-
Miyamoto Musashi
- The Life and Legacy of Japan’s Most Legendary Samurai
- Narrated by: Jim Johnston
- Length: 1 hr and 36 mins
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $5.42
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Publisher's summary
“Study strategy over the years and achieve the spirit of the warrior. Today is victory over yourself of yesterday; tomorrow is your victory over lesser men.” (Miyamoto Musashi)
Samurai Sasaki Kojiro was growing increasingly impatient as he waited on the beach at Funa Island in Kokura. An undefeated master swordsman, he was tense, and his anger was getting the better of him. He was on the small island for a duel - a clash of steel between two swordsmen where a man’s life could end in seconds. The duel was the ultimate test of the swordsman, and Sasaki, one of the best in Japan, was known as “The Demon of the Western Provinces”. However, the Sasaki on the beach did not resemble the fierce warrior of his reputation as he paced back and forth, frustrated by the tardiness of his opponent: the enigmatic Miyamoto Musashi.
Sasaki knew nothing about Musashi except that the mysterious swordsman was undefeated, because aside from that, little was known about Musashi’s style or lineage. Although Musashi did have a reputation for keeping a rather unkempt appearance and an unpredictable personality, the mysterious swordsman also was the subject of conflicting stories about his courage and prowess.
Though he was understandably confident, Sasaki did not underestimate his opponent, who finally arrived to the island on a small boat. Sasaki noticed something shocking: Musashi did not bring a sword. Instead Musashi, who appeared as if he had just rolled out of bed, brought a wooden oar carved into a makeshift sword as his dueling weapon. Sasaki was furious, and though he was beyond insulted, he drew his sword and prepared to fight to the death. The duel between the two masters thus began with one of them having no sword at all.
Little may have been known about Musashi at the time, but centuries later, he is the most infamous and renowned warrior in Japanese history. As a veteran of the Battle of Sekigahara (1600), Naiwa (1615), and the Shimabara Rebellion in Hizen (1637-1638), Musashi was a seasoned battlefield soldier, who went undefeated in over 60 duels, and authored an essential book on strategy Go Rin No Sho (The Book of Five Rings). He invented a swordsmanship style called "Hi-no-shita Kaizan Shimmei Miyamoto Musashi Masana-ryu" - a two-sword style that some historians think Musashi may have come up with after being influenced by the two-handed drumming of Japanese drummers. His style has continued to be an influence on the practice of kendo into the modern era.
Adding to his legend was the fact that Musashi did not look like a typical samurai warrior. He was widely reported to have never bathed, never washed his hair, and did present himself like a man with a position in the ruling samurai class. This man, considered to be Japan’s finest swordsman, looked more like a wandering vagabond than an elegant, aristocratic warrior.
The typical samurai employed by daimyos were expected to be properly dressed and groomed, with clean clothes and neatly cut hair. Some samurai even applied rouge to their cheeks to appear healthy and ready to die for their lords. Musashi, on the other hand, seemed to have appeared out of thin air, claiming no famous teacher, school, or lineage. He also never entered long term service with a daimyo, married, or settled down (although he did serve a number of different prestigious clans). Instead, he wandered throughout the island of Japan as a free spirit, apparently valuing observation and intuition far above technique.
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Musashi
- By: Eiji Yoshikawa, Charles S. Terry - translator
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 53 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The classic samurai novel about the real exploits of the most famous swordsman. Miyamoto Musashi becomes a reluctant hero to a host of people whose lives he has touched and by whom he has been touched. Inevitably, he has to pit his skill against the naked blade of his greatest rival.
-
-
Good Historical Novel
- By The Walking Dude on 08-11-19
By: Eiji Yoshikawa, and others
-
The History of the Samurai in a Nutshell
- The Rise and Fall of Japan’s Revered Warriors (History in a Nutshell)
- By: Willoughby H. Huxley
- Narrated by: John Duffy
- Length: 1 hr and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Explained in simple terms for a brief, yet comprehensive listen, this resource is packed with all the essential information you need to dive into the history of the samurai. Uncover the strength of mankind and explore the rich culture behind Japan’s revered warriors. If you want to enrich yourself with the history of the samurai and their principles, then scroll up, and click the “Buy” button right now.
