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Heart of a Samurai
- Narrated by: James Yaegashi
- Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins
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Publisher's summary
Praised as “a timeless tale” by Booklist in a starred review, this Newbery Honor book by Margi Preus explores the cultural divide between the East and West circa 1841. When Manjiro, a Japanese teenager, is thrown from his fishing boat during a storm, he’s rescued by an American whaling ship. Befriending the ship’s captain, Manjiro decides to travel with the crew to Massachusetts. But years later, when Manjiro attempts to return to his homeland, he’s imprisoned as an outsider.
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Declan O Donnell has sailed out of Oregon and deep into the vast, wild ocean, having had just finally enough of other people and their problems. He will go it alone, he will be his own country, he will be beholden to and beloved of no one. No man is an island, my butt, he thinks. I am that very man.... But the galaxy soon presents him with a string of odd, entertaining, and dangerous passengers, who become companions of every sort and stripe. The Plover is the story of their adventures and misadventures in the immense blue country one of their company calls Pacifica.
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Poetry, the sea and finally story
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Matt Cruse is a cabin boy on the Aurora, a huge airship that sails hundreds of feet above the ocean. One night he meets a dying balloonist who speaks of beautiful creatures drifting through the skies. It is only after Matt meets the balloonist's granddaughter that he realizes that the man's ravings may, in fact, have been true, and that the creatures are completely real and utterly mysterious.
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At the heart of this vibrant saga is an immense ship, the Ibis. Its destiny is a tumultuous voyage across the Indian Ocean, its purpose to fight China's vicious 19th-century Opium Wars. As for the crew, they are a motley array of sailors and stowaways, coolies and convicts.
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ignorance may be bliss
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A magical mystery with twists and heart
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Allie Fox is going to re-create the world. Abominating the cops, crooks, junkies and scavengers of modern America, he abandons civilisation and takes the family to live in the Honduran jungle. There his tortured messianic genius keeps them alive, his hoarse tirades harrying them through a diseased and dirty Eden towards unimaginable darkness.
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Remote Japanese island beautifully depicted
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As Good as the Series
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What listeners say about Heart of a Samurai
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Kieren Calland Metts
- 01-31-20
Beautifully written story of love, courage and tolerance
And adventure! On top of that, it’s based on a true story. Lovely tale for its target age group of 8-12. Can’t wait to read more from Margi Preus!
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2 people found this helpful
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- Suraya Smith
- 07-19-24
Unique view
What a unique view into Japanese lifestyle & culture & the US through the eyes of an outsider. A remarkable true story about the first Japanese person to interact with the US & influence his people once he returned.
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- Chezky
- 03-20-19
11 year old son loved it
I carpool my 11 year old son and his friend and they both really enjoyed the story. They thought it was really cool that it is based on a true story.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Marc
- 03-25-13
a beautiful story of the first Japanese boy in Ame
Would you consider the audio edition of Heart of a Samurai to be better than the print version?
yes
What other book might you compare Heart of a Samurai to and why?
Hemingway's Green Hills of Africa
Which character – as performed by James Yaegashi – was your favorite?
John
If you could take any character from Heart of a Samurai out to dinner, who would it be and why?
John.it would be interesting to hear how his thoughts progressedfrom childhood to adult
Any additional comments?
the fantastic story about the early history of Japan and America
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3 people found this helpful
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- Rebecca Cooper
- 01-29-20
fantastic!
I really enjoyed this story, the narrator was really easy to listen to. I really love learning about the history of Japan and how Japan and America come to know each other.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Kimberly
- 02-21-16
Wonderful !
I really enjoyed this book !! The reader really brought this amazing story to life , I look forward to the next book !
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4 people found this helpful
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- kristen
- 02-20-12
Perfect book for 5-9th graders
Where does Heart of a Samurai rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Excellent.
Who was your favorite character and why?
Manjiro is my favorite character. Manjiro holds on to his culture, draws from his past experiences, knowledge of what he knows is right and wrong, while looking for guidance from his elders. Manjiro is a positive role model demonstrating patience, adaptability, intelligence, and maturity. He is a curious boy, who appreciates education and is not afraid to work hard.
Which character – as performed by James Yaegashi – was your favorite?
Mr. Yaegashi performed wonderfully in all characters. I particularly liked how he performed the Japanese language parts.
Any additional comments?
Perfect book for school and classroom readings because it touches on poverty, Japanese history, american history, the gold rush, American and Japanese prejudice, and ties it all together with samurai lessons that make the foundation of Manjiro's character.
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- Josh Alford
- 08-31-17
great book
wonderful historical fiction for kids. great story and characters provide an interesting view of history from the other side of the world.
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- SunshineAndRain
- 07-24-12
A story with heart and history
Would you listen to Heart of a Samurai again? Why?
What do Moby Dick and Edo-era Japan have in common and why should you care? The two eras overlap in the incredibly well-written and engulfing story by Margi Preus, Heart of A Samurai.
The story opens in the mid 1800’s. Manjiro is a young fisherman whose boat is wrecked somewhere off the coast of Japan. At the time, Japan was a fully closed society. Citizens had no contact with other nations, and if they did, they’d be excommunicated and banned from returning.
Stuck on a rock with little food and water, Manjiro and his mates are discovered by a whaling boat from New Bedford, Massachusetts. They spend several months on this boat as men on whaling hunts (a la Moby Dick).
Who was your favorite character and why?
Manjiro is the sole member of the Japanese fishing team who learns English. Despite the fact that his culture has taught him to think of Westerners as devils, he begins to believe in the American Dream and chooses to go back with the whalers to Massachusetts when the others are dropped off in the Sandwich Islands (known now as Hawaii).
Any additional comments?
Heart of A Samuari is about the tug-of-war between following one's dreams, while yearning for the security. This is the classic crisis that all children can relate to: who doesn't want to be themselves, follow their desires, and to uncharted territories—while also wanting the comforts of family and familiar customs. Which one should you choose when you can only choose one?
This story is well written and engulfing and provides realistic historical references as well.
Highly recommended, a Newbery Honor Book.
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- Erin Keplinger
- 09-04-20
enjoyed every minute
This book was a dynamic story with an excellent reader. Also, fascinating history about Japanese and American history. home school win...
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