Get Free Shipping on orders over $79
Samurai : The Last Warrior: A History - John Man

Samurai

The Last Warrior: A History

By: John Man

Paperback | 15 January 2020

At a Glance

Paperback


$29.69

or 4 interest-free payments of $7.42 with

Ships in 5 to 7 business days

The definitive history of the Samurai, by acclaimed author of Ninja: 1,000 Years of the Shadow Warrior

“One could ask for no better storyteller or analyst than John Man.” —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—the Way of the Warrior—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.

Industry Reviews

"With a relaxed and honest prose style [Man] slashes through the thicket of 19th-century Japanese politics with the keenness of a samurai's tempered steel blade." -- The Daily Express

"A well-written piece of history with an easy storyteller's rhythm and plenty of intrigue. Readers will quickly realize that the author is well-versed in Far Eastern history, but he also accommodates new discoveries and insights. ... Smooth, sophisticated history writing." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Exciting, surprising, and moving. ... A well-written saga" -- Booklist

"An engaging look at the final days of a military elite." -- Shelf Awareness

More in Asian History

The Great Transformation : China's Road from Revolution to Reform - Odd Arne Westad
The Rape of Nanking : The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II - Iris Chang
The Shortest History of Japan - Lesley Downer

RRP $27.99

$23.75

15%
OFF
The Finest Hotel in Kabul : A People's History of Afghanistan - Lyse Doucet
A Very Short History of the Israel-Palestine Conflict - Ilan Pappe
Cactus Pear For My Beloved : Shortlisted for the 2025 Stella Prize - Samah Sabawi
Israel on the Brink : Eight Steps for a Better Future - Ilan Pappe
Fly, Wild Swans : My Mother, Myself and China - Jung Chang

RRP $37.99

$30.75

19%
OFF
The Golden Road : How Ancient India Transformed the World - William Dalrymple
Israel : A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth - Noa Tishby
Crusader Criminals : The Knights Who Went Rogue in the Holy Land - Steve Tibble
Gaza : The Dream and the Nightmare - Julie M.  Norman

RRP $36.95

$29.75

19%
OFF
Eichmann in Jerusalem : A Report on the Banality of Evil - Hannah Arendt