-
-
Insightful Journey into Samurai Heritage
- By Destiny Simpson on 08-27-23
-
Bushido
- Integrating the Samurai Code into Your Life
- By: Kon Osamu
- Narrated by: Ashleigh Binder
- Length: 3 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bushido is the Code Samurai lived and died by. Even after their Blades were sheathed, and they lived during peacetime, their code lived on. Their code inspired them to be great men. Learn how historical figures continued to apply this code, even in business, even in martial arts, and even in the modern military. The Code of the Samurai can live on in you!
-
-
About History, Not Integrating Bushido In Life
- By Jamie Bee on 07-29-23
By: Kon Osamu
-
The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest
- The History and Legacy of the Roman Empire's Greatest Military Defeat
- By: Charles River Editors
- Narrated by: Kevin Kollins
- Length: 1 hr and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Every great nation or empire has had at least one horrific military loss or disaster in their history, and the Roman Empire, perhaps the greatest empire that ever existed in the Western world, was no exception to this rule. While Rome certainly suffered defeats and outright massacres over the course of its long and storied history, none of them were as disturbing for the Empire as the battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 CE.
-
-
short but detailed
- By Amazon Customer on 03-16-18
-
Legion versus Phalanx
- The Epic Struggle for Infantry Supremacy in the Ancient World
- By: Myke Cole
- Narrated by: Alexander Cendese
- Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the time of Ancient Sumeria, the heavy infantry phalanx dominated the battlefield. Armed with spears or pikes, standing shoulder to shoulder with shields interlocking, the men of the phalanx presented an impenetrable wall of wood and metal to the enemy. Until, that is, the Roman legion emerged to challenge them as masters of infantry battle.
-
-
I might be a niche market for this but I loved it
- By Jonathan on 12-17-18
By: Myke Cole
-
The Strategy Collection
- The Art of War, The Prince, and The Book of Five Rings
- By: Miyamoto Musashi, Niccolò Machiavelli, Sun Tzu
- Narrated by: Kevin Kollins
- Length: 6 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Art of War, The Prince, and The Book of Five Rings are three historical pieces that deal with strategy. The Art of War is an ancient Chinese military treatise, and each chapter within the treatise is devoted to a distinct aspect of warfare and how that applies to military strategy and tactics. The Prince is a practical guide for ruling an empire. The Book of Five Rings is a Japanese text that has been regarded as a treatise on the strategy for winning.
-
-
Like a Picasso, Van Gogh, & Rembrandt written down
- By LITRPG Audiobook Reviews on 06-26-18
By: Miyamoto Musashi, and others
-
Musashi
- By: Eiji Yoshikawa, Charles S. Terry - translator
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 53 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The classic samurai novel about the real exploits of the most famous swordsman. Miyamoto Musashi becomes a reluctant hero to a host of people whose lives he has touched and by whom he has been touched. Inevitably, he has to pit his skill against the naked blade of his greatest rival.
-
-
Good Historical Novel
- By The Walking Dude on 08-11-19
By: Eiji Yoshikawa, and others
-
The History of the Samurai in a Nutshell
- The Rise and Fall of Japan’s Revered Warriors (History in a Nutshell)
- By: Willoughby H. Huxley
- Narrated by: John Duffy
- Length: 1 hr and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Explained in simple terms for a brief, yet comprehensive listen, this resource is packed with all the essential information you need to dive into the history of the samurai. Uncover the strength of mankind and explore the rich culture behind Japan’s revered warriors. If you want to enrich yourself with the history of the samurai and their principles, then scroll up, and click the “Buy” button right now.
-
-
Insightful Journey into Samurai Heritage
- By Destiny Simpson on 08-27-23
-
Bushido
- Integrating the Samurai Code into Your Life
- By: Kon Osamu
- Narrated by: Ashleigh Binder
- Length: 3 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bushido is the Code Samurai lived and died by. Even after their Blades were sheathed, and they lived during peacetime, their code lived on. Their code inspired them to be great men. Learn how historical figures continued to apply this code, even in business, even in martial arts, and even in the modern military. The Code of the Samurai can live on in you!
