that compelling story with vigor.

Customer Reviews:

Readable overview of the samurai throughout history........2007-07-30

Following some points made by Marc Winter's review, whereas I agree with some of what was said, I disagree on at least three things.
Obviously the recoloured photos that we do have represent only a very narrow slice of time - that time of the absolute dying embers of the Samurai - the thin slice between the relatively late invention of photography and the class' demise in the reformation. However, I too would have liked to have seen more included, though their worth should not be overvalued. There are books that specialise in these posed samurai photos, for what its worth.

This book visually and accurately shows all the historical developments of the armour over time - obviously of which there are no extant photos. If you recheck the book, it *does* have many colour photos, line drawings and ukiyo-e(musha-e) reproductions of historical armour and more.

It's an exaggeration to say this is poor scholarship, it is not an academic text admittedly (and often that's a very good thing), but reenactment photos or not, is an accurate and in depth overview of samurai history.

Great illustrations.......2006-11-10

Best illustrated english text on Japan's Samurai. Covers most topics giving enough general info to satisfy the casual student of this genre. Amazon has the BEST price on this book!

Excellent for Japanese Samurai historians.......2005-07-05

The pictures and documentation on the Samurai in ths book are great. It is a gerat coffee table book and is really a great find.

Buy it for the pictures.......2005-01-05

I agree with Marc Winter's review. I had hoped that the book would contain old photographs of samurai with artificial coloring, but instead, the book was filled with modern day photographs. Nonetheless, I enjoyed looking through the book. The pictures make good reference material for conceptual, illustrative artwork, which is why I bought the book in the first place. It could have used more pictures to make up for its lack of authenticity, but I was happy with the numerous photographs provided.

The written-text is an interesting read as well. It discusses many different aspects of samurai, such as their overall history, military strategies, fashion trends of certain periods, weaponry, how to put on armor, etc. The book contains a good number of fun facts as well. It's not a heavy read, but it's very detailed.

Poor scholarship without historical pictures .......2004-12-17

This is a coffes table book at its best: nice format, high quality paper and illustrations, thus the two stars.
The contents though are mainly photos from a Japanese festival where modern day Japanese history buffs wear reproductions of uniforms. There are no historic armors, the historic swords are only depicted in the sheaths, and the old photo of the warrior on the front is the only historic photo.
So you get a fair idea about today's reception of Samurai period Japan among Japan's clerks, but there is more to a warrior than the clothes - the look in their eyes for instance. Imagine a history of the Civil War with no pictures from the 1860, but rather only photos taken at the re-enactment that takes place in Gettysburg every once in a while.
The text written around the pictures is not very high standard scholarship, but rather "history lessons for foreigners", which really is not so surprising, since the author is a surgeon. Not baldy written, but sort of what you get from the introductory section of a well-written travel guide (more detailled though).

Average customer rating:

A fascinating and eye opening look into the feudal Japan
Outstanding for anyone interested in Samurai history.
An excellent start for learning Japanese history
A Must-read for Japanese Military Historians

The Samurai: A Military History
Stephe Turnbull
Manufacturer: RoutledgeCurzon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1873410387

Customer Reviews:

A fascinating and eye opening look into the feudal Japan.......2000-07-19

If you have ever had even a passing interest in the history of Japan from the perspective of the warrior class who played a major role in defining it, then this is probably the best choice of book on the subject. It approaches the topic from the earliest accounts of the samurai right though to the end of the samurai era, taking a fairly high level, "big picture" type view. The book looks more at the "why" something happened, than the "how" of events. This provides some fascinating insights into the history of Japan and allows the reader to grasp the overall history of feudal Japan with just the right balance of details and objectivity. That said, there is still quite a bit of detail of some of the more notable battles, but high level, campaign type information is not the purpose of this book. It is more interested in letting the reader understand what happened in Japanese history and why it unfolded as it did, with out bogging down in micro detail. The book is superbly researched and is very well written, and despite the fact that it is a "history" book, it is a very enjoyable, extremely informative read. It is thoroughly recommended.

Outstanding for anyone interested in Samurai history........1999-11-02

Dr. Turnbull approaches this book as a loving historian. He blends the fact, mythology, and romance of the Samurai in a book dedicated to its accuracy. He understands the place the samurai holds in the minds of the japanese people and in others as well, and does everything he can to keep the legend alive, while telling the history the way it really was. It was very enlightening, and meticulously researched.

An excellent start for learning Japanese history.......1998-11-10

What I liked about this book was it starts with the Japanese creation myth and seamlessly blends that into the begining of their history. The stories and ancedotes are very interesting reading and his analysis of of their history is enlightening. I've become a big fan of his work because it make the history interesting and enlightening. Highly recomended.

