Preview
  • The Samurai's Garden

  • A Novel
  • By: Gail Tsukiyama
  • Narrated by: David Shih
  • Length: 8 hrs and 48 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (488 ratings)

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The Samurai's Garden

By: Gail Tsukiyama
Narrated by: David Shih
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Publisher's summary

The daughter of a Chinese mother and a Japanese father, Gail Tsukiyama uses the Japanese invasion of China during the late 1930s as a somber backdrop for her unusual story about a 20-year-old Chinese painter named Stephen who is sent to his family's summer home in a Japanese coastal village to recover from a bout with tuberculosis. Here he is cared for by Matsu, a reticent housekeeper and a master gardener. Over the course of a remarkable year, Stephen learns Matsu's secret and gains not only physical strength, but also profound spiritual insight. Matsu is a samurai of the soul, a man devoted to doing good and finding beauty in a cruel and arbitrary world, and Stephen is a noble student, learning to appreciate Matsu's generous and nurturing way of life and to love Matsu's soulmate, gentle Sachi, a woman afflicted with leprosy.

©1994 Gail Tsukiyama (P)2017 Tantor
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Critic reviews

"An extraordinarily graceful and moving novel about goodness and beauty...Tsukiyama is a wise and spellbinding storyteller." ( Booklist)

What listeners say about The Samurai's Garden

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
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Lovely story of gentle characters.

This gave me a wonderful look at two cultures with only a few very well developed characters that became like friends.

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Outstanding Story

First of all I love her writing this book was no exception to others I have read great story and great performance from the reader !

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2 people found this helpful

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Lovely

Such a wonderful, poignant story! Although haunted by the ominous echoes of a distant war, the events related are quite ordinary, the day-to-day happenings of a small group of characters in a little resort town in rural Japan. And yet there’s something truly compelling about it all. I couldn’t stop listening. The characters completely drew me in. It is a beautifully told tale and, by the end, deeply moving. I loved it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A story of friendship and nature

Meaningful connection. It is available and accessible if we open ourselves to it. A beautiful garden grows when It is properly tended. Thank you for this wonderful story

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Defines beauty in life

During prewar preparations the book examines coming of age in a boy isolated by illness, He discovers beauty and value of life where these do not appear at first.

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A Beautiful Story of a Troubled Time

A Beautiful Story of a Troubled Time

Gail Tsukiyama writes very well, with a fluid way of telling a tale.

David Shih is an excellent narrator.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Historical and spiritual fiction, pulls you in...

Leaves the reader with much to think about. Well developed characters, engaging storyline, human character studies in a very readable work of fiction.

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8 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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It became be long......

I did enjoy this book. It was different than my usual listen. It had a very calming and peaceful narrative. It was not an exciting book but if you're looking for something soothing and easy this might be a good choice for you. It was interesting to learn about the time period from a different point of view. I liked it but towards the end it became a little tedious. Lots of detail.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Great story

This was a great story about so many things. All of which, I only knew a fraction about. Generally, it was what we were told on the news.
It becomes so much more when you have real people. I really loved the three main characters.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

love love love

Normally, I don't like reading however we were given this book as an option for my AP 11th grade english class. It was amazing. This story truly captures everything and I definitely recommend.

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