-
-
About History, Not Integrating Bushido In Life
- By Jamie Bee on 07-29-23
By: Kon Osamu
-
The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest
- The History and Legacy of the Roman Empire's Greatest Military Defeat
- By: Charles River Editors
- Narrated by: Kevin Kollins
- Length: 1 hr and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Every great nation or empire has had at least one horrific military loss or disaster in their history, and the Roman Empire, perhaps the greatest empire that ever existed in the Western world, was no exception to this rule. While Rome certainly suffered defeats and outright massacres over the course of its long and storied history, none of them were as disturbing for the Empire as the battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 CE.
-
-
short but detailed
- By Amazon Customer on 03-16-18
-
Legion versus Phalanx
- The Epic Struggle for Infantry Supremacy in the Ancient World
- By: Myke Cole
- Narrated by: Alexander Cendese
- Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the time of Ancient Sumeria, the heavy infantry phalanx dominated the battlefield. Armed with spears or pikes, standing shoulder to shoulder with shields interlocking, the men of the phalanx presented an impenetrable wall of wood and metal to the enemy. Until, that is, the Roman legion emerged to challenge them as masters of infantry battle.
-
-
I might be a niche market for this but I loved it
- By Jonathan on 12-17-18
By: Myke Cole
-
The Strategy Collection
- The Art of War, The Prince, and The Book of Five Rings
- By: Miyamoto Musashi, Niccolò Machiavelli, Sun Tzu
- Narrated by: Kevin Kollins
- Length: 6 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Art of War, The Prince, and The Book of Five Rings are three historical pieces that deal with strategy. The Art of War is an ancient Chinese military treatise, and each chapter within the treatise is devoted to a distinct aspect of warfare and how that applies to military strategy and tactics. The Prince is a practical guide for ruling an empire. The Book of Five Rings is a Japanese text that has been regarded as a treatise on the strategy for winning.
-
-
Like a Picasso, Van Gogh, & Rembrandt written down
- By LITRPG Audiobook Reviews on 06-26-18
By: Miyamoto Musashi, and others
-
A Brief History of the Samurai
- Brief Histories
- By: Jonathan Clements
- Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
- Length: 12 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From a leading expert in Japanese history, this is one of the first full histories of the art and culture of the Samurai warrior. The Samurai emerged as a warrior caste in Medieval Japan and would have a powerful influence on the history and culture of the country from the next 500 years. Clements also looks at the Samurai wars that tore Japan apart in the 17th and 18th centuries and how the caste was finally demolished in the advent of the mechanized world.
-
-
An Excellent History of the Samurai
- By Michael on 08-08-14
-
The Leader's Bookshelf
- By: R. Manning Ancell, ADM. James Stavridis USN - Ret.
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For the last several years Adm. James Stavridis and his co-author, R. Manning Ancell, have surveyed over 200 active and retired four-star military officers about their reading habits and favorite books, asking each for a list of titles that strongly influenced their leadership skills and provided them with special insights that helped propel them to success in spite of the many demanding challenges they faced. The Leader's Bookshelf synthesizes their responses to identify the top 50 books that can help virtually anyone become a better leader.
-
-
Mostly about warfighting
- By Joe Dokes on 04-06-19
By: R. Manning Ancell, and others
-
Alexander the Great
- The Hunt for a New Past
- By: Paul Cartledge
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Paul Cartledge, one of the world's foremost scholars of ancient Greece, illuminates the brief but iconic life of Alexander (356-323 B.C.), king of Macedon, conqueror of the Persian Empire, and founder of a new world order. Alexander's legacy has had a major impact on military tacticians, scholars, statesmen, adventurers, authors, and filmmakers.
-
-
NOT a Chronology of Alexander’s Life
- By Blane Richoux on 12-30-20
By: Paul Cartledge
-
Philip and Alexander
- Kings and Conquerors
- By: Adrian Goldsworthy
- Narrated by: Neil Dickson
- Length: 20 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This definitive biography of one of history's most influential father-son duos tells the story of two rulers who gripped the world - and their rise and fall from power.
-
-
Horrible narrator
- By Anonymous User on 01-05-21
-
The Art of War
- By: Sun Tzu
- Narrated by: Aidan Gillen
- Length: 1 hr and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The 13 chapters of The Art of War, each devoted to one aspect of warfare, were compiled by the high-ranking Chinese military general, strategist, and philosopher Sun-Tzu. In spite of its battlefield specificity, The Art of War has found new life in the modern age, with leaders in fields as wide and far-reaching as world politics, human psychology, and corporate strategy finding valuable insight in its timeworn words.
