A History of the Samurai: Legendary Warriors of Japan

Product Description

A History of the Samurai tells the complete story of Japan’s legendary warrior class from beginning to end—an epic tale of intrigue, bloodshed and bravery that is central to an understanding of the Japanese character and of Japanese history. It describes in detail the core Samurai philosophy of Bushido—”the way of the warrior”—a complex code of conduct embracing ideals of honor and loyalty that continues to govern the Japanese way of life today.

Historian Jonathan Lopez-Vera offers a compelling look at these enigmatic warriors including:

The lives of famous Samurai—Miyamoto Musashi, Japan’s greatest swordsman; Tomoe Gozen, the woman who became a Samurai; Tokugawa Ieyasu, the last Shogun; and many more
The tragic tale of the 47 Ronin who chose honor over their own lives and were forced to commit ritual suicide after avenging their fallen master
The philosophy of Bushido, “the Way of the Warrior,” the code of conduct that embraced the ideals of honor and loyalty and governed the Samurai way of living
The decline of the Samurai and their transformation from rough, battle-hardened warriors to highly educated philosopher-poets

Illustrated with 125 archival prints and photos, the nobility and grandeur of the Samurai is brilliantly showcased in this book. Readers will enjoy immersing themselves in the Samurai’s world, as historian Jonathan Lopez-Vera traces the fascinating story of the rise and fall of these enigmatic warriors throughout Japanese history.

Review

“In
A History of the Samurai there are seven centuries of battles, intrigues, invasion attempts and great characters with exciting biographies.”
— 20 Minutos newspaper

“…a thorough investigation into these warriors.”
— Sapiens magazine

“Lopez-Vera’s book sows a series of historical pearls that are a delight all on their own.”
— El Peso Del Aire blog

“The author debunks the myths of the subject, without losing the fascinating aspects of Japanese [history]. An exemplary, fact-based narrative that will delight all those who are curious about these warriors of the Far East…Lopez-Vera’s book has all the features to make it as appealing and understandable as possible for a non-academic audience.”
— El Nacional newspaper

“Jonathan Lopez-Vera has done a stellar job here in essentially painting a broad historical picture of Japan through the context of its samurai class.”
—Books & Bao

About the Author

Jonathan Lopez-Vera has a PhD in Japanese History and an MA in World History from Pompeu Fabra University (Spain). He is a member of the Ethnographies, Cultural Encounters and Religious Missions (ECERM) research group and Research Group on Empires, Metropolis and Extra-European Societies (GRIMSE). He also runs the
HistoriaJaponesa.com website and is co-editor of the journal
Asiademica.

Russell Calvert has a masters degree in translation studies from Pompeu Fabra University (Barcelona). He has 25 years TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) experience, including posts at ESADE Business School (Barcelona) and Salalah College of Applied Sciences (Oman). He was the subtitler, translator and interpreter for the 2012 Mecal International Short Film Festival of Barcelona.