Can I read Hagakure : the Book of the Samurai on EtoBox?

Hagakure : the Book of the Samurai by Tsunetomo Yamamoto; William Scott Wilson; Kodansha International is a philosophy book available to read on EtoBox.

What is Hagakure : the Book of the Samurai about?

SUMMARY:Hagakure ("In the Shadow of Leaves"') is a manual for the samurai classes consisting of a series of short anecdotes and reflections that give both insight and instruction-in the philosophy and code of behavior that foster the true spirit of Bushido-the Way of the Warrior. It is not a book of philosophy as most would understand the word: it is a collection of thoughts and sayings recorded over a period of seven years, and as such covers a wide variety of subjects, often in no particular sequence. The work represents an attitude far removed from our modern pragmatism and materialism, and posesses an intuitive rather than rational appeal in its assertion that Bushido is a Way of Dying, and that only a samurai retainer prepared and willing to die at any moment can be totally true to his lord. While Hagakure was for many years a secret text known only to the warrior vassals of the Hizen fief to which the author belonged, it later came to be recognized as a classic exposition of samurai thought and came to influence many subsequent generations, including Yukio Mishima. This translation offers 300 selections that constitute the core texts of the 1,300 present in the original.

Who reads Hagakure : the Book of the Samurai?

Author

Tsunetomo Yamamoto; William Scott Wilson; Kodansha International

Publisher

Kodansha International; distributed in the United States by Kodansha America, Inc.

Published

1992

Language

EN

ISBN

9784770011060

Category

philosophy

Subjects

Buddhism, Fiction, Religion

Rating

4.08 / 5 (405 ratings)

Updated

2026-03-13