Samurai and Ninja - by Antony Cummins (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The myths of the noble Samurai and the sinister Ninja are filled with romantic fantasy and fallacy.

Samurai and Ninja expert Antony Cummins shatters the myths and exposes the true nature of these genuine--and very lethal--medieval Japanese warriors. The Samurai and Ninja were, in fact, brutal killing machines trained in torture and soaked in machismo. Many were skilled horsemen and sword-fighting specialists, while others were masters of deception and sabotage. Some fought for loyalty, others for personal gain. What these warriors all shared in common was their unflinching personal bravery, skill and brutality.

In Samurai and Ninja, Cummins separates myth from reality and shows why the Japanese were the most skilled warriors of all time:

• He describes the Samurai and the Ninja as they were in earlier times when battles raged across Japan--not in later times when war became obsolete and Japanese warriors became philosophers, scholars and courtiers.
• He describes the social context of the day and the feudal world into which the warriors were trained to fight and die for their lords.
• He exposes the fundamentally brutal nature of warfare in medieval Japan.

This book is illuminated by many rare Japanese manuscripts and texts which are translated into English for the very first time.

Review Quotes

"Antony Cummins is a samurai of the mind: he cuts through myth to reveal the truth." --John Man, author of Samurai: The Last Warrior

"Antony Cummins is one of today's most notable Samurai and Ninja researchers. His fresh viewpoint and meticulous investigations are deeply stimulating to my own Ninja studies." --Professor Yamada Yuji, Mie University, Japan

"Highly recommended for anyone eager to learn the whole truth (good, bad, and ugly) about these fascinating historical figures." --Midwest Book Review

"I found the book to be easy to pick up and absorb... Samurai and Ninja is a great choice." --Armchair General magazine

"If you are new to reading about samurai or ninja, this is definitely your book. It gives you an excellent foundation to build further information on top of. I enjoyed the book, it has a lot of good information, and I appreciate the enthusiastic tenor of the book." --Martial Thoughts blog

"One of the most exciting scholars in his field, Antony Cummins has successfully built on a detailed knowledge of his subject to become both a leading authority and a skilled communicator. He has an unswerving ability to make history fresh and vivid, while staying grounded in meticulous research--a rare gift. "--Jonathan Elliott, Documentary Film Producer

About the Author

Antony Cummins is a world-renowned Ninja historian. His background as an archaeologist gives him unique insight into the mysterious world of the historical Ninja and Samurai. Cummins' works include translations of the most authentic Ninja documents available to modern researchers and readers. He is the author of several books on Ninja and Japanese warfare, including: True Path of the Ninja, The Book of Ninja, Iga and Koka Ninja Skills, The Secret Traditions of the Shinobi, In Search of the Ninja, Samurai War Stories and The Book of Samurai.