| Miyamoto Musashi: A Life in Arms Illustrated Edi Edition Contributor(s): De Lange, William (Author) |
|
 |
ISBN: 949272202X ISBN-13: 9789492722027 Publisher: Toyo Press OUR PRICE: $37.99 Product Type: Paperback Published: June 2017 |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - History | Asia - Japan - Biography & Autobiography | Historical - Biography & Autobiography | Military |
| Series: Illustrated Editions |
| Physical Information: 0.6" H x 7.5" W x 9.25" (1.15 lbs) 222 pages |
| Themes: - Cultural Region - Japanese |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: THE FIRST FULLY ILLUSTRATED BIOGRAPHY OF JAPAN'S GREATEST SWORDSMAN Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1645) is the most celebrated swordsman in Japanese history. Yet few of the many works on the enigmatic warrior have hewn to the original sources. Fewer still have explored the emotional turmoil that drove him on to be the very best in his field. A Life in Arms debunks many of the convenient myths, while at the same time uncovering the more controversial aspects that have been left hidden: his deeply troubled relationship with his father, his whereabouts during the battle of Sekigahara, his role in the siege of Osaka castle, and the birth and death of an illegitimate child, an event that deeply influenced his art. It shows how Musashi's path through life was shaped by strong personal traits: a reckless valor in the face of danger, a sensitive intelligence in the fields of art and architecture, a generosity toward peers and pupils, and a defiant stubbornness in old age. The complex yet human portrait that arises is a far cry from the accepted one-dimensional caricatures. Drawing from a wealth of images, maps, photographs, and woodprints, this Illustrated Edition gives the reader an even more authentic and in-depth experience of the life of Japan's greatest swordsman. |
Contributor Bio(s): De Lange, William: - William de Lange is the author of books, ebooks and apps on Japan's traditional culture, from history, samurai culture, to arts & crafts, and language dictionaries. Bio: William de lange was born in 1964 in Naarden, the Netherlands to Dutch and English parents. In the late 1980s, he aborted his English studies to embark on a journey that eventually led him to Japan, where he supported himself by making traditional Japanese scrolls and writing articles for the Japan Times Weekly. Following his graduation from Leiden University in 1994, he lived in Japan for the remaining decade, studying the art of Japanese fencing under Akita Moriji sensei, eighth dan master of the Shinkage-ryu. Since then he has written a large number of books on Japanese history and culture, including a highly acclaimed biography of Miyamoto Musashi. He is currently working on a history of the Yagyu clan. William de Lange lives and works in the Netherlands and loves to travel, enjoying good food and wine with the love of his life. |