Customer Reviews

The Samurai: A Military History

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If you have ever had even a passing interest in the history of Japan from the perspective of the warrior class who played a major role in defining it, then this is probably the best choice of book on the subject. It approaches the topic from the earliest accounts of the samurai right though to the end of the samurai era, taking a fairly high level, "big picture" type view. The book looks more at the "why" something happened, than the "how" of events. This provides some fascinating insights into the history of Japan and allows the reader to grasp the overall history of feudal Japan with just the right balance of details and objectivity. That said, there is still quite a bit of detail of some of the more notable battles, but high level, campaign type information is not the purpose of this book. It is more interested in letting the reader understand what happened in Japanese history and why it unfolded as it did, with out bogging down in micro detail. The book is superbly researched and is very well written, and despite the fact that it is a "history" book, it is a very enjoyable, extremely informative read. It is thoroughly recommended.

I checked out this book from the library a decade ago. I have been looking to purchase it ever since. Turnbull covers the length and breadth of Japanese military history, up to the end of the Samurai era in the 1860's. This book has information which is not available elsewhere. Turnbull's book includes maps, battle accounts, political history and other information that makes Samurai history come alive. You will be extremely pleased with the depth and quantity of the information available in this book.

Stephen Turnbull, in my opinion, is one of the foremost historians of Japanese military history, and certainly one of the most prolific. His writings are well researched and represent the various strata of the eras he writes. Starting with the early history of Japan and extending his writings through the Edo Period, events are written not only of the deeds of the samurai, but also of the political, religious, and cultural influences that helped form this unique class of warriors. Forces in society such as the Emperor, the establishment of Buddhism and later Christianity as a religion, and the numerous foreigners who entered Japan are all shown to have shaped them. Another aspect of this book which is very appealing is that where other historians will focus only upon the much broader aspects of Japanese history, Dr. Turnbull provides insight into the samurai culture by giving excerpts from chronicles of individual families within this warrior society, thereby stirring the imagination of his readers to a greater extent. This book is truly a great resource for understanding this fascinating military order.

Dr. Turnbull approaches this book as a loving historian. He blends the fact, mythology, and romance of the Samurai in a book dedicated to its accuracy. He understands the place the samurai holds in the minds of the japanese people and in others as well, and does everything he can to keep the legend alive, while telling the history the way it really was. It was very enlightening, and meticulously researched.

My personal introduction to the subject, I bought The Samurai: A Military History to satiate a passing interest after seeing Kurosawa's Ran. That said, Turnbull's is an excellent and superior effort that proved both exceedingly readable (in light of the subject matter) and highly entertaining. Honestly, I can't speak highly enough of this book. The Samurai: A Military History was the impetus behind my transition from passing interest to devoted connoisseur, and I am forever grateful!

This is an amazing historical work, which begins with the mythological creation of Japan. The style follows Herodotus in the form of a story, not the Thucydides style. This book covers samurai history, but Japanese history as well, since the samurai were such an ingrained part of Japanese culture. Stephen Turnbull has become one of my now two favorite historical authors. I shall be looking into more of his works, especially since my field of study revolves around China, Japan, and the Middle East, especially the Romans (Byzantines to many, but they called themselves Romans...added note there).

What I liked about this book was it starts with the Japanese creation myth and seamlessly blends that into the begining of their history. The stories and ancedotes are very interesting reading and his analysis of of their history is enlightening. I've become a big fan of his work because it make the history interesting and enlightening. Highly recomended.