Samurai Strategies

42 Life-Changing Lessons from Musashi's Book of Five Rings

By: Boye Lafayette De Mente, Alexander Bennett (Foreword by)

Write A Review

Paperback | 1 September 2025

At a Glance

Paperback
192 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
20.3 x 13.0 x 1.7

Paperback

RRP $22.99

$21.75

or 4 interest-free payments of $5.44 with

In Stock and Ships in 1-2 business days

Musashi's timeless teachings distilled and presented in 42 easy lessons!

The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi, the legendary Samurai warrior, is the top-selling book on Japanese military strategy, one that continues to be read by hundreds of thousands of people today. In this contemporary interpretation, Boye Lafayette De Mente distills the essence of Musashi's teachings into 42 simple lessons that can be applied to any competitive field-business, sports, politics and everyday human interactions.

The 42 strategies revealed in this book include:

Set Goals: Clarify your objectives and remain unwavering on your path to success
Train to Win: Embrace perpetual learning and avoid distractions to stay inspired and resilient
Clear Your Mind: Musashi's key concept of "no-mind" (the ability to act intuitively based on instinct, developed through endless practice) enables you to maintain focus and avoid ego-driven pitfalls
Confuse Your Opponent: Gain strategic advantage by disguising your true intentions

A new foreword by Musashi expert Alexander Bennett underscores how Musashi's tactics, developed in the 17th century, offer powerful insights for today's ambitious over-achievers-by helping you develop mental strength that defeats the physical and natural abilities of your opponents.

About the Authors

Boye Lafayette De Mente (1928-2017) was a distinguished scholar of Japan, China, and Korea whose career began in the 1940s. His experience spanned roles as a member of a U.S. intelligence agency, trade journalist, editor and author based in Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong and Singapore. A graduate of Jochi University in Tokyo and the American Institute for Foreign Trade (now Thunderbird School of Global Management), De Mente wrote over 70 books, including Japan's Cultural Codewords and The Etiquette Guide to Japan.

Alexander Bennett is professor of Japanese history and Budo theory at Kansai University. He co-founded and publishes Kendo World, the first English-language journal dedicated to Kendo. He holds black belts in numerous martial disciplines including Kendo Kyoshi 7-dan, Iaido 5-dan and Naginata 5-dan. His published works include The Complete Musashi: The Book of Five Rings and Other Works and Hagakure: The Secret Wisdom of the Samurai.

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $79.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.