I first read this story about 12 or 13 years ago when I was entering my teens. Corgi originally released the first book in the series here in the UK at about that same time, and it took over a year for the series to be completed. However the story itself was written in 1935, first being printed in serialized form in one of Japans most famous newspapers, the Asahi Shimbun. The story is a very powerful one that keeps you within its grasp all the way throughout. As well as captivating your mind it captures your heart and your soon so entranced within the story itself that you actually feel that your there, experiencing it with Musashi. Along with a well devised plot that doesn't drift too far from the truth, there's an educational side that goes with it, that teaches you in great detail about feudal Japan, its people and its places and it does this without ever leaving the story. You will finish this book with a good knowledge and understanding of japans history and all without the need for history books. The characters are so well detailed, you can actually picture them very clearly in your head. Its a story that is so well written, so detailed and so enthralling that you actually forget that your living here in the present. Yoshikawa tells the story in such a powerfully romantic way that it might actually make you stop and think about yourself. All in all this book is a must buy. Out of the many books that I have read, this story is not only the best, but it's a story that I will hold in my heart for eternity. You may find yourself never ever wanting to lose this story but most of all, you will be so grateful that you found it.

My lord! This book, as well as the other four have changed my very way of life. This is by far the best series i've ever read. i can only recommend this to all, and i mean all. this book along with the others have gotten me into swordsmanship, and the way of the samurai. anyway, I couldn't put this thing down, so i doubt you will be able to. read it!

Probably the best book of feudal Japan that I have had the pleasure to read. Can not wait for Book II to be printed again.

Dr. Mori explores Buddhism through his perspective as a robot engineer. He even postulates that robots have the buddha-nature. He confronts Buddhist themes such as the notion of ego as if they were engineering problems and comes to surprisingly clear resolutions.

Along the way, he poses many interesting questions that perhaps only a robot engineer would think of. Why do we have two nostrils -- not just one? Why don't we have "earlids" similar to eyelids? His inquiries are highly engaging.

Masahiro Mori offers such a unique exploration of Buddhist philosophy. It's definitely worthwhile for anyone who is a serious student of Buddhism and comfortable with a scientific perspective.

Katsura: A Princely Retreat offers a unique view of an ancient retreat for the royal family of Japan. It combines enlighting text with beautiful pictures.

From the rock gardens to the moon-viewing platform, Katsura offers westerners the chance to gaze at enchanting scenary, buidlings and gardens.

The East never looked so good.

Musashi is an honorable man that is seeking the truth and way of life. Through his choice to reach perfection, he has chosen the bushido way. From his adventures, he learns and masters his skill with the sword. This book chronologically brings it's readers closer to a climax in the last book that will knock you off your feet.

Written in the early twentieth century, this indigenous Japanese novel recounts the life & times of old Japan's greatest swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi -- a man who began life as an over-eager and rather brutish young lout but who, through the discipline of Japan's "way of the sword," turned himself into a master of his chosen weapon. But this tale is not only one of a life spent in training to perfect the art of killing with a sharpened piece of steel. In the venerable Japanese tradition, it is also about a man's search to conquer himself, to become a better man. The Buddhist view cultivated by the Japanese warrior class allowed for a spiritual dimension to their very bloody (in western eyes) enterprise of warfare and killing. And it is this aspect of his training that consumes Musashi, to the detriment of the people he encounters and who seek to attach themselves to him. Unable to settle down in the ordinary way, or to simply join a particular clan as a retainer to some noble lord, Musashi embarks on the life of a ronin (masterless samurai) as he wends his way through the feudal world of medieval Japan in his seemingly endless search for perfection. In the process he finds a young woman who loves him and many enemies who seek his destruction, at least in part in repayment for the damage he does them while on his quest. He also crosses swords with many other experts in Japan's martial arts, but it is his encounter with a Buddhist priest that ultimately puts him on the right path. In the end Musashi finds his grail in a duel to the death with his greatest opponent, the sword master famous for his "swallow cut" -- a stroke so fast and deadly that it can slice a swooping, looping bird out of the air in mid-flight. This alone is a challenge worthy of the master which Musashi has become -- and a match which even he may not be up to, for this opponent is surely the finest technician in his art in all Japan. But there is more to swordsmanship than technical skill, as Musashi has learned, and there is more to living one's life than mere technical proficiency. Musashi attains a sort of peace in preparation for his climactic bout, for he is willing to risk all and even die in order to win against the master of the swallow cut, while applying all the strategy he has learned throughout his tumultuous career to unsettle the man who will oppose him. In the end Musashi lived to a fairly ripe old age and, unlike many of his contemporaries, died in his bed after composing the famous Book of Five Rings -- his own contribution to the art of strategy. (And, by the way, The Art of War, another famous book of military strategy was written by the Chinese general Sun T'zu -- not "Lao T'zu.") -- Stuart W. Mirsky (mirsky@ix.netcom.com