A Must-read for Japanese Military Historians.......1998-09-29

I checked out this book from the library a decade ago. I have been looking to purchase it ever since. Turnbull covers the length and breadth of Japanese military history, up to the end of the Samurai era in the 1860's. This book has information which is not available elsewhere. Turnbull's book includes maps, battle accounts, political history and other information that makes Samurai history come alive. You will be extremely pleased with the depth and quantity of the information available in this book.

Secrets of the Samurai: A Survey of the Martial Arts of Feudal Japan

Average customer rating:

A great addition to any library
An Unareliable Book Containing Fantasy Material
good refrence book
A classic text!
A Nice Overview of Japanese Martial Arts

Secrets of the Samurai: A Survey of the Martial Arts of Feudal Japan
Oscar Ratti , and Adele Westbrook
Manufacturer: Book Sales
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0785810730

Book Description

In plentiful detail from a huge range of historical sources, Secrets of the Samurai plots the development, principles and effects of the samurai culture of feudal Japan. Authors Oscar Ratti and Adele Westbrook have furnished details on the weapons, techniques, strategies and principles of the samurai's martial art, rescuing this vanishing lore for modern readers who may wish to incorporate it into their own martial arts training. Yet this best-selling book is predominantly a panoramic survey of the tumultuous early struggles of warlords contending for political ascendancy, shiftless samurai who terrorized the countryside, and those formidable warriors who protected the goods, well-being and values of their neighbors.

A definitive study, Secrets of the Samurai will fascinate anyone interested in this ancient tradition.

Customer Reviews:

A great addition to any library.......2007-08-23

Having read Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere by Oscar Ratti and Adele Westbrook, I looked forward to reading this book and adding it to my library. While Aikido was the newer of the two books, it was my first exposure to these authors. I had grown fond of their academic, though dry at times, writing style as well as their tendency to research their topic in great detail. I was hoping this book would live up to that standard, and I was not let down. In Secrets of the Samurai Ratti and Westbrook explore in great depth the historical roots and many practices of the samurai culture of feudal Japan. To lend some context or background for the focus of this book they include an introduction that contains a brief time line of the era, as well as some meaning to the words bujutsu (the group of methods employed by the military). The book then quickly moves into the structure of the Japanese military itself.

The authors go into great detail on the ranking system of the military, as well as it's relation to the government of the period. However it is not a book strictly about the rise of the samurai. Instead, the authors include a vast amount of detail about many topics surrounding the warrior class. Details such as the clothing that would be common for each rank or class, the armor the samurai would have adorned and the weapons they had employed. They do not limit their exploration to just the samurai themselves, choosing to also cover more obscure topics of the samurai culture, topics such as subcultures that existed within and around the samurai: ninja, Buddhist monks, and the women of the samurai for example. The use of simple sketches and drawings help to fill in the picture and are a nice inclusion.

While they choose to cover many topics, there should be no concern that the material is watered down. Instead, the main focus of the book is given great depth. The authors go into exhaustive detail about the many military tactics the samurai had used. Exploring fighting techniques does not limit itself to weaponry and armed combat. Instead a hearty portion of the book is devoted to many styles of martial arts. Great detail is given in techniques of unarmed combat, as well as the history of many styles and schools that the samurai would have been exposed to. Certainly they give an in depth look into the religious beliefs and spirituality of the samurai, as well as any influence Zen Buddhism may have had on these warriors. Having studied martial arts and eastern philosophy a bit myself I truly appreciated the coverage afforded the martial arts, and spirituality.

Westbrook and Ratti have clearly put a great deal of research into this comprehensive and indispensable text. Some have claimed that their sources lack any ancient Japanese texts, and while most of their sources are English, they do cull information from various Japanese sources. Surely this is not the end all of information regarding the samurai, but it is certainly a good place to start. While it may be a bit dry in reading due to its extremely academic nature, it comes as no surprise and the book never claims to be a page turner. It is however a wonderful asset to anyone interested in martial arts, feudal Japan, and the rise of the militant ethos of the samurai, and may allow at least a fair amount of insight into an old and very foreign culture. This book makes a great addition to a martial artist's library, and is a great value.

An Unareliable Book Containing Fantasy Material.......2007-02-21

I am writing this review, because people are erroneously using this book as a source for research into pre-modern Japan. It should not be used for this purpose. It belongs to a genre which I call "gosh golly" books. I will proceed to comments relating to previous reviews.

1. The illustrations are modern and appear to have been drawn by a western artist. What it does not contain is reproductions of premodern woodblock prints, paintings, &c. or photographs of actual artifacts.

2. While it has a large bibliography, the works are pretty much exclusively in English and appear to be popular rather than scholarly publications.

3. This book contains descriptions of Japanese "martial arts" such as "tessenjutsu" which do not appear in reliable Japanese literature.

4. This book contains descriptions of highly improbable "martial arts" such as the supposed ability for a seated practitioner to kill an armed opponent by shouting at him.

