Miyamoto Musashi: His Life and Writings

Book Description

Miyamoto Musashi, who lived in Japan in the fifteenth century, was a renowned samurai warrior. He has become a martial arts icon, known not just as an undefeated dueler, but also as a master of battlefield strategy. Kenji Tokitsu turns a critical eye on Musashi's life and writings, separating fact from fiction, and giving a clear picture of the man behind the myth. Musashi's best-known work, The Book of Five Rings , provides timeless insight into the nature of conflict. Tokitsu translates and provides extensive commentary on that popular work, as well as three other short texts on strategy that were written before it, and a longer, later work entitled "The Way to Be Followed Alone." Tokitsu is a thoughtful and informed guide, putting the historical and philosophical aspects of the text into context, and illuminating the etymological nuances of particular Japanese words and phrases. As a modern martial artist and a scholar, Tokitsu provides a view of Musashi's life and ideas that is accessible and relevant to today's readers and martial arts students.

Customer Reviews:

Japanese Warriors.......2007-07-29

Once I started reading 'Miyamoto Musashi: His Life and Writings' I could not put it down and found myself reading until the next morning... This is a well written informative and detailed account of Miyamoto Musashi's life, his training, his teaching, his paintings and his writings. Various sources are cited and comparative analysis is rendered. We are given more than a glimpse into Musashi the warrior, the father, the artist and the man. I place this book on the top of the list of books regarding Miyamoto Musashi and his writing on Strategy as presented in Go Rin no Sho. It is a must for every military professional and devoted martial artists.

Good Biography and Translated Works.......2007-02-17

This book opens with one of the best biographies I have read in a while. Since it concerns a historical figure about whom much is unknown, the author presents multiple viewpoints and conjectures prevalent in the current historical scholarship of Japan. Some readers have noted this and consider it annoying double-talk, but I found it useful to know the multiple opinions of the scholars. It lets me know Tokitsu is not simply saying "this is my opinion, and mine is the correct one."

The fact that Musashi's writings are all translated in the second part of the book is very nice. The selections are very readable in English, but don't lose their enigmatic and ambiguous nature. Of course, the major composition is the Gorin (no) Sho, or Book of Five Rings, while the other writings are mostly earlier sketches which reveal the evolution of Musashi's ideas up into the writing of the book. Also included is the list of life principles he wrote shortly before death, Dokkodo.

The third part of the book is a big section about principals of the martial arts and opinions of practitioners on Musashi's ideas. This section will not appeal to non-martial artists or non-enthusiasts. The ideas are mostly deeply rooted in Zen, or describe technicalities the non-enthusiast will find generally uninteresting. It has been said that this book is a very dry read, but I disagree. The life narrative of Musashi was quite entertaining, and his writings are as most writings of that type go, but it was this last section, focused on the practice of budo, that probably lead to that opinion of dryness. I found it interesting myself, being a practitioner of the arts. Don't take this description the wrong way, this section does not ruin the book by any means. It is worth reading for the first two parts no matter what. I'm simply saying that the third section only really appeals to practitioners and enthusiasts like myself.

This book is a must read for anyone who practices or simply likes martial arts. It is even good if you are simply a fan of biographies. The book is also very well bound, and will be quite durable.

Dry but very rewarding read.......2007-01-09

This book is a scholarly and somewhat dry read with many footnotes and alternatives explored. Persevere with it because this is a fascinating unravelling of facts and myths about Miyamoto Musashi's remarkable life and inspirational writings.

Note this book includes a translation of the book of five rings that reads very well indeed, a remarkable feat considering the nature of the Japanese original.

Great..........2006-08-25

This book has a great narrative point of view. It attempts to look at the man historically and without all the mythos surrounding him in Japanese Martial Arts history. Good read!

Excellent study for the 21st Century swordsman.......2006-08-14

Through historical accounts the author reconstructs Musashi's childhood and sixty individual duels to illustrate the development of Miyamoto's swordsmanship. Musashi's frictional relationship with his father, Munisai, revealed much about the intolerant perfectionism required for the attainment of Musashi's two-sworded way. For example, while his father was in the dojo cutting toothpicks with a katana, 13 year old Musashi leaned against a wooden beam and criticized his father's technique---mind you, Munisai was awarded Best Sword in Japan at the time. To prove a point, Musashi traveled to a strange town and killed an accomplished 26 year old Samurai.

