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The Bamboo Sword: And other Samurai Tales
The Bamboo Sword And other Samurai Tales Author:Shuhei Fujisawa This delightful collection of eight stories evokes early 17th-century Japan, when peace finally reigned after centuries of warfare. It was a period of upheaval and change as the rulers carved out their territories, and clan politics were full of intrigue, rivalry, and betrayals. The samurai were still valued for their swordsmanship, and were a c... more »ut above the peasants, artisans, and merchants in the social hierarchy. Without battles to fight, however, they struggled to retain their sense of pride and meaning in life as they devoted themselves to mundane jobs, marriage, and family. The occasional flash of the sword and samurai discipline was tempered by the unexpected intrusion of human interaction. Sympathies, conspiracies, kindnesses, enmities-all kinds of odd relationships were formed and conflicts resolved in surprising ways. These tales are colorful, atmospheric, exciting, tender, violent, and gently ironic.« less