The Book of Five Rings, Miyamoto Musashi
The Book of Five Rings, Miyamoto Musashi
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The Book of Five Rings

Author: Miyamoto Musashi

Narrator: Edward Herrmann (Synthesised), Synthesised Voice

Unabridged: 1 hr 41 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 06/18/2022

Synopsis

This recording has been digitally produced by DeepZen Limited, using a synthesised version of an audiobook narrator’s voice under license. DeepZen uses Emotive Speech Technology to create digital narrations that offer a similar listening experience to human narration. 
When the undefeated samurai Miyamoto Musashi retreated to a cave in 1643 and wrote The Book of Five Rings, a manifesto on swordsmanship, strategy, and winning for his students and generations of samurai to come, he created one of the most perceptive and incisive texts on strategic thinking ever to come from Asia.Musashi gives timeless advice on defeating an adversary, throwing an opponent off-guard, creating confusion, and other techniques for overpowering an assailant that will resonate with both martial artists and everyone else interested in skillfully dealing with conflict. For Musashi, the way of the martial arts was a mastery of the mind rather than simply technical prowess—and it is this path to mastery that is the core teaching in The Book of Five Rings.

About Miyamoto Musashi

The famed swordsman Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1645) was born Shinmen Takezo in Harima Province and may have fought at Sekigahara under the Ukita as a common soldier. He claimed to have defeated his first opponent (a certain Arima Kihei) at the age of thirteen. He wrote that he engaged in sixty duels without suffering defeat once, and was noted in this regard for his skill at handling two swords at once. He was also remembered for employing a simple bamboo sword, which he used to deadly effect. Much of Musashi's life between 1600 and 1640 is the stuff of legend, and some have postulated that he served at Osaka Castle on the defending side, taking quite a few heads in the process. In a similar vein, he is sometimes said to have helped quell the Shimabara Rebellion of 1638. In 1640 Musashi accepted service with the Hosokawa clan, and three years later, in Higo Province, began work on his great book The Book of Five Rings. He finished this influential work on swordsmanship in May 1645-the same year he died.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Adil on August 19, 2011

I read a translation by Ashikaga Yoshiharu and Rosemary Brant. This book puzzled me in that at first glance I seem to have learned nothing else from it than how to hold a sword and attack and enemy, and obvious things like never let your enemy have a chance to recover. I'm definitely missing somethi......more

Goodreads review by Mike (the Paladin) on November 19, 2014

This is one of those books I've been "meaning to read" for years. There's a lot that could be said here, more than can be included in a "review". How can one review a book that has stood the test of 5+ centuries? I think there is much of value here, I think there is much that can be learned and then......more

Goodreads review by Jon on November 19, 2022

The classic book on strategy that transcends martial-arts. Read this book before I went to boot camp; it really helped me get through it. This book helped me focus on the process of facing adversity in a way that would facilitate personal growth. I tried to reflect on this when I felt like just givi......more

Goodreads review by Bradley on April 22, 2020

I can't believe I never read this before now, but damn, HAVING read it now, I also appreciate it more. Huh? Am I learning the way of the blade, wanting to defeat my foes from first principles and needing someone from many hundreds of years ago to tell me to EXPLORE THE PRACTICE DEEPLY? Yes? Practice......more

Goodreads review by John on February 23, 2013

The Original Bad Ass MoFo ... in a Zen kinda way. Strategy Tactics Bad Assedness Violence YES!......more

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