Book Description

This is the definitive history of the English Civil War, set in its full historical context from the accession of Charles I to the Restoration of Charles II. These were the most turbulent years of British history and their reverberations have been felt down the centuries. Throughout the middle decades of the seventeenth century England, Scotland, and Ireland were convulsed by political upheaval and wracked by rebellion and civil war. The Stuart monarchy was in abeyance for twenty years in all three kingdoms, and Charles I famously met his death on the scaffold. Austin Woolrych breathes life back into the story of these years, the sweep of his prose buttressed by the authority of a lifetime's scholarship. He captures the drama and the passion, the momentum of events and the force of contingency. He brilliantly interweaves the history of the three kingdoms and their peoples, gripping the reader with the fast-paced yet always balanced story.

Customer Reviews:

The book on the English Civil War.......2006-11-29

If you are looking for a comprehensive, single volume on this turbulent period in England's history, this is the book.

Excellent overview of evolution of the Cromwellian Years........2005-01-03

A wonderful exposition of the complicated evolution of the Cromwellian Years.

Woolrych, a distinguished historian, whose depth of scholarship is matched by a lightness of expression which makes this a very accessible and enjoyable read. He introduces the various characters and their shifting alliances and the spectrum of opinion very lucidly.
I think the positive points area the following

1. excellent description of the evolution of the opposition to Charles I, great feeling of the gradual coming to power of Cromwell and the interplay between the pragmatic and dogmatic parliamentarian forces. For the initial period the main opposition to Charles came from the powerful lords and it is only the division of the initial opposition forces and the prospect of defeat which leads to the creation of the efficient New Model Army and the rise of Cromwell and Faifax, this is accompanied by the rise in influence of the Commons and the Army
2. the power of religious belief - the spectrum of belief (and fanaticism) is well described, and the divisions among various proponents, and the ultimate division between dogmatism and pragmatism is well described.
3. Cromwell's pragmatic foreign policies - especially the opposition to the Dutch, co-religionists but commercial rivals; and the cooperation with the French and the acquisition of Dunkirk to deter naval invasion.
4. the book is strong in pointing towards the political traditions which would become more explicit in the party wars of the Restoration era. There are hints of the emergence of the privy council in the descriptions of `Protectorate Council' which advised Cromwell. Unfortunately the records of this council do not exist, but there are some fascinating characters - Shaftesbury, Sandwich - introduced here, who have major impacts in later years.

However the veneration of Cromwell, in my view, goes to far. His implacable opposition to Catholicism reached its nadir in the Irish massacres, I feel Woolrych goes to far in saying that they were comparable to other sieges of the time and that the worst of the them were outside his control. Woolrych is justified in admiring Cromwell's fortitude and determination, and reveals his rather surprising periods of indecision (awaiting a sign from the Almighty), however I think the portrait should also call the ruthlessness for what it was.
A more major flaw, I think, is that it is quite difficult to grasp `popular' opinion from the text. The action is told in terms of high diplomacy, parliamentary and military history - for which records exists and clear-cut choices and consequences can be adduced. It is less easy to interpret from the text, how the mood of the population changed during the time - was the time of the Commonwealth and Protectorate gloomy and oppressive? Why was the 1660 Restoration welcomed with such popular enthusiasm, but Charles II Scottish-led invasion in the early 1650's ignored? At the risk of some speculation it is possible to infer reasons - and work by Tim Harris has given some insight into contemporary `popular' thinking, however it is not to be found here.

Overall I found this book to be an excellent description of military and political history of the era, it is a comprehensive introduction to trying to make sense of the political controversies which dogged the later Stuarts and led to the 1688 revolution. It leaves me wishing to know more about the evolution of popular opinion and the mechanism of governance during the Commonwealth and Protectorate eras.

Woolrych Provides a Clear, Detailed View of a Confusing Time.......2004-01-05

Britain in Revolution by Austin Woolrych covers the time period from 1625 through 1660. This begins with the tail-end of the reign of James I (of "King James Version" fame). Charles I is regent when the civil wars begin. Woolrych spends much time on the civil wars, detailing troop movements; politics amongst England, Scotland, and Ireland; and of course battles. Maps (in the back matter) are provided. These give the reader a better sense of what happened where.

Woolrych then progresses through the various forms of war government (both during and after the civil war) that the parliament contrives. None of them are very effective. It seems the main problem was that there were too many inflexible wills amongst the many groups, all of which were defined on primarily religious grounds. Woolrych provides excellent detail of these groups and their particularities. Lack of compromise amongst these groups eventually led Oliver Cromwell to say, "Enough!" and sack them all.

