A review by katmccor
Bushido: The Soul of Japan. A Classic Essay on Samurai Ethics by Inazō Nitobe

3.0

This book is excellent in that it gives insight into the cultural and political environment Nitobe was living in at the turn of the century. However, it is extremely limited in its ability to give an accurate portrayal of Bushido and Samurai life. Although it is idealized and written for a Christian, Western audience, it is significant in that the novel played an integral role in the development of today’s romanticized samurai. Nitobe’s facination with the Samurai is not unlike the West’s fascination with cowboys or knights, and should not be taken anymore seriously as accurate portrayals of the past.