The Samurai

by Stephen Turnbull

First published in 1977, The Samurai has long since become a standard work of reference. It continues to be the most authoritative work on samurai life and warfare published outside Japan. Set against the background of Japan's social and political history, the book records the rise and rise of Japan's extraordinary warrior class from earliest times to the culmination of their culture, prowess and skills as manifested in the last great battle they were ever to fight - that of Osaka Castle in 1615.

Genres: History, Japan, Nonfiction, Japanese History, Military Fiction, Military History, Martial Arts

316 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1977

About the author

Stephen Richard Turnbull is British a historian specializing in eastern military history, especially the samurai of Japan. His books are mainly on Japanese and Mongolian subjects. He attended Cambridge University where he gained his first degree. He currently holds an MA in Theology, MA in Military History and a PhD from the University of Leeds where he is currently a lecturer in Far Eastern Religions. He has also written a number of books on other medieval topics. He is semi-retired but still holds the post of Visiting Professor of Japanese Studies at Akita International University in Japan.

Reviews

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book on Japanese history that I've been waiting for. A thorough yet entertaining narrative of the 1000 years or so of warrior rule and conflict in pre-modern Japan. As a tale of great heroism, battlefield prowess, the inevitable betrayals and constant violence ("rather bloodcurdling" is the opinion of one reviewer), Dr. Turnbull's work is a nice summation of all the other works on Japanese military history that he has written over the years. My favorite warlord: Oda Nobunaga, who drank sake from the skulls of his enemies. Space is also given to the arms, armor and battle tactics of the samurai, as are the biographies of famous warriors. A first-rate summation of the military accomplishments and defeats of the samurai class in Japanese history.

[Michael Bacon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Turnbull is a decent storyteller. Japanese is a language blessed with few syllables, and, due perhaps to the ideographic writing system, a tendency for names especially to repeat the same ones with minor variation. In spite of this, Turnbull does a good job in taking the slew of warriors and battles with confusingly similar sounding names and giving sufficient personality to them that a number of them begin to come alive on the page. In achieving this he does take some curious shortcuts, though, for a historian. He has an habit of presenting dubious source material uncritically, especially the Heike Monogatari, an account of the Genpei War which is as much a work of literature as it is history, and one which is quite clearly fictionalised.

Perhaps my accusation is merely that Turnbull trusts his reader too much. The most interesting observations about the samurai I gleaned from reading this were the ones Turnbull alludes to rather than says aloud: that the samurai were, for most of their history, as much a social construct as a military class; that much of their history their conduct seemed almost as performative as it was soldierly. The samurai, like his sword, is one part warrior, one part romantic idea. Finally, that romantic ideas are all good and well, but in the end it is never sentiment that carries the day: it's relentless, cruel pragmatism, backed up with the aggression needed to create one's own luck. It's Tokugawa Ieyasu.

[Adamson Bryant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was more like a textbook and very dry

[John Speight · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book helps to dismiss many of the superstitions and myths that have gathered around the Samurai over the centuries. The katana couldn't cut through armor like cloth, Samurai tended to run away and switch sides rather than kill themselves to preserve their honor.

[Elliot Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book, loaded with information and really interesting photographs. The coverage of all the warfare within Japan between the 12th-18th century and the Samurai as a warrior was deeply riveting. I came into this book as a total layperson and I am sad that I have now read it all. The Samurai are a fascinating class of individuals. The love for warfare they possess was almost poetic. One Samurai leader wept at the early demise of one of his enemies as he was saddened by the fact that a worthy opponent had died before their day of reckoning.

The maintenance of honour was coupled with a complete disregard for loyalty. There were endless examples of treachery but equally countless incidents of bravery throughout the history of the Samurai. It can also be stated that they produced some of the finest examples of swords and armour that has graced combat history. I am not a proponent of war but there is something deeply romantic about the methodology of Samurai combat. These were not people forced to conscript, these were individuals who saw this as an art form, on a fatal canvas.

The code of conduct, such as Hari-Karu, led to the downfall of many a warrior whom possibly could have fought another day. The Samurai stated that suicide had to be painful and they often sliced open their own stomachs to kill themselves. There were also other instances of suicide that are far more gruesome, this was deemed to be the noblest way of handling a defeat. Cowardice was not tolerated within the Samurai class. Despite the Samurai being disbanded in the early nineteenth century, many of their beliefs and attitudes permeated into the Japanese military. Furthermore, coupled with Japan's fairly hermit like existence, the combination of Bushido to the outside world was often a devastating and destructive combination. The Samurai's pure purpose was to wage war and fight, during one Shogunic era where there existed total peace in Japan, the leader had to launch a war on Korea just so the Samurai had some purpose.

All in all, I learnt a great deal from this book and I would highly recommend it. It is accessible and informative.

[Checkman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A straightforward military history of the Samurai that covers approximately one thousand years. There isn't much focus on the social or artistic aspects of the Samurai. Professor Turnbull does address some of the myths surrounding this famous warrior class. For example, they were more likely to run away or treacherously change sides in the middle of a battle. Their swords were impressive, but they were not supernatural, and spears and bows were the go-to weapons when battle commenced. Only once in the long history of the Samurai did they defend Japan against an external threat (Mongol invasions 1274 & 1281).

Nicely illustrated and comprehensive in its coverage of the military aspects of the Samurai. It's a good reference book and will be an interesting read for the casual reader or somebody just starting in their study of Japan.

[7 · Rating 5 out of 5]

picked the book up from a very old library, very fun exp in itself. regardless, the book is very in depth but not so much it's tedious to read with its touches on such a vast history. very nice.

[Trevor Kew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was without a doubt the best, most comprehensive, and most sweeping book that I have read on the history of the samurai. While Turnbull entitles the work "A Military History," this book goes far beyond a mere tallying-up of war stories, delving into mythology, religion and politics and stripping away many of the illusions that so many people (both in Japan and abroad) have about the history of warriors in Japan. Samurai have become objects of such fantasy nowadays that if you do a quick google image search of "samurai," you come up with almost no paintings, photographs or drawings of real people at all! Well done to Turnbull for showing us a glimpse of who they really were: not ideals of loyalty, honour and duty, but human beings capable of treachery, loyalty, ambition, fear, laziness, bravery and folly.

A quick note: having a map of Japan (or even better, using Google Maps on your phone) while reading this book really adds a lot to the experience of reading about the various battles.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very well written, never boring account of the samurai. Turnbull stuck a little too closely to the "Military History" subtitle, because aside from a brief recounting of the mythological creation of Japan, the author strictly adheres to the battle history of the samurai. I would like to have seen a bit more of the samurai lifestyle and how it fit into the Japanese culture, thereby making it a more well rounded book. Overall, an interesting read if you are interested in Japan, samurai, or military history.

[Mark Cichonski]

The narrative style is a little rough. I was overall disappointed in what I learned of the Samurai. Like most military organizations, there will be politics and intrigue, but these guys took it to a whole new level. While they were certainly brave and fearless they did not show much loyalty.