Woolrych paints Cromwell in a flattering light. Woolrych's Cromwell is not a zealot, he's not vindictive, he's not a military dictator. He's a guy committed to the idea of "commonwealth": committed to the idea of a non-Catholic, non-Church-of-England Republic working. Much happened with Cromwell at the helm -- and had he had a few more years before his death, posits Woolrych, things may have been very different. During the commonwealth, Britain was, for the most part, a united kingdom. There were problems with Ireland, but there were always (and still are) problems with Ireland in the context of the UK. But in several naval battles, Britain rose to power in the international scene. Virtually every important foreign government recognized Cromwell's government. Cromwell negotiated as a mediator in several skirmishes (wars) such as in Denmark. Anyway, Woolrych's point is that Cromwell was an effective leader nationally and internationally, providing reason to view the Protectorate as at least a limited success.

After Cromwell dies, however, the whole thing falls apart. The power-hungry parties that only Cromwell was able to subdue (largely due to the relationship between Cromwell and the Army) quickly rose up and scuttled the term of Richard Cromwell as Lord Protector. From there, it was all downhill, and in a matter of months, Charles II returned from exile back to the throne, welcomed by virtually everyone. This is in large part due to George Monck -- an interesting character whom it would be fun to read more about.

Book Description

Opposition to the Stuarts as an imperial dynasty led to revolution in all three kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland that shaped different perceptions of Britain. Allan Macinnes' wider contextualizing of a British revolution--which challenges the anglocentric dominance of British History--takes account of apocalyptic visions, baronial politics and commercial networks as well as confessional allegiances, representative images and written texts.

The Concise Encyclopedia of the Revolutions and Wars of England, Scotland, and Ireland, 1639-1660

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Great reference book

The Concise Encyclopedia of the Revolutions and Wars of England, Scotland, and Ireland, 1639-1660
Stephen C. Manganiello
Manufacturer: The Scarecrow Press, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0810851008

Book Description

A reference dictionary containing over 1,400 entries covering the period 1639-1660, including 625 biographies of English, Scots, and Irish rulers, politicians, soldiers, sailors, and philosophers, and over 300 battles and skirmishes.

Customer Reviews:

Great reference book.......2004-12-10

There is something here for everyone. There are source documents, bios, topics and definitions, but more importantly as a wargamer, there are hundreds of battles and skirmishes with mostly strategic, but some tactical maps and OBs. There are also standards and uniforms for the Royalists, Parliamentarians, and Scots.

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1649 Crisis of the English Revolution
Brian Manning
Manufacturer: Bookmarks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Civil Wars 1637-1653 (Pocket Histories)

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The Civil Wars 1637-1653 (Pocket Histories)
Martyn Bennett
Manufacturer: Sutton Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

Revolutionary | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0750919124

Book Description

In 16 momentous years of the 17th century, civil war raged throughout Britain and Ireland. The characteristic features of government and society were swept away in wars, rebellions and revolutions. The monarchy was abolished and the King executed, and Britain and Ireland were united in a republic for the only time in modern history. In this book, Martyn Bennett traces rebellion and conflict in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and goes on to describe the culmination of the parliamentarian effort in the creation of the Protectorate under Oliver Cromwell in 1653.

The Civil Wars Experienced: Britain and Ireland, 1638-1661

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The Civil Wars Experienced: Britain and Ireland, 1638-1661
Martyn Bennett
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

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ASIN: 0415159016

Book Description

By looking at personal sources such as diaries, petitions, letters and social/public sources including the press, Bennett clearly sets out the true cultural and social effects that the wars had on the peoples of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland and how common experiences transcended national and regional boundaries.

The Civil War Experienced discusses exactly how far-reaching the changes caused by the civil war actually were for both women and men and carefully assesses individual reactions to it. By placing the military and political developments of the civil wars into a social context, the author is able to portray a very different interpretation of a century of regicide and republic.

