This book is a great edition to my collection and contains 22 short chapters of translated Samurai philosophical material spanning roughly the start of the Ashikaga Shogunate of 1338 (1349 in the book) through the Meiji Restoration in 1865. This period witnessed the Onin Wars and Warring States, the Feudal Wars and the unification, and the 300-year Tokugawa period leading to the end of the samurai and rise of the merchant class. If you are a fan of William Scott Wilson's "Ideals of the Samurai", you will love Training the Samurai Mind.
My main complaints about the book are more personal in nature and center around some of Cleary's commentary, which at times can be insightful while others clearly reveal his exceeding his own understanding of the subject. One example is his description of the ninja merging of the Left hand Path with Shinto and Buddhism for the purpose of "mental terror", which is arguably correct in certain later instances, though it suggests he has no clue about the ninja and their relationship with the Yamabushi or how this relationship developed over 900-years ago or the various evolutions that took place during that period. I could debate other issues but as mentioned this is my personal peeve and should not detract from the quality of the book.
My only other complaint is the inclusion of Yamamoto Tsunetomo taking up chapter 10. The Hagakure is a book unto itself and is translated by Wilson, which Cleary must certainly be aware of. Since this book would mostly appeal to people who have already read The Hagakure, why waste space including it here? I would have preferred to have been astonished with a never before translated piece by Yamaoka Tesshu or one of the Yagyu's. That could have put the book over the top.
As the 3-star review by Duff aptly points out, this is not a casual read or any sort of flowing study that will appeal to the mass market. Students of martial arts and history who are willing to read and reread and contemplate the material are certain to not be disappointed. I highly recommend this book.
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The Heart, Soul, Mind & Spirit of the Samurai
In his truly inimitable and engaging style, Thomas presents us with an introduction and then a summary of twenty two of Japans greatest samurai, there thoughts, philosophies and life stories.Covering a period of samurai from 1349 to 1865, we get right into the mind, spirit and true nature of what it was like to live their dangerous lives and how they ingeniously schemed to work out ways to survive and win battles with their enemies. There was rarely any quarter given in these harsh and brutal times.It wasn't all bravery, wit and courage. These Japanese "knights" had to work out life saving strategies and tactics that would always win the day. If they survived the battle that they had lost, then they would probably have to up their lives to their lord and do the honourable thing by committing suicide to save face.Beautifully & interestingly written by an expert in his field, you would expect nothing less from Thomas.With over 600 years of experience all in one book, this has to be one of the best reference books for those seeking to understand what "The Way of the Warrior" is all about.
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