Setting down his thoughts on swordplay, on winning, and on spirituality, legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi intended this modest work as a guide for his immediate disciples and future generations of samurai. He had little idea he was penning a masterpiece that would be eagerly devoured by people in all walks of life centuries after his death. Along with The Art of War by Sun Tzu, The Book of Five Rings has long been regarded as an invaluable treatise on the strategy of winning. Musashi's timeless advice on defeating an adversary, throwing an opponent off-guard, creating confusion, and other techniques for overpowering an assailant was addressed to the readers of earlier times on the battlefield, and now serves the modern reader in the battle of life. In this new rendering by the translator of Hagakure and The Unfettered Mind, William Scott Wilson adheres rigorously to the seventeenth-century Japanese text and clarifies points of ambiguity in earlier translations. In addition, he offers an extensive introduction and a translation of Musashi's rarely published The Way of Walking Alone. This gift-book edition also features original art by Musashi himself as well as new calligraphy by Japanese artist Shiro Tsujimura.
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Review
"Musashi's teachings read like lessons from the latest business management gurus. Who couldn't succeed in business by applying Musahi's insights to conflicts and strategy." --Inc. Magazine
"On Wall Street, when Musashi talks, people listen" --Time Magazine
"On Wall Street, when Musashi talks, people listen" --Time Magazine
About the Author
Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1645) was a renowned swordsman and painter. A masterless samurai, he developed the two-sword style of fighting and emerged victorious in more than 60 sword fights in his travels throughout Japan. The author of The Book of Five Rings, he is also the subject of the novel Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa.
William Scott Wilson, the translator, was born in 1944 in Nashville, Tennessee, and grew up in Florida. He received B.A. degrees from Dartmouth College and the Monterey Institute of Foreign Studies, and an M.A. in Japanese literary studies from the University of Washington. His long-selling translations of Hagakure, The Unfettered Mind, and Taiko have become standards. Hagakure was featured prominently in the film Ghost Dog.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
I have named my own Way of the Martial Arts the "Two Heavens, One Style," and after many years of discipline have thought to describe it in a book for the first time. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
I have named my own Way of the Martial Arts the "Two Heavens, One Style," and after many years of discipline have thought to describe it in a book for the first time. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful
By MR BIG
Format:Hardcover
this book is not about technique, it is his opinions on how the go beond the technique,, its about THE WAY in martial arts (but not just martial arts), its about how to gain the phycological and physical edge USING YOUR OWN TALENT AND EXPERIENCE!!!!!!!!, its about developing as a person, its about the phycological edge you should gain in any confontation, he tells you WHAT instruments you use (eyes, posture ect) to gain the these edges on your apponent,, but not HOW to use them because HIS ideas will not apply to everyone as everyone does a diffent art and even people from the same art fight diffently and are all of on a different path, he stresses everyone should learn their own way. this book gives musashi's opinions on other martial arts and how techniques are learnt that are useless in real battle or confrontation, this is only an opinion of musashi and opinions cannot be rated. It only hapens to be written in the context of martial arts because musashi was a martial artist, but nowadays musicians, business men along with martial artists use this tital. this book is for anyone.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Terry Tozer
Format:Hardcover
The Book of Five Rings (Go Rin No Sho) "IS" a great book, if you take time to properly absorb and understand ALL of its teachings. It's not a very long book and so would be easy to read a few times over so that you get a proper flavour of the important message being presented.
A better and easier to digest version (IMHO) of this small book is "Samurai Strategies: 42 Martial Secrets" by by Boye De Lafayette Mente, who very cleverly summarises this book into 42 easy to digest and understand and apply chapters.
The ideas in this book are NOT dangerous to anyone in the least, IF you balance and apply ALL of the lessons within it - that's the idea that the great undefeated warrior Musashi was trying to put across. The life saving principles he expounds here are designed to help us all have a better, easier and more fulfilled life, Martial Artist or not. His strategies can be applied and used by anyone.
"A knife is dangerous for anyone - you just have to learn how to use is safely & intelligently"
We are all so lucky & truly blessed that, nearly 400 years ago, someone called Lord Hosokawa had the foresight to ask the ageing Musashi to write down his secrets of success. Musashi himself was not only extremely talented but must have been a very intelligent man for his time to write such a treatise.
The comment about this book not being for for beginners is misleading I think, it isn't that hard to understand and extrapolate the true meaning and intentions that Musashi was trying to put across.
