Listen free for 30 days
-
The Complete Book of Five Rings
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 5 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Business & Careers, Career Success
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Listen with a free trial
Buy Now for £18.29
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Hagakure
- The Book of the Samurai
- By: Yamamoto Tsunetomo, William Scott Wilson - translator
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 5 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Living and dying with bravery and honor is at the heart of Hagakure, a series of texts written by