-
-
The actual book The Art of War, not a commentary
- By Fred271 on 12-31-19
By: Sun Tzu
-
Parthian Empire
- A Captivating Guide to the Enemy of the Roman Republic and Roman Empire
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: David Patton
- Length: 1 hr and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Explore the most enduring empire of the ancient Near East. Few nations were able to not only parry but also defeat the mighty Roman Empire, rivaling it in almost all segments. One of those was the Parthian empire, cultural and traditional successor of the more famous Achaemenid Persian empire that was brought down by the Alexander the Great.
-
-
Too short!
- By Viktor V. Choban on 12-03-21
-
A Book of Five Rings
- The Strategy of Musashi
- By: Miyamoto Musashi
- Narrated by: Alec Sand
- Length: 1 hr and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Legendary 17th century swordsman Miyamoto Musashi’s exposition of sword fighting, strategy and Zen philosophy. Required reading for any martial artist, business person or student of strategy. Includes the one hour Zen inspired soundtrack The Mysterious Sound of Wind in the Bamboo. Performed on authentic Japanese instruments.
-
-
Read all of it in one day, then read it once a day forever
- By Luis Roman on 08-08-17
By: Miyamoto Musashi
-
The Warrior Ethos
- By: Steven Pressfield
- Narrated by: Steven Pressfield
- Length: 1 hr and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
We are all warriors. The Warrior Ethos is intended not only for men and women in uniform, but artists, entrepreneurs, and other warriors in other walks of life. The audiobook examines the evolution of the warrior code of honor and "mental toughness".
-
-
Not my thing, but still enjoyed it
- By Book Monster on 06-13-19
-
The Complete Book of Five Rings
- By: Miyamoto Musashi, Kenji Tokitsu - editor/translator
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 5 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Complete Book of Five Rings is an authoritative version of Musashi's classic The Book of Five Rings, translated and annotated by a modern martial arts master, Kenji Tokitsu. Tokitsu has spent most of his life researching the legendary samurai swordsman and his works, and in this book he illuminates this seminal text, along with several other works by Musashi.
-
-
Best translation I have encountered.
- By DW on 05-27-16
By: Miyamoto Musashi, and others
-
Classical Antiquity
- A Captivating Guide to Ancient Greece and Rome and How These Civilizations Influenced Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Richard L. Walton
- Length: 3 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From about the ninth to fifth centuries BCE, the population of Greece grew unprecedentedly large, expanding from about 800,000 people to as many as 13 million. About a quarter million of these lived in Athens. The average size of urban households during this period grew considerably, a fact that suggests that food was suddenly available in excesses sufficient to keep larger families healthy and alive much more effectively than just a millennium earlier. Bigger families meant bigger armies and larger communities that would eventually grow into the metropolises of Classical Greece.
-
-
This book was very helpful
- By Micaela James on 11-21-19
-
Alexander the Great: A Life from Beginning to End
- By: Hourly History
- Narrated by: Jimmy Kieffer
- Length: 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Alexander the Great. A boy, groomed for greatness from the earliest age, who would put his stamp on the world for generations to come. A man who sought immortality and achieved it in just 10 years. A soldier whose genius for strategy and tactics is still studied in the modern world. A ruler who understood how to win the hearts and minds of his subjects. This is the story of a Titan of the ancient world, a man who rose but, though he died, never truly fell.
By: Hourly History
-
Genghis Khan
- A Captivating Guide to the Founder of the Mongol Empire and His Conquests Which Resulted in the Largest Contiguous Empire in History
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Jason Zenobia
- Length: 3 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Around the year 1162, near the modern capital of Mongolia, a baby boy was born into a fractious and violent world. The birth of this child must have caused quite a stir among the members of the nomadic tribe that he had been born into. Word soon traveled that the son of Yesügei, the Borjigin tribal leader, had been born clutching a blood clot in his tiny hand.
-
-
Loved this book.
- By Jeff Trevino on 04-21-20
Related to this topic
-
A Book of Five Rings
- The Strategy of Musashi
- By: Miyamoto Musashi
- Narrated by: Alec Sand
- Length: 1 hr and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Legendary 17th century swordsman Miyamoto Musashi’s exposition of sword fighting, strategy and Zen philosophy. Required reading for any martial artist, business person or student of strategy. Includes the one hour Zen inspired soundtrack The Mysterious Sound of Wind in the Bamboo. Performed on authentic Japanese instruments.
