A Book of Five Rings

A Book of Five Rings by Musashi, Miyamoto. paperback edition. ISBN: 9781480268685.

In "A Book of Five Rings," Miyamoto Musashi takes the reader into a world filled to the brim with devotion, self-respect, discipline, honesty and purity of thought. Written originally for warriors and samurai in a completely different time and culture, Musashis book provides a remarkable source of inspiration for self-development today. His teachings are concise and to the point. He uses phrases like "you must understand this" and "you must practice diligently" and explains only general, but unquestionable and fundamental, concepts of the Way of the Warrior. While some of his guidelines are are not directly applicable in our time and age, those about striving to achieve improvement on the inside as well as the outside couldnt be more on target. Taken literally this book is about how to become an efficient, albeit enlightened, killer. Its value comes from reading between the lines--lines which speak volumes.