The Samurai : a military history

Young samurai, do you wish to obtain the martial skills to master the Way of the Warrior? The strategic know-how to lay siege to a castle? The Zenlike composure to conduct a tea ceremony? This witty, informative and unique guide to the samurai class of early modern Japan is presented in the guise of a training manual written by a fictional samurai lord. Written by Stephen Turnbull, one of the world's leading authorities on samurai, it offers lively and engaging coverage of every aspect of early 17th-century Japanese warrior culture, from training and armour to how to perform on the battlefield, from Japanese religion to how to attain entrance to the White Jade Pavilion when your warrior days are over. Wise quotes from Japanese sources of the time enliven the text, while colour images and 100 historic wood-block-style prints provide a step-by-step guide to becoming and being a samurai.