-
-
Read all of it in one day, then read it once a day forever
- By Luis Roman on 08-08-17
By: Miyamoto Musashi
-
A Book of Five Rings
- By: Miyamoto Musashi
- Narrated by: Stanley Ralph Ross
- Length: 1 hr and 34 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Written over three centuries ago by a Samurai warrior, A Book of Five Rings has been hailed as a limitless source of psychological insight for businessmen or anyone who relies on strategy and tactics to outwit the competition.
-
-
A Book of Five Rings
- By Terra on 11-15-09
By: Miyamoto Musashi
-
Hagakure
- The Secret Wisdom of the Samurai
- By: Yamamoto Tsunetomo, Alexander Bennett - translator
- Narrated by: Tim Campbell
- Length: 7 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The comprehensive and accurate edition of the Hagakure is a must-have for serious martial artists or fans of samurai and the Bushido code.
-
-
awesome book on samurai history.
- By Christian Knight on 10-02-20
By: Yamamoto Tsunetomo, and others
-
Bushido: The Samurai Code of Honor
- The Truth About Japanese Samurai Wisdom
- By: James Walker
- Narrated by: Coby Allen
- Length: 1 hr and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Experience the fantastic world of the highly-skilled Japanese samurai, and learn the code, or Bushido, that these men followed to live up to honor and loyalty, and discover how you can apply the eight virtues to improve your life in the modern world.
-
-
This is such an awesome book !!!
- By Snyder Kenneth on 05-30-18
By: James Walker
-
Last Stands
- Why Men Fight When All Is Lost
- By: Michael Walsh
- Narrated by: Michael Walsh
- Length: 13 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What is heroism? What are its moral components - altruism, love, self-sacrifice? Why was it once celebrated, and now often dismissed as anachronistic? In this dramatic and readable account of last stands in history - famous or otherwise - Walsh explores the stakes that led men at very different times and places to face overwhelming odds and certain death for the sake of family, home and country.
-
-
Excellent historical facts
- By Mark Twain on 02-18-21
By: Michael Walsh
-
The Mongol Invasions
- A Captivating Guide to the Mongol Invasions and Conquests along with the Life of Genghis Khan
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Jason Zenobia
- Length: 7 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Mongols were known to be both merciful as well as tolerant. Moreover, their conquests weren’t aimed against civilized life; in fact, they helped connect numerous cultures and facilitated the spread of ideas and knowledge across the continent. Diving deep inside their culture and society, we’ll cast off their barbaric image. By the end of this guide of the Mongol conquests, you will get a better understanding of not only the history of the Mongols but of all of humankind as well.
-
-
Great Overview of Mongol History
- By D. Buxman on 07-06-20
-
A Book of Five Rings
- The Strategy of Musashi
- By: Miyamoto Musashi
- Narrated by: Alec Sand
- Length: 1 hr and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Legendary 17th century swordsman Miyamoto Musashi’s exposition of sword fighting, strategy and Zen philosophy. Required reading for any martial artist, business person or student of strategy. Includes the one hour Zen inspired soundtrack The Mysterious Sound of Wind in the Bamboo. Performed on authentic Japanese instruments.
-
-
Read all of it in one day, then read it once a day forever
- By Luis Roman on 08-08-17
By: Miyamoto Musashi
-
A Book of Five Rings
- By: Miyamoto Musashi
- Narrated by: Stanley Ralph Ross
- Length: 1 hr and 34 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Written over three centuries ago by a Samurai warrior, A Book of Five Rings has been hailed as a limitless source of psychological insight for businessmen or anyone who relies on strategy and tactics to outwit the competition.
-
-
A Book of Five Rings
- By Terra on 11-15-09
By: Miyamoto Musashi
-
Hagakure
- The Secret Wisdom of the Samurai
- By: Yamamoto Tsunetomo, Alexander Bennett - translator
- Narrated by: Tim Campbell
- Length: 7 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The comprehensive and accurate edition of the Hagakure is a must-have for serious martial artists or fans of samurai and the Bushido code.
-
-
awesome book on samurai history.