Written in the early twentieth century, this indigenous Japanese novel recounts the life and times of old Japan's greatest swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi -- a man who began life as an over-eager and rather brutish young lout but who, through the discipline of Japan's "way of the sword," turned himself into a master of his chosen weapon. But this tale is not only about a life spent in training to perfect the art of killing with a sharpened piece of steel. In the venerable Japanese tradition, it is also about a man's search to conquer himself, to become a better person. The Buddhist view cultivated by the Japanese warrior class allowed for a spiritual dimension to their very bloody enterprise of warfare and killing. And it is this aspect of his training that consumes Musashi, to the detriment of the people he encounters and who seek to attach themselves to him. Unable to settle down in the ordinary way, or to simply join a particular clan as a retainer to some noble lord, Musashi embarks on the life of a ronin (masterless samurai) as he wends his way through the feudal world of medieval Japan in his seemingly endless search for perfection. In the process he finds a young woman who loves him and many enemies who seek his destruction, at least in part in repayment for the damage he does them while on his quest. He also crosses swords with many other experts in Japan's martial arts, but it is his early encounter with a Buddhist priest that puts him on the path which will forever after guide his life. Musashi ultimately finds his grail in a duel to the death with a man called Kojiro, who will become his greatest opponent, a sword master famous for his "swallow cut" -- a stroke so fast and deadly that it can slice a swooping, looping bird out of the air in mid-flight. This alone is a challenge worthy of the master which Musashi has become -- and a match which even he may not be up to, for this opponent is surely the finest technician in his art in all Japan. But there is more to swordsmanship than technical skill, as Musashi has learned, and there is more to living one's life than merely preserving it. Musashi attains a sort of peace in preparation for his climactic bout, for he is willing to risk all and even die in order to win against the master of the swallow cut, while applying all the strategy he has learned throughout his tumultuous career to unsettle the man who will oppose him. In the end Musashi became a legend to his countrymen, composing the famous Book of Five Rings -- his contribution to the art of strategy. But what he and Kojiro must do when they finally face each other is a tale in itself -- and a denoument towards which everything else in this book ultimately leads.

Books numbering to nearly 1000 pages daunt me-- as you can tell, I don't read very much, even though I should. Of course, knowing vaguely of the legend of Musashi prompted me to pick up this book-- and I haven't regretted it. I am only 60% done with it, but just for that first 60% I'd still give it a five-star rating. Not only was it true to Japanese culture, it was entertaining. (Shogun, the film, was true to form but not very entertaining for me.) What is very fun about the book is the way that Yoshikawa uses characters who existed at that time, and events that took place at that time (mostly the duels), and swirled them into a semi-fiction novel. The character personalities are simply intriguing. For vernacular purposes, "cool" describes many of the ronin portrayed in the book. I enjoy the mixture of arrogance, honor and skill that characterize the samurai-- especially Sasaki Kojiro Ganryu's references to his thirsty Drying Pole.

As a last note, the translation was exemplary. Not only was it technically correct, but Terry managed to transfer Yoshikawa's humor into English so that it was understood, and generally captured Yoshikawa's intentions throughout the book-- it seemed that things which are easy to describe in Japanese, yet having no literal translation in English, were recognized by Terry and converted into understandable English.

After I finish the book, chances are that Amazon.com had better establish a 6 star rating.

When I first heard the story about the author of this book I thought "Oh yeah right, this soldier thought the war was still in progress and stayed in the jungle for 30 years!" Well, that is exactly what happened. This book gives the reader an interesting insight into the mentality of WW II Japanese soldiers. I used to think that the Japanese soldiers of WWII were a bunch of nuts who fought to the death rather than surrender. However, I learned this is how they were raised and to them it was an honor to die in battle or commit suicide but a disgrace to be taken captive. Lt.Onoda was ordered by a superior officer to take to the jungle and continue the fight against the American troops and told not to NOT commit suicide. It is actually surprising that this soldier did in fact surrender. It is almost beyond my comprehension that this loyal and devoted army officer carried out his duty to his country and emperor for 30 years. This was a fascinating book and very enlightening to see the "other guy's" point of view. If you enjoy first hand adventure stories then this book is for you!

I remember this as a news story in 1974; a Japanese soldier emerging from the jungles of the Philippines after finally realizing that WWII was over. I recall thinking 'he must be crazy'. NO SURRENDER shows it's not so. This is the true story of 2nd Lt Hiroo Onoda, who, on orders from his commanding officer retreated with a small band of men into the jungle to carry out guerilla attacks against returning American troops and the Filipinos. He was to stay alive and await reinforcements.

He didn't know when WWII ended and every attempt by Americans, locals, and even friends and familiy from Japan, to get him to come out was seen as a trap by Onoda. Only when his orders were specifically rescinded, did he emerge. Over the years his skills in evading and surviving were honed to a edge.

For humanists this is a positive message and a remarkable tale about the ability of the human spirit to endure great hardships for the sake of beliefs and duty. Less positive, from a mental health perspective, the book is a startling illustration of the power of the mind to program itself to shut out all messages and signals it does not wish to receive.

This book had some light moments, but it was really heartbreaking because every trial and tribulation that Onoda endured was completely unnecessary.

The style of the book is very prosaic, getting across the basic facts without (alas) many lengthy digressions from his main line of describing life in the jungle. Unfortunately, life after Lubang island was not described in the book. We certainly learn a lot about life in the jungle, though. Typical sentences begin like:

"Speaking of stings..."
"More troublesome than the rats were the ants..."
"Some years it would rain all through May..."

He endured all this for 30 years, for nothing. 30 years eating green bananas.

The psychology of it all is fascinating; he constructed a model of how the war was going on and examined all the evidence he had in light of this unshakeable belief. The Japanese soldier must have been fearsome indeed, if even a fraction of them had the strength of conviction that Onoda had.

Definitely worth a read.