Illustrated Book Of Five Rings

Written by the master swordsman and undefeated samurai Miyamoto Musashi in 1643, The Book of Five Rings has become a classic on the arts of strategy and confrontation. Musashi's wise and penetrating advice and observations are applicable not only to martial artists but for leaders in all professions; he analyzes the process of struggle and mastery over conflict that underlies every level of human interaction.

In this exquisite illustrated edition, Thomas Cleary's accessible translation and illuminating introduction are enhanced by forty-five full-color illustrations from Japanese sources, including battle scenes, reproductions of fine samurai swords and armor, and art from the Zen tradition (which had a close relationship with the Japanese martial culture).

Also included is Cleary's translation of another important Japanese classic on leadership and strategy: The Book of Family Traditions on the Art of War by Yagyu Munenori, which highlights the ethical and spiritual insights of Taoism and Zen as they apply to the way of the warrior.

A classic on martial arts strategy and confrontation originally written in 1643 is enhanced by fifty-four full-color illustrations from Japanese sources, including battle scenes, reproductions of fine samurai swords and armor, and art from the Zen tradition.

Miyamoto Musashi, who lived in Japan in the 1600s, was an undefeated dueler, a masterless samurai, and an independent teacher. He spent the last decades of his life refining and teaching his military science.