Scan barcode
anyajulchen's review against another edition
5.0
Amazingly insightful
The book is full of reflections and quotes of Japanese history for the explanation of each and all of the roots of Bushido. I really feel this book has helped me to understand more the characteristics of the people of Japan.
The book is full of reflections and quotes of Japanese history for the explanation of each and all of the roots of Bushido. I really feel this book has helped me to understand more the characteristics of the people of Japan.
alanffm's review against another edition
3.0
I'm a little disappointed by this essay as, it turns out, Bushido (the essay, not the doctrine) has a lot more to do with the West than it does with Bushido as a set of rules. The essay focuses on comparing late 19th century Japanese society to the West and explaining to a Western audience (Nitobe wrote this in English) why Japanese culture and traditions are on par with European ones and why Bushido as a set of laws is similar to whatever makes European society so "advanced." It's certainly a strange read and I'm not quite sure what to make of it: it's part literary criticism, part philosophy, part history, and mostly opinion. Nitobe's erudition is quite remarkable, so even if one does not agree with his questionable theories, he is nevertheless a pleasure to read.
My edition is that of the Penguin Great Ideas set, and honestly I wish I had read a different edition. There are PLENTY of punctuation errors (missing commas, periods, sentences that do not begin with a capital letter...), which is truly disappointing given the publishing house's reputation.
Why.
My edition is that of the Penguin Great Ideas set, and honestly I wish I had read a different edition. There are PLENTY of punctuation errors (missing commas, periods, sentences that do not begin with a capital letter...), which is truly disappointing given the publishing house's reputation.
Why.
4lbxrtoii's review against another edition
2.0
A rich exploration of samurai ethics through diverse cultural lenses, but its heavy reliance on allusions to various works might prove confusing for those not well-versed in the referenced traditions.
whitewell's review against another edition
4.0
Bushido è uno di quei libri che deve trovarsi in tutte le librerie degli appassionati di Giappone. é un piccolo saggio ma di grande significato. L’autore lo scrive qualche tempo dopo l’apertura del Giappone con l’Occidente e vuole spiegare al resto del mondo l’enigmatica e diversa cultura giapponese.
Ogni capitolo è breve, di una 10/15ina di pagine e il tutto è molto scorrevole e chiaro con un sacco di esempi e di rimandi alla nostra cultura.
L’ho trovato molto affascinante e di incredibile ispirazione, la cultura giapponese è incredibile e grazie a questo libro sono riuscita a capirla un po’ di più. Un libro fondamentale e interessantissimo.
L’unica piccola peccuccia che potrei dargli è l’eccesso di paragoni tra le due culture: si ma too much. Penso che non tutto possa essere paragonabile e forse è proprio questo il bello. Sono due culture tanto diverse e dove spesso non si può trovare un paragone, spesso non è necessario che noi la capiamo, è così, come è così la nostra.
Ogni capitolo è breve, di una 10/15ina di pagine e il tutto è molto scorrevole e chiaro con un sacco di esempi e di rimandi alla nostra cultura.
L’ho trovato molto affascinante e di incredibile ispirazione, la cultura giapponese è incredibile e grazie a questo libro sono riuscita a capirla un po’ di più. Un libro fondamentale e interessantissimo.
L’unica piccola peccuccia che potrei dargli è l’eccesso di paragoni tra le due culture: si ma too much. Penso che non tutto possa essere paragonabile e forse è proprio questo il bello. Sono due culture tanto diverse e dove spesso non si può trovare un paragone, spesso non è necessario che noi la capiamo, è così, come è così la nostra.
hellhoundharry's review against another edition
2.0
While I was definately interested in the subject, I got the feeling of a westernized japanese writer who was trying to sell me an ideal instead of trying to actually go into the history of the Bushido. At a lot of points in this short book he draws comparisons between the Bushido and the knights of Europe. I also got the feeling that he was trying to write a romanticized account of the Bushido and their way. Which is not inherently bad, the stories of king Arthur and his knights or Charlemagne and his knights are doing pretty much the same, to draw a comparsion!
I also feel that at 96 pages, this book was much too short for such a broad subject. I would've preferred a looong and philosophical, historical book on the samurai!
Still, this looks nice in my bookshelf.
Maybe I should give Hagakure a shot?
I also feel that at 96 pages, this book was much too short for such a broad subject. I would've preferred a looong and philosophical, historical book on the samurai!
Still, this looks nice in my bookshelf.
Maybe I should give Hagakure a shot?