The Civil Wars in Britain and Ireland, 1638-1651

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The Civil Wars in Britain and Ireland, 1638-1651
Martyn Bennett
Manufacturer: Blackwell Publishing Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

This book provides a fresh perspective on one of the most complex and turbulent periods in the history of the British Isles. Setting the experience of Wales, Scotland and Ireland alongside England, the author examines the interplay of politics, societies and culture both within and between each of the four nations involved in the political struggles of the mid-seventeenth century. Coverage of regional histories is complemented by a full analysis of local, social histories, highlighting the effects of the wars on urban and rural communities throughout Britain. The book examines the organizations and personnel of local government during the wars, and looks at how financial and military pressures affected individuals and changed the pattern of daily life. Yet just as decisions at Westminster forced change upon the various communities of the four nations, so the actions and reactions of the local people provoked responses in central government. By examining the interactions of the high politics of King and Parliament and the low politics of local societies, the book offers a distinctive and new overview of the period. Throughout his analysis, the author sets existing histories within their particular historiographical framework, introducing the reader to the themes and issues that have dominated interpretations of rebellion and revolution in the past. He also draws extensively from primary sources to bring individuals' experience to discussion of the period, including the accounts of local officials such as constables, churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor. The book contains a full chronology of events, a comprehensive guide to primary and secondary sources, as well as numerous maps and illustrations. It will be welcomed by students and general readers alike as the ideal, comprehensive introduction to the events and analyses of this crucial period in British history.

The Constitutional Documents Of The Puritan Revolution 1625-1660

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The Constitutional Documents Of The Puritan Revolution 1625-1660

Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.

The English Revolution and the Wars in the Three Kingdoms, 1638-1652 (Modern Wars In Perspective)

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The English Revolution and the Wars in the Three Kingdoms, 1638-1652 (Modern Wars In Perspective)
Ian Gentles
Manufacturer: Longman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0582065518

Book Description

In this brilliantly focused and haunting portrait of the people, the politics, the land, and the poetry of Nicaragua, Salman Rushdie brings to the forefront the palpable human facts of a country in the midst of a revolution. Rushdie went to Nicaragua in 1986, harboring no preconceptions of what he might find. What he discovered was overwhelming: a culture of heroes who had turned into inanimate objects and of politicians and warriors who were poets; a land of difficult, often beautiful contradictions. His perceptions always heightened by his special sensitivity to 'the views from underneath,' Rushdie reveals a land resounding with the clashes between history and morality, government and individuals.

Customer Reviews:

Commentry on FSLN with third worldian outlook.......2007-03-26

A bit outdated, but still a very good read. This is probably one of Salman Rushdie's easier books to read :) Well, there is no magical realism here, just realism. A tiny book of 130 odd pages of Rushdie's travelogue of his 3-week Nicaraguan trip in 1986, on the eve of the 7-year anniversary of the revolution. He is not Nicaraguan and he would never be able to capture the complexity of Nicaraguan psyche. But I think he did a good job of observing the then contemporary Nicaraguan political situation through the eyes of a well-read/traveled literary intellectual. His immigrant out look comes through as well. His references to Benazir Bhutto, Indira Gandhi and other third-world political situations add another texture to the often seen political analysis of Sandinista movement.

Rushdie is obviously sympathetic to the revolution, but he maintains a healthy dose of skepticism. Even though he hangs out with the hotshots of FSLN (Frente Sandanista de Liberación Nacional), he is not afraid to ask the uncomfortable questions about the Contras, the shutdown of La Prensa, the economic collapse of post-revolution Nicaragua.

I think the book does a good job of summarizing the Nicaraguan political landscape in '86 through the eyes of an "internacional".

A Rich, Fascinating Journey........2006-12-31

"The Jaguar Smile" chronicles Salman Rushdie's trip through Nicaragua during the Sandinista years and U.S./Contra war against the revolutionary government. This is a work by Rushdie that has been somewhat forgotten under all the publicity of his later scandal involving "The Satanic Verses" and recent works like "Shalimar The Clown," but it is a book worth re-discovering as it shows Rushdie going to see for himself what the Sandinista movement was all about, something even more significant today when one considers the new revolutionary tide sweeping Latin America and even more noteworthy, the re-election of Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua. In wonderful detail Rushdie describes the lush landscapes of this beautiful country and it's peoples, from the government men to the indigenous populations. He interviews high-ranking Sandinistas and probes into the ideas and philosophies behind the uprising and chronicles the disastrous effects of the U.S.-funded Contra war on the population. The conclusions Rushdie draws are refreshing, he supports the overall revolution, believes some mistakes have been made, but is very impressed by the work and fruits of the movement and is angered at how obsessed the Reagan White House was with crushing this small country's will to be independent. "The Jaguar Smile" is also full of poetic moments, for Nicaragua is a country of poets we learn, and there are some wonderful pieces shared here, especially those reflecting on the revolution and the hopes of the people. There are moments of hilarious comedy between Rushdie and the locals, especially in his quests for good beer in a country ravished by shortages. Rushdie also draws interesting comparisons between his experience in Central America and his experiences in his native India and confesses that being involved in Indian revolutionary movements has caused him to feel genuine sympathy for the Sandinistas. Overall "The Jaguar Smile" is a fun read, and a sad one as well, as we see how U.S. paranoia funded a war that crippled a beautiful nation and it's hopes. A welcome departure from the typical "academic" work, "The Jaguar Smile" deserves to be read, and then read again.

