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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
challenging
informative
reflective
fast-paced
This book describes the individual’s role to obtain mastery. As the era of the book is encompassed in a warrior culture, the epitome of any individual is to obtain warrior skills as they will help in every endeavor. The martial way is to excel in everything. Most of the book is about proper sword techniques but there are many general lessons. When facing opponents, it is generally recommended that actions are preemptive and are not expected by the opponents. Putting the opponents on the defensive and making sure their actions are useless while making sure to take advantage of all their weaknesses. Missing openings created by vulnerabilities will increase the chance of counterattack. Preventing opponent’s recovery is essential.
Knowledge of the opponents is necessary in the art of war. If there is no information of the opponent, making a pretend powerful attack is a tactic used to obtains information. That information should be adapted to the strategy. Actions should be diverse and nonrepetitive. Manipulating opponent’s attention so as to confuse their ideas about the potential future actions is a way of obtaining advantageous information. Appearances can alter opponent’s mood which can be taken advantage of. Defeat does not mean that any side has gained victory. To win, defeat must be felt with no ambition for retaliate.
The books keep pressing the superiority of a particular method over others. In some parts, the same method can be used to defeat many opponents at the same time. The issue with this logic is that if the method is best and starts to be used by others due to its superiority, that means that the opponents possess the same knowledge and skill which would negate many of the advantageous ideas. The book is fairly easy to read but should be considered in context of the culture.
Knowledge of the opponents is necessary in the art of war. If there is no information of the opponent, making a pretend powerful attack is a tactic used to obtains information. That information should be adapted to the strategy. Actions should be diverse and nonrepetitive. Manipulating opponent’s attention so as to confuse their ideas about the potential future actions is a way of obtaining advantageous information. Appearances can alter opponent’s mood which can be taken advantage of. Defeat does not mean that any side has gained victory. To win, defeat must be felt with no ambition for retaliate.
The books keep pressing the superiority of a particular method over others. In some parts, the same method can be used to defeat many opponents at the same time. The issue with this logic is that if the method is best and starts to be used by others due to its superiority, that means that the opponents possess the same knowledge and skill which would negate many of the advantageous ideas. The book is fairly easy to read but should be considered in context of the culture.
reflective
medium-paced
I don't know if it was the translation I had, but this was a difficult book to get through. A lot of it felt redundant, as if Mushashi felt repeating the same thing was the only way to teach, and other times it felt like I was trying to read a shopping list, with the barest of arguments to support points.
Your mileage may vary, but I didn't see what all the fuss was about.
Your mileage may vary, but I didn't see what all the fuss was about.
This book is the philosophy of understanding hand-to-hand combat, written hundreds of years ago by a Japanese swordsman. Unlike many of Asian philosophy books, this book is much more practical in how to defeat a large amount of attackers. Honestly, a lot of this advice is applicable even to the modern day in defending yourself against attack. I really enjoyed it.
I had an epiphany or two or three; always a good thing, and impressive for such a short text. It's not that the writing is really beautiful or thrilling, but honestly, the principles/ideas are, and he presents them in a hard-hitting, hard to escape way. For now, I skipped the historical introduction and just went straight to the strategy part, because it's what I need to improve in karate right now.
I had no reason to read it other than it sounded pretty cool. Unless you want to become a strategist during feudal japan, this book won't do you too well. You can however contort ideas to match your current situation.
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This may be the first comic book I've ever read from cover to cover. I am not a fan of cartoons in general, but I was willing to try this. Ultimately, I did not enjoy it. The book tried to take a deep topic and make it simple. The graphics tried to relate samurai concepts to today and with the simplistic writing of a comic it didn't succeed very well. The writing itself was very low level and not the "Smarter Comics" that its brand portrays. My husband took a look at this (who does read comics) and was also not impressed. I would not recommend this.
This may be the first comic book I've ever read from cover to cover. I am not a fan of cartoons in general, but I was willing to try this. Ultimately, I did not enjoy it. The book tried to take a deep topic and make it simple. The graphics tried to relate samurai concepts to today and with the simplistic writing of a comic it didn't succeed very well. The writing itself was very low level and not the "Smarter Comics" that its brand portrays. My husband took a look at this (who does read comics) and was also not impressed. I would not recommend this.
Liked this a lot more than the Hagakure. Like The Art of War, a lot of the advice here is timeless and applicable, aggressive and profound. Should be taught in physical education.