- By Christian Knight on 10-02-20
By: Yamamoto Tsunetomo, and others
-
Bushido: The Samurai Code of Honor
- The Truth About Japanese Samurai Wisdom
- By: James Walker
- Narrated by: Coby Allen
- Length: 1 hr and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Experience the fantastic world of the highly-skilled Japanese samurai, and learn the code, or Bushido, that these men followed to live up to honor and loyalty, and discover how you can apply the eight virtues to improve your life in the modern world.
-
-
This is such an awesome book !!!
- By Snyder Kenneth on 05-30-18
By: James Walker
-
Last Stands
- Why Men Fight When All Is Lost
- By: Michael Walsh
- Narrated by: Michael Walsh
- Length: 13 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What is heroism? What are its moral components - altruism, love, self-sacrifice? Why was it once celebrated, and now often dismissed as anachronistic? In this dramatic and readable account of last stands in history - famous or otherwise - Walsh explores the stakes that led men at very different times and places to face overwhelming odds and certain death for the sake of family, home and country.
-
-
Excellent historical facts
- By Mark Twain on 02-18-21
By: Michael Walsh
-
The Mongol Invasions
- A Captivating Guide to the Mongol Invasions and Conquests along with the Life of Genghis Khan
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Jason Zenobia
- Length: 7 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Mongols were known to be both merciful as well as tolerant. Moreover, their conquests weren’t aimed against civilized life; in fact, they helped connect numerous cultures and facilitated the spread of ideas and knowledge across the continent. Diving deep inside their culture and society, we’ll cast off their barbaric image. By the end of this guide of the Mongol conquests, you will get a better understanding of not only the history of the Mongols but of all of humankind as well.
-
-
Great Overview of Mongol History
- By D. Buxman on 07-06-20
-
China: A History of China and East Asia 3rd Edition
- By: Adam Brown
- Narrated by: Sarah Moore
- Length: 4 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Have you ever wondered how China became the most populous and one of the most industrially active nations today? This audiobook will take you from Ancient China and imperial dynasties to communism and capitalism. Discover the rich history of this superpower. Subjects include: agriculture, capitalism, ancient Chinese culture, language, spirituality and religion, literature, music, arts, architecture, history of martial arts, old-world medicine, military history, and the Sun Tzu dynasties.
-
-
Amazing!
- By Amber Levine on 09-10-19
By: Adam Brown
-
The Vikings and Their Enemies
- Warfare in Northern Europe, 750-1100
- By: Philip Line
- Narrated by: Robert Fass
- Length: 13 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A fresh account of some of history's greatest warriors. The Vikings had an extraordinary and far-reaching historical impact. From the eighth to the 11th centuries, they ranged across Europe - raiding, exploring, and colonizing - and their presence was felt as far away as Russia and Byzantium. They are most famous as warriors, yet perhaps their talent for warfare is too little understood.
-
-
Remarkable and comprehensive
- By Harald on 02-04-19
By: Philip Line
-
Marathon
- The Battle That Changed Western Civilization
- By: Richard A. Billows
- Narrated by: Jeremy Gage
- Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Published to coincide with Marathon's 2500th anniversary, a riveting history of the historic battle. The Battle of Marathon in 490 B.C. is not only understood as the most decisive event in the struggle between the Greeks and the Persians, but can also be seen as perhaps the most significant moment in our collective history. 10,000 Athenian citizens faced a Persian military force of more than 25,000.
-
-
Effectively evokes the world of ancient greece
- By Aaron on 11-02-10
-
The Essence of Budo
- A Practitioner's Guide to Understanding the Japanese Martial Ways
- By: Dave Lowry
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 6 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The study of budo, or the Japanese martial arts for self-cultivation, is a lifelong path toward perfection of character. Here, Dave Lowry, a sword master who has practiced and taught budo for over 40 years, addresses the myriad issues, vagaries, and inconsistencies that arise for students of karate-do, judo, kendo, kenjutsu, aikido, and iaido as their training develops.
-
-
I've heard about dao of Japanese fighting arts
- By Dr. William Kennedy, psychologist and self-protection trainer on 04-17-21
By: Dave Lowry
-
A Brief History of Japan
- Samurai, Shogun and Zen: The Extraordinary Story of the Land of the Rising Sun
- By: Jonathan Clements
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
With intelligence and wit, author Jonathan Clements blends documentary and storytelling styles to connect the past, present, and future of Japan, and in broad yet detailed strokes reveals a country of paradoxes: a modern nation steeped in ancient traditions; a democracy with an emperor as head of state; a famously safe society built on 108 volcanoes resting on the world's most active earthquake zone; a fast-paced urban and technologically advanced country whose land consists predominantly of mountains and forests.