Rushdie evaluates the Nicaragua of the Sandinistas..........2006-04-03

In 1986, while working on his famously infamous novel, "The Satanic Verses", Rushdie took three weeks off to visit Nicaragua. The country had a dramatic effect on him. Ineluctably inspired, he originally planned to pen a few articles on the subject and leave it at that. But the words inexorably grew into this small book, which ultimately delayed "The Satanic Verses" by six months. So what occurred in that short time span to cause Rushdie to shelf his hulking novel in favor of a diminutive political travelogue?

In the preface Rushdie confessed a long standing interest in the subject of Nicaragua. Especially following the Reagan Administration's disparagement of the alleged new Central American "red threat" (and subsequent funding of the counter-Sandinista force, the "contras" - which later fed into the Iran-Contra scandal). Apparently he felt an affinity with a small country against a giant (a la Gandhi vs. Britain) and "how it felt to be there, on the bottom, looking up at the descending heel." So he didn't visit carte blanche or on a whim. He wanted to know the workings of the force that had toppled Nicaragua's forty year dictatorial regime (the Somozas). And how this new Sandinista government (at the time in power for seven years) responded to the contra threat and to the needs of its populace. In Nicaragua, Rushdie unearthed some of the social and literary themes that pervade his work. This may explain his enthusiasm towards the subject.

The book outlines Rushdie's trip more or less chronologically. Starting in Managua Rushdie gives a brief history of the city and of the resistance to the previous dictatorship. This culminates in a biography of one of the most famous Nicaraguarans: Augusto César Sandino (from whom the Sandinistas took their name). Rushdie observed the abstract pictograph of Sandino's hat everywhere. This ubiquitous symbol nearly took on the role of the man himself. The hat equals the man; the symbol becomes flesh. As a guest of the Sandinisita Association of Cultural Workers, Rushdie had access to the highest levels of government. He traveled and dined with the new Sandinista élite. Most of who, surprisingly, had literary backgrounds. Accompanying the Vice President (and novelist) Sergio Ramírez, Rushdie witnessed a land re-allocation (from the state to the peasantry) in Camoapa. With the President (and poet), Daniel Ortega, he watched the first phone call from Nicaragua to Moscow and Havana (connections that in no way endeared the country to the Reagan Administration). But some signs of disappointment appeared during his conversation with Father Ernesto Cardenal the Minister of Culture (and poet). Cardenal talked about censuring the press during wartime as a "cosmetic" issue. This depressed Rushdie. He then traveled to Estelí and met the nine comandantes de revolución (the founders of the new government). But Rushdie also talked with campesinos (peasants) in the Enrique Acuña co-operative. Many found themselves displaced by the country's issues. Despite their poverty, they fed Rushdie fertilized hen's eggs (the "eggs of love"). He also talked with extremely young soliders in the Germán Pomares field hospital. Many of them remained ready for battle regardless of their injuries. And on the somewhat neglected west side of Nicaragua he found lots of rain, more poverty, and some disillusionment with the revolution. Lastly, Rushdie debated the widow of the assassinated editor of "La Prensa" (censored by the Sandisitas), Doña Violeta. He found her claims of rampant communism in her country insincere. Rushdie later concluded that "if Nicaragua was a Soviet-style state, then I'm a monkey's uncle."

Rushdie often asked people, whether high or low on the social hierarchy, very pointed questions - he and Doña Violeta really get into it. Sometimes he even called them when they dodge a question. In the end Rushdie found some things to like and some things to dislike about the Sandinista government. For example, he outright states: "It disturbed me that a government of writers turned into a government of censors." But he remained impressed by the government's land distribution program.

