<div>The definitive history of the Samurai, by acclaimed author of Ninja: 1,000 Years of the Shadow Warrior&#8220;One could ask for no better storyteller or analyst than John Man.&#8221; &#8212;Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of Jerusalem: The Biography The inspiration for the Jedi knights of Star Wars and the films of Akira Kurosawa, the legendary Japanese samurai have captured modern imaginations. Yet with these elite warriors who were bound by a code of honor called Bushido&#8212;the Way of the Warrior&#8212;the reality behind the myth proves more fascinating than any fiction. In Samurai, celebrated author John Man provides a unique and captivating look at their true history, told through the life of one man: Saigo Takamori, known to many as "the last samurai." In 1877 Takamori led a rebel army of samurai in a heroic "last stand" against the Imperial Japanese Army, who sought to end the "way of the sword" in favor of firearms and modern warfare. Man's thrilling narrative brings to life the hidden world of the samurai as never before. </div>

Samurai

<div>The definitive history of the ninja, based on a wealth of historical texts, local Japanese sources, and John Man's own treks across Asia&#8220;An immensely entertaining history, packed with splendidly blood-thirsty tales of derring-do, feats of endurance and self-sacrifice.&#8221; &#8212;The GuardianOut of the violent chaos of medieval Japan, a remarkable band of peasants rose to become the world's most feared warriors&#8212;trained to perfect the art of ninjutsu, the deadly union of martial arts and deception. Today, however, these real life ninjas are overshadowed by legend and pop culture caricatures. Could they fly? Climb walls? Make themselves invisible?Drawing on a wealth of historical texts, local Japanese sources, and his own comprehensive treks across Asia, acclaimed author John Man takes us back to the ninjas' origins in China, through to their heyday in the bloody civil wars that ended with the unification of Japan in 1600. Man also illuminates the twentieth-century reemergence of the Japanese tradition of shadow warfare through the Nakano Spy School&#8212;the elite military-intelligence academy that operated as an extensive spy network during World War II&#8212;and reveals one former Nakano soldier, Onoda Hiroo, who may be the last surviving ninja.Compelling and absorbing, Ninja reveals at last the fascinating true history behind one of the world's most enduring legends.</div>

Ninja

<div>&ldquo;A very readable account of the protracted and ultimately unsuccessful efforts of the Song, Xia, and Jin dynasties to defend China from the Mongols.&rdquo;&mdash;StrategyPage Defending Heaven brings together, for the first time in one volume, the complete histories of the wars the Jin, Song, Xia, and Ming dynasties fought against the Mongols. Lasting nearly two centuries, these wars, fought to defend Chinese civilization against a brutal and unrelenting foe, pitted personal heroics against the inexorable Mongol war machine and involved every part of the Chinese state. The resistance of the Chinese dynasties to the Khans is a complex and rich story of shifting alliances and political scheming, vast armies and navies, bloody battles and an astonishing technological revolution. The great events of China&rsquo;s Mongol war are described and analyzed, detailing their immediate and later implications for Chinese history. In this excellent new book, James Waterson tackles this fascinating subject with characteristic verve and skill. Setting the Mongol war in the wider context of China&rsquo;s ancient and almost perpetual conflict with the northern nomads, it sheds light on the evolution of China&rsquo;s military society and the management, command, and control of the army by the Chinese state. &ldquo;An excellent contribution not only to the study of the Mongol Empire but also to military history . . . Anyone interested in medieval warfare will find Defending Heaven of interest.&rdquo;&mdash;Professor Timothy May, in De Re Militari</div>

John Man
Follow this author

Books By John Man (2 Books)

Samurai

Ninja

Get weekly updates and deals from Early Bird Books

More from

Corporate

© 2024 OPEN ROAD INTEGRATED MEDIA

John ManFollow this author

Books By John Man (2 Books)

Samurai

Ninja

RELATED POSTS ABOUT JOHN MAN

Get weekly updates and deals from Early Bird Books

More from

Corporate

© 2024 OPEN ROAD INTEGRATED MEDIA

John Man
Follow this author