You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
This book was entertaining, but multiple reviews criticize this book for having no citation and being mere speculation. No matter how fun of a read, a biography that contains primarily speculation does not appeal to me.
informative
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
adventurous
informative
reflective
medium-paced
informative
slow-paced
The writing style was odd, coupled with a narrator I didn't enjoy
I have always been fascinated by samurai, the feudal Japanese warriors that would more readily give their lives for their master than I would give up my morning coffee. When I saw this book listed in Audible, I couldn’t say no. An African samurai? And it’s a true story not just some revisionist retelling of history? Heck yeah!
Yasuke was an African slave and warrior who came to Japan in 1579 in the service of an Italian Jesuit missionary named Alessandro Valignano. Local fascination with the 6’2” “dark-skinned warrior” provided Yasuke and Valignano audience with very powerful leaders in Japan including daimyo Oda Nobunaga. This audience led to Yasuke being “loaned” to Nobunaga where he trained in the way of the samurai and quickly ascended to become one of his top warriors.
The book is divided into three parts.
The first is Yasuke’s history, how he came to the service of the Jesuits, how he traveled to Japan, and the work he did once on the island of Honshu.
The second per covered his rise as a premier samurai in the service of Nobunaga as well as the events that led to the end of his short tenure as such.
The third part consists primarily of conjecture by the author as to what happened to Yasuke after his time as a samurai as there is little to no reliable documentation beyond 1582.
Overall it’s a very interesting story. Yasuke, by all accounts, lived what seems a pretty amazing life. My only issue is that the book, primarily in the first part, becomes almost too bogged down in historical details about the age in which Yasuke lived. Sure, some scene setting is necessary. But it almost went a little too “deep dive,” if you get my meaning.
Yasuke was an African slave and warrior who came to Japan in 1579 in the service of an Italian Jesuit missionary named Alessandro Valignano. Local fascination with the 6’2” “dark-skinned warrior” provided Yasuke and Valignano audience with very powerful leaders in Japan including daimyo Oda Nobunaga. This audience led to Yasuke being “loaned” to Nobunaga where he trained in the way of the samurai and quickly ascended to become one of his top warriors.
The book is divided into three parts.
The first is Yasuke’s history, how he came to the service of the Jesuits, how he traveled to Japan, and the work he did once on the island of Honshu.
The second per covered his rise as a premier samurai in the service of Nobunaga as well as the events that led to the end of his short tenure as such.
The third part consists primarily of conjecture by the author as to what happened to Yasuke after his time as a samurai as there is little to no reliable documentation beyond 1582.
Overall it’s a very interesting story. Yasuke, by all accounts, lived what seems a pretty amazing life. My only issue is that the book, primarily in the first part, becomes almost too bogged down in historical details about the age in which Yasuke lived. Sure, some scene setting is necessary. But it almost went a little too “deep dive,” if you get my meaning.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
This book is a fascinating snapshot of Japanese History using Yasuke as a driving force. We learn more about Yasuke, but also about the context in which he lived. There is clearly few sources about the samurai himself so significant parts of the book are spent discussing Yasuke’s world. This was not what I expected but it was still interesting.
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
An interesting exploration of one of the coolest rags to riches tales you could imagine. A true come up from slavery (pre-Atlantic slave trade style) to samurai!