Like all of Rushie's work this one garnered a broad spectrum of responses (he can't seem to avoid politics, for better or worse). The supporters of the Reagan Administration obvioulsy didn't take kindly to it (which may reveal why George H.W. Bush provided no support to Rushdie during the "Satanic Verses" affair), and many praised the alternate view of Nicaragua that Rushdie portrayed. But some accused Rushdie of exemplifying petty bourgesois values (i.e., a rich westerner goes "slumming" in Central America and then returns to his privileged lifestyle). And some simply couldn't understand how Rushdie could possibly identify with the Nicaraguans. In the 1997 preface, Rushdie still defended the views espoused in the book, with some exceptions. For instance, he thought he hadn't expressed enough disappointment at the Sandinista's treatment of the indigenous Miskito population. But all in all he seems to stand by what he wrote.

Of course the book has dated somewhat since its 1987 publication. The spectre of eastern bloc communism no longer looms, and the Sandinistas were bloodlessly voted out of power in 1990 (internal party rifts and corruption contributed to their downfall). Not only that, the entire country no longer represents a political hotbed for the United States. Nonetheless, Rushdie paints some interesting pictures of this small country and its people at a moment in time. "The Jaguar Smile" remains worthwhile reading both as a study of Rushdie's themes and for the portraits of the Nicaraguan people that Rushdie recorded. He didn't find utopia, but he found enough to justify this little book.

Book, subject even more so, deserves reevaluation.......2004-01-17

I just saw a film on present-day Nicaragua, a country that's no longer flavour of the month, at least as far as the world's press is concerned. It's been at least 15 years since I've read this book. I liked it fairly well then, and feel that, though Rushdie might have been a bit too kind to the Sandinistas (who deserve much of the criticism they received) the fact that Nicaragua was robbed blind by Somoza (who stole relief money for the earthquake that hit Managua in the 1970s)and, it seems, by the penultimate president, Aleman (convicted of financial wrongdoings but certainly not jailed)gives the Sandinistas' programs (redistribution of land,literacy, and the equal participation of women in Nicaraguan life)some credibility.

How can Salman Rushdie "understand" Nicaragua?.......2003-09-10

Here we go again. In the mid-80s, Nicaragua was full of Internationalists, who were dedicated socialists and communists from wealthy countries with wealthy backgrounds, "sacrificing" by living in houses formerly owned by the upper and upper middle classes and stolen by the Sandinistas. They ran their Air-conditioners full blast, used expensive resources, and never had to pay a penny. All courtesy of the corrupt Sandinista government that was using them to help win the media war in the US, Canada, and Western Europe.

The "treatment", as it was known in Sandinista circles, was also applied to media dignitaries. Although they did not benefit from free housing, they were put up in the best hotel in Managua, chauffered around, and "given-access" to charismatic revolutionaries in exchange for favorable reviews.

Salman Rushdie, while a fantastic writer, is not an expert in Nicaraguan politics, or history. While mildly critical of the Sandinistas, he fell for the charm of some of their leaders. He gathered information that he felt represented reality in Nicaraguan life, and then wrote about it. Unfortunately, this representation is completely skewed, and misses the points of Nicaraguan history.

Canadians, how would you like to have Mr. Rushdie spent 6 weeks in your country, and then tell you how the country should split up?

Americans, how would you like Rushdie to spend 6 weeks in Washington and then tell you that you should not retailiate for the Sept. 11 attacks?

As proposterous as that sounds, that is exactly the point of his book when it came to Nicaraguan politics in the mid 1980s.

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The Jaguar Smile (A Nicaraguan Journey)
Salman Rushdie
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJ4A8A

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THE JAGUAR SMILE A NICARAGUAN JOURNEY
SALMAN RUSHDIE
Manufacturer: PICADOR
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000S7AR5I

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The JAGUAR SMILE. A NICARAGUAN JOURNEY.
Salman. Rushdie
Manufacturer: Viking,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NYJEL4

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The Jaguar Smile: A Nicaraguan Journey
Salman Rushdie
Manufacturer: Random House Trade Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 081297672X
Release Date: 2008-03-11

Book Description

In this timeless, haunting portrait of the people and the politics of Nicaragua, Rushdie brings to life the palpable human facts of a country in the midst of a revolution.

Book Description

The Spirit of Thoreau series is a fresh new collection of Thoreau's best writing and thinking on various themes, drawn from both unpublished and published sources.

THOREAU ON LAND
NATURE'S CANVAS
Edited by Joseph Valentine

This elegant volume chronicles Thoreau's fascination with nature, from his well-known reflections on Walden to an unexpected meeting with loggers in the woods: "No doubt our employment is more alike than we suspect, and we are each serving the great Master's needs more than our own." He shows a Thoreau much broader in his interests and sympathies than most of us imagine.

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