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Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy | 
 enlarge | Author: Miyamoto Musashi
Publisher: Gramercy
Category: Book
List Price: $9.99
Buy Used: $2.99
You Save: $7.00 (70%)
New (5) Used (37) from $2.99
Rating:  116 reviews
Sales Rank: 226705
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 96
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 6.9 x 0.7
ISBN: 0517415283
Dewey Decimal Number: 355.547
EAN: 9780517415283
Publication Date: May 28, 1988
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Condition: Standard used condition.
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Amazon.com Review
To learn a Japanese martial art is to learn Zen, and although you can't do so simply by reading a book, it sure does help--especially if that book is The Book of Five Rings. One of Japan's great samurai sword masters penned in decisive, unfaltering terms this certain path to victory, and like Sun Tzu's The Art of War it is applicable not only on the battlefield but also in all forms of competition. Always observant, creating confusion, striking at vulnerabilities--these are some of the basic principles. Going deeper, we find suki, the interval of vulnerability, of indecisiveness, of rest, the briefest but most vital moment to strike. In succinct detail, Miyamoto records ideal postures, blows, and psychological tactics to put the enemy off guard and open the way for attack. Most important of all is Miyamoto's concept of rhythm, how all things are in harmony, and that by working with the rhythm of a situation we can turn it to our advantage with little effort. But like Zen, this requires one task above all else, putting the book down and going out to practice. --Brian Bruya
Product Description
Translated by V. Harris. Japan's answer to the Harvard MBA...Written over three centuries ago by a Samurai warrior, the book has been hailed as a limitless source of psychological insight for businessmen-or anyone who relies on strategy and tactics for outwitting the competition.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 111 more reviews...
 A pleasing introduction to a different era September 18, 2008
Adam Irving (Minneapolis, MN)
An old martial treatise that is more philosophical than one might expect. There are very few how-to sections of the work, but the very ambiguity of many passages allow deep inspection. The author of the second work translated here, Munenori, in fact reminds the reader - constantly - that everything written herein required careful consideration, practice, and reflection. As a glimpse into the warrior ethos of martial culture from 17th-century Japan, both are valuable books. The reader would most likely find this book even more rewarding after reading similarly-themed books from the near geographical area, such as Sun-tzu's "Art of War," or even the "Tao Te Ching."
Critically important for business - the single strike and strategy May 30, 2008
Kenneth Calhoun (Colorado, USA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Being able to focus successfully is a key to creating business empires; Musashi's book is packed with insights that all of us who are entrepreneurs and executives can learn from. It is the tactical equivalent of Sun Tzu's strategic wisdom in The Art of War; both are immensely powerful.
-k
It's good. May 13, 2008
Wen C. Liao
It's a good translation of the book of Five Rings. Although, I haven't read the original, and I can't read Japanese so I don't know if this is a correct translation or not. but, it makes sense, and it's not in Engrish like some other translated books...
WARRIORS BIBLE April 29, 2008
Troy A. Lettieri (NC, USA)
Musashi, like every great warrior, knew that strategy was as important as tactics and techniques in combat. This book will teach you things that were learned in combat and will enhance your survival potential on the battlefield, street and life.
It is not the easiest book to interpret and understand, but that hardly matters, as for the information in this book is worth your time and effort. One good book is worth a hundred crummy ones, and this book is one outstanding book. This book is divided into various distinct sections, and the serious and professional warrior should extract as much information as possible from each section. Every time I pick this book up I learn something new. This is the warrior's bible.
I highly recommend this book to all readers.
 Book of three stars March 17, 2008
P. V. de Metter (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book left me with a double feeling. Happiness, about being able to read about ancient wisdom and the sense it all made. Sadness, not being able to apply all knowledge in our era.
As Sun Tzu's Art of War was written even more abstract than this book, I found it easier to convert its knowledge into practice. As this book is more focussed on the inner-self of a human being, I strongly recommend you first read some Zen books before digging in on this one. Then I would recommend Zen Mind, Beginners Mind.
The knowledge of this book is definitly four-star material, but this translation into English misses out on some key points. Excellent to read, but don't expect any miracles without years of dedicated training.
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