Legends of the Samurai, Hiroaki Sato, 1995. Overlook Press, NY. 391 pages. Previously owned in new condition.

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Sato confronts both the history and the legend of the samurai, untangling the two to present an authentic picture of these legendary warriors. Through his translations of original tales and documents, accompanied by insightful commentary, Sato chronicles the changing ethos of the Japanese warrior from the samurai's historical origins to his rise to political power. His translations are a testament to his mastery of the language for they flow with a lively ease that one might not expect from accounts, many of which are ancient.