Rating: 
Summary: a class on its own
Review: Some books are a class on their own (Pirsig's "Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance" and Campbell's "Power of Myth" come to mind), and this is one of then. It truly changed my life: I became interested in Japan because of this book, and, after receiving a scholarship, lived for five years in that country. The concept of shibumi is very infectious and has an ever-lasting effect in sensible minds and hearts. It is my favourite book.
Rating:
Summary: My favorite book
Review: Without going into a lot of detail, Shibumi is truly one of the best books ever written, and my all-time favorite that I reread at least once a year.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic! I come back to it over and over!
Review: I first became familier with Trevanian when I was in high school and found The Eiger Sanction in the library. That was 23 or 24 years ago! I thought Eiger was the best book ever written. Boy was I wrong. Shibumi is a classic like no other. It is intence and exciting. It is filled with action, political commentary, cultural commentary, and some very subtle humor. I have been reading it over and over since the first year it was published. I couldn't even guess how many times I have read it. If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and could only have two books, this would have to be one of them.
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Summary: Wonderful, Perfect, Best Book That I've Ever Read
Review: A perfect book which introduced many wonderful and profound things and concepts into my life. Even the concept of "Shibumi" alone makes this book worth to be read. No need to mention that it includes many philosophical ideas about elitism, democracy, consuming society; information about Eastern culture, GO... This book is the masterpiece of masterpieces. The best book I've ever read. Trevanian has the ultimate talent of using the English language. No other writer (with the exceptions of Douglas Adams, and Jay McInerney in "Story of My Life") makes me laugh so much with their witty and hilarious writings. I made almost everybody around me read the book and they adored the it. For the ones who said it is an OK spy novel; sorry, but you did not get into the depths of the book. Read it again, but this time more carefully. For the ones who loved this book, also read "Summer of Katya" (psychological, but witty) and "Rude Tales and Glorious" (hilarious, clever, funny, great...). They are great, too.
Rating:
Summary: One of my favorite books
Review: I first discovered this book in high school, 15 years ago, and I'm still re-reading it. A great thriller that moves right along, but at the same time calls your attention to so many other things. For me, it's the kind of book which, the more I read it, the more I discover about it. Trevanian's finest hands down.
Rating: 
Summary: Childish fantasy of a frustrated man
Review: Ok, so I'm being a little harsh. But the main character is so cliche -- the ultimate assasin, the ultimate lover -- he's clever and heartless (but give me a break, how can he be the ultimate lover, then?) ...isn't this the fantasy of every 16-year-old? There are some interesting concepts about eastern religion in places, and definitely some good page-turning sections (the caving part was particularly good). The writing style and quality is very uneven. (I wonder if a lot of this was ghost-written...) Anyway, it's enjoyable and exciting at first, but it became annoyingly implausible and childish by the end. Shogun this is not!
Rating: 
Summary: Very good
Review: Not perfect but very good. I like the way Trevanian turns the genre against itself and the tricks he plays with viewpoint.I think the key to understanding Nicholai comes in a sentence early in the book when he first learns about shibumi: "In pursuit of shibumi he could excel invisibly, without attracting the attention and vengeance of the tyrannical masses." Does anyone know of a book in english that discusses concepts like sabi, wabi,karumi,shiori and shibumi in depth?
Rating:
Summary: My favorite book.
Review: I read Shibumi years ago during a summer college break and still name it as my favorite book. That was the summer the Luke and Laura storyline was hot on General Hospital. I had about 1-1/2 hours free between jobs and found myself on the couch with Shibumi in my lap, reading during the commercials. My brother had recommended the book, telling me it told a few home truths like college being a 4 year vacation for those not prepared for real life (ouch) and how Americans would buy and/or swallow anything if touted by a beloved spokesperson. I read it and loved it. The characterizations, the style and pace are marvelous! This book introduced me to a whole new genre. I have now read everything of Trevanian's I have found. This and the Eiger Sanction are his best, in my opinion.
Rating:
Summary: Another Reader Who Finds Shibumi an Excellent Book!
Review: This is the first Trevanian book I've read--tomorrow I'll go find another book of his. To me, "Shibumi" is a wonderful mix of "Shogun" and any Clive Cussler book. (Cussler wrote some great cave scenes in "Inca Gold," as has Nevada Barr in her NEW book "Blind Descent.") However, no one has matched Trevanian's masterful use of the English language. It was a joy to read. I loved the Basque country setting, too.
Rating:
Summary: A sublime and masterful work of art
Review: This novel will appeal to many different people, on many different levels. It's a wonderful action/spy story; it's a thought-provoking mystical/philosphical tale; it's also a beautifully crafted piece of literature. Each time I read this book I find something new. After my 4th or 5th time through it I *finally* noticed the pacing -- you will notice that the length of the chapters directly correspond to (1) how near the end it is, and (2) the tempo of the action. In other words... as the book goes on, the action gets quicker and the storyline more intense and this is emphasized by the shorter and shorter length of the chapters. A masterful technique. This book has influenced my life and I often give it out as a present to special friends. Enjoy.
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