47 Ronin

by John Allyn, Stephen Turnbull Narrated by David Shih

Overview

In 1701 young Lord Asano is goaded into attacking a corrupt official at the Japanese Court. Although the wound Asano inflicts is minimal, the Emperor's punishment is harsh: Lord Asano is ordered to commit seppuku, or ritual suicide. His lands are confiscated and his family is dishonored and exiled. His samurai retainers now become ronin, or masterless, and are dispersed.

These ronin are not trusted by their enemies, and live under the watchful eyes of spies for months. They appear to adapt to their new circumstances by becoming tradesmen and teachers. But the ronin only seem to accept their fate. They are in fact making careful plans for revenge, biding their time until the moment to strike is right! Their deeds became Japan's most celebrated example of bravery, cunning, and loyalty in an age when samurai were heroes, and honor was worth dying for.

John Allyn's masterful retelling of the 47 ronin story has long been considered the definitive version of these dramatic historical events.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"The book contains a new foreword by Stephen Turnbull, the historical advisor for 47 Ronin and the author of more than 50 books on military history. …As Turnbull says in his foreword: 'The raid of the Forty Seven Ronin holds a unique place in Japanese history. There is nothing quite like it, and John Allyn's masterful re-retelling of the tale captures for modern readers much of the excitement with which the Japanese populace of the mid-eighteenth century would have responded to what for them was the equivalent of a newspaper sensation.'" —Publishers Weekly

"Fans of samurai will enjoy this retelling of a classic story of revenge and loyalty." —Japan Powered blog

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170040681
Publisher:	HighBridge Company
Publication date:	11/26/2013
Edition description:	Unabridged

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