I do believe William Scott Wilson's translation has to be one of the best of the various ones available. Although there are cheaper copies of this particular translation available, so look around for Willam's name. However, this hardback version uses a very pleasing typescript that is easy one the eye.
Don't be put off by ANY of the negative criticisms below, it's only because they've missed the point or just quickly scanned & glossed over the book.
Although we are not entirely certain of Musashi's religious bent, Musashi bases his book [loosely] on the Zen Buddhist philosophies of the Five Elements - Earth, Water, Fire, Wind & Emptiness. One of his close associates was Takuan Soho, author of "The Unfettered Mind"
A better and easier to digest version (IMHO) of this small book is "Samurai Strategies: 42 Martial Secrets" by by Boye De Lafayette Mente, who very cleverly summarises this book into 42 easy to digest and understand and apply chapters.
The ideas in this book are NOT dangerous to anyone in the least, IF you balance and apply ALL of the lessons within it - that's the idea that the great undefeated warrior Musashi was trying to put across. The life saving principles he expounds here are designed to help us all have a better, easier and more fulfilled life, Martial Artist or not. His strategies can be applied and used by anyone.
"A knife is dangerous for anyone - you just have to learn how to use is safely & intelligently"
We are all so lucky & truly blessed that, nearly 400 years ago, someone called Lord Hosokawa had the foresight to ask the ageing Musashi to write down his secrets of success. Musashi himself was not only extremely talented but must have been a very intelligent man for his time to write such a treatise.
The comment about this book not being for for beginners is misleading I think, it isn't that hard to understand and extrapolate the true meaning and intentions that Musashi was trying to put across.
I do believe William Scott Wilson's translation has to be one of the best of the various ones available. Although there are cheaper copies of this particular translation available, so look around for Willam's name. However, this hardback version uses a very pleasing typescript that is easy one the eye.
Don't be put off by ANY of the negative criticisms below, it's only because they've missed the point or just quickly scanned & glossed over the book.
Although we are not entirely certain of Musashi's religious bent, Musashi bases his book [loosely] on the Zen Buddhist philosophies of the Five Elements - Earth, Water, Fire, Wind & Emptiness. One of his close associates was Takuan Soho, author of "The Unfettered Mind"
21 of 24 people found the following review helpful
By Sam Awad
Format:Hardcover
This is a fantastic book. You are recieving a lesson in "the way" from a man who has spent his entire life trying to follow and discover the way. He is not just talking about these things in an abstract mannor he has lived through countless battles and proven his beliefs time and time again. Read this book, then read it again and carry on reading it and taking something new from it each time. The lessons which can be learned are endless.
Listen to the words of a truly great swordsman offering his final lessons to his students for after he is gone.
Listen to the words of a truly great swordsman offering his final lessons to his students for after he is gone.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great condotion
great condition, arrived in time, very inciteful book. worth more than i paid. well recommended to anyone, merchant, scholar, poet, warrior or student of the arts
many... Read more
many... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Ed
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nice little book
This book is very philosophical, in a practical way. It gives you an invaluable abstract idea of realist approach to challenges. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Nabaz
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Consider yourself lightly; consider the world deeply...do not...
William Scott Wilson's translation of Miyamoto Musashi's 17th-century classic work of personal philosophy is in every way excellent, and captures the spirit as well as the meaning... Read more
Published 17 months ago by The Guardian
5.0 out of 5 stars
five rings
Arrived very quickly and in good condition, a very good translation of this authers writings and I have seen others that are no where near as good and the price is very good. Read more
Published 20 months ago by brad stephen lee
5.0 out of 5 stars
Book purchased
Hi
Received this book on time and in good condition.
Would use this supplier again.
thanks fore the service
Mr L Middleton
Received this book on time and in good condition.
Would use this supplier again.
thanks fore the service
Mr L Middleton
Published on 22 July 2009 by Mr. Leonard Middleton
4.0 out of 5 stars
Investigate Before Buying
This book is interesting and insightful, even enlightening perhaps.
But it is important to know what you are getting before paying for it. Read more
But it is important to know what you are getting before paying for it. Read more
Published on 24 Nov 2004 by rp
1.0 out of 5 stars
Why did he bother to write this ?
Useless, completely impractical book that serves absolutely no purpose. A waste of your time to read. Of no interest to those in martial arts, as it shows no techniques. Read more
Published on 21 Sep 2003 by Mr. G. H. Khan
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