-
-
A Brief Review of the Book
- By Than on 12-07-19
-
War: How Conflict Shaped Us
- By: Margaret MacMillan
- Narrated by: Deepti Gupta
- Length: 10 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Margaret MacMillan looks at the ways in which war has influenced human society and how, in turn, changes in political organization, technology, or ideologies have affected how and why we fight. War: How Conflict Shaped Us explores such much-debated and controversial questions as: When did war first start? Does human nature doom us to fight one another? Why has war been described as the most organized of all human activities? Why are warriors almost always men? Is war ever within our control?
-
-
Horrible choice of narrator derails this book
- By Steve Winnett on 02-25-21
-
Genghis Khan
- A Captivating Guide to the Founder of the Mongol Empire and His Conquests Which Resulted in the Largest Contiguous Empire in History
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Jason Zenobia
- Length: 3 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Around the year 1162, near the modern capital of Mongolia, a baby boy was born into a fractious and violent world. The birth of this child must have caused quite a stir among the members of the nomadic tribe that he had been born into. Word soon traveled that the son of Yesügei, the Borjigin tribal leader, had been born clutching a blood clot in his tiny hand.
-
-
Loved this book.
- By Jeff Trevino on 04-21-20
-
The Art of War
- By: Sun Tzu
- Narrated by: Aidan Gillen
- Length: 1 hr and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The 13 chapters of The Art of War, each devoted to one aspect of warfare, were compiled by the high-ranking Chinese military general, strategist, and philosopher Sun-Tzu. In spite of its battlefield specificity, The Art of War has found new life in the modern age, with leaders in fields as wide and far-reaching as world politics, human psychology, and corporate strategy finding valuable insight in its timeworn words.
-
-
The actual book The Art of War, not a commentary
- By Fred271 on 12-31-19
By: Sun Tzu
-
Autumn Lightning
- The Education of an American Samurai
- By: Dave Lowry
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 6 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dave Lowry juxtaposes his singular experience as an adept student of kenjutsu (the art of swordsmanship) under a Japanese teacher in St. Louis with a riveting account of the samurai tradition in Japan. Intertwining tales of the masters with reflections on his own apprenticeship in the samurai's arts, he reveals in their time-honored methods a way of life with profound relevance to modern times.
-
-
GREAT
- By JK on 06-19-24
By: Dave Lowry
-
A History of Warfare
- By: John Keegan
- Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
- Length: 19 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Starting with the premise that all civilizations owe their origins to warmaking, Keegan probes the meanings, motivations, and methods underlying war in different societies over the course of more than two thousand years. Following the progress of human aggression in its full historical sweep, from the strangely ritualistic combat of Stone Age peoples to the warfare of mass destruction in the present age, his illuminating and lively narrative gives us all the world's great warrior cultures.
-
-
Not what I expected
- By Mark on 12-05-06
By: John Keegan
-
Carnage and Culture
- Landmark Battles in the Rise to Western Power
- By: Victor Davis Hanson
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 20 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Examining nine landmark battles from ancient to modern times - from Salamis, where outnumbered Greeks devastated the slave army of Xerxes, to Cortes' conquest of Mexico to the Tet offensive - Victor Davis Hanson explains why the armies of the West have been the most lethal and effective of any fighting forces in the world. Looking beyond popular explanations such as geography or superior technology, Hanson argues that it is in fact Western culture and values which have consistently produced superior arms and soldiers.
-
-
Wow! This truly is a great book. A rarity!
- By GEJ on 11-12-19
-
Thermopylae
- By: Paul Cartledge
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 6 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 480 B.C., a huge Persian army, led by the inimitable King Xerxes, entered the mountain pass of Thermopylae to march on Greece, intending to conquer the land with little difficulty. But the Greeks, led by King Leonidas and a small army of Spartans, took the battle to the Persians at Thermopylae and halted their advance: almost. It is one of history's most acclaimed battles, one of civilization's greatest last stands.
-
-
Requires full attention
- By Euryleia on 01-18-08
By: Paul Cartledge