5. The historical descriptions in the book betray a woeful ignorance. For example, chapter 1 includes a claim that Buddhism is "monotheistic". This makes me wonder how the authors managed to use the correct Japanese words for the military class and the court nobility. Saddly, the scattering of accurate information in this book makes it even less desireable as it lends credance to the book's fantasy elements.

6. One commentor recommended the books by Stephen Turnbull. If you are interested in more scholarly treatments of Japan's medieval period, I recommend consulting books by Marius B. Jansen, Paul Varley, John Witney Hall, William Wayne Farris, and Jeffrey P. Mass. Heavenly Warriors by Farris specifically deals with the origin of the buke class going beyond earlier work by Mass.

7. If what you are looking for is battle paintings, pictures of military artifacts, &c. then you should cosider ordering books from the Mook Series published by Gakken. These can be ordered online from amazon.co.jp. A representative title in this series can be found by entering the following ISBN number into their search engine: 4056042489.

In short. If you are seriously interested in Japan, please buy better books.

good refrence book.......2006-12-27

This book is not a book you site down and read, although you can if you want to. It is great if thers a spicific thing you want to look up, there are sections on swordmanship, archery, unarmed combat, wrestling, ninjutsu, spearmanship and more. each catagory has a sort of "hystory of" section befor the author talks about the techneecks and aplications of the weapon. also there are many diagrams showing some of the manovers used by the samuari. if you like the martial arts than theres a good chance that you will love this book.

A classic text!.......2006-12-05

For anyone interested in learning about Japanese martial culture, you will not likely find a more thorough text. You will gain an understanding of Medieval Japanese warfare, the various classes of warrior employed, and how the purely combat-oriented warrior-arts of Bujutsu became the more spiritually-centered Budo arts. There is a wealth of historical relevance to all of this, and it can be summarized as a result of the eventual unification and pacification of the various warring factions that made Japan such a dangerous place to be for hundreds of years. Although largely isolated from other nations, the Japanese developed advanced weapons, armor, tactics, and training entirely on their own. Much of the early history involves complex intrigues by competing feudal factions to control regions, gain power, and undermine rivals. This is very much the state of affairs in most world military histories, but Japan was unique in that most of the action was confined to their home islands, with actions almost exclusively against fellow Japanese. Japanese forces did initiate almost-successful invasions of Korea, and Japan itself was invaded quite un-successfully by Mongols in 1274 and 1281.
Much of the text centers on the Samurai class, but there is also much about the common soldiers who filled the ranks, performing their particular tasks based on the weapons employed. Monasteries went to war as well. Monks were formidable opponents...or valuable allies! There is a chapter on how the Ninja were employed, as Medieval special-operations and espionage agents. They were centuries ahead of their time in regard to many of the skills and techniques they utilized, some of which were only recently employed by modern special units in the 20th century.
The text is illustrated throughout by quaint pen & ink drawings from the authors.
If you are fascinated by Japanese military history, the most prolific author is Stephen Turnbull, undoubtedly the greatest western expert in this topic. He has written a large number of outstanding books on the Samurai, and other facets of warfare in their time and place. If you want to focus entirely on the Ninja, the modern practitioners of Ninjutsu, Grandmaster Masaki Hatsumi and American instructor Stephen Hayes are the best sources to read.

A Nice Overview of Japanese Martial Arts.......2005-09-12

I approach this book not as a student of martial arts, but as a student of Japan and Japanese culture. As such, I was not looking for an overly technical, elaborately detailed survey of the theories and applications of the martial arts, but instead a broad overview that encompasses the ideas of the martial arts, and the practical application of those ideas with a generalized view. In that respect, this book does not disappoint.

Covered are all the basics of the art of Japanese warfare in the individualistic sense. First is an overview of the country and the time in which the warrior obtained prominence, setting the scene for the development of a unique figure in the history of worldwide combat. Then covered is the aspects of battle such as armor, weapons, various techniques (archery, swordplay, etc.) and finally an overview of the ideals and a bit of the philosophy of the martial arts, starting with the concept of Ki and going then from Bushido to Aikido and Judo to the ideals of Sumo. It is all covered, at least briefly.

The book itself is full of illustrations, though I found many of them distressingly lacking in detail. It would have been nice to have seen photographs of many of the items talked about, or at least more detailed and realistic diagrams. Yet, they do an adequate job of conveying the images of these items.

All in all, the book does its job. For this student, I was left wanting an even more indepth review. Or perhaps a section about warfare in groups (something the book never covers). Yet, for all of that, perhaps it's best that it does not. The authors are a bit droll, and certainly their understanding of the history and the technical aspects of armor or weapons are much stronger than their understanding of the theories.

But again, highly recommended, to students of Japanese culture, or those interested in the martial arts.

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