Samurai, Warfare and the State in Early Medieval Japan (Warfare and History)

Rating:
Summary: The Real Story of The Samurai
Review: Karl Friday is one of a group of scholars studying Japanese history who are determined to cut through the hoary myths of the past -- myths too often taken as history -- that have clouded the true role and behavior of the samurai and thus have led to a skewed view of the past. His chapter on "The Culture of War" is particularly revealing and insightful, and in an indirect way exposes the sophistry of the ultra-nationalists who nearly destroyed the country in WWII and killed millions of their countrymen. Myth, in the wrong hands, can pervert history; the historical record is its only antidote; and Karl Friday has delivered a clear-eyed, meticulously researched and well-crafted narrative of samurai life that will help to set the record straight. This is a fine piece of scholarship, and a fine book for those who love to read history.

Rating:
Summary: Good, but in places inconsistent
Review: The work's subject is of tremendous importance to the field of Japanese Studies and Karl Friday is one of the most qualified scholars to render such an undertaking into a succes. However, where expectations are high and scope is wide, one invariably encounters mistakes. Whether in transcription of Japanese terms, overall textual consistency or detailed interpretational coherency. Furthermore, a glossary of Japanese terms in the original 'kanji' complete with correct Hepburn transcriptions is sorely missed. Maybe space dictated omission of this necessary tool for any serious Japanese Studies work, but afficionados like myself would have preferred one just the same. It would have made the book a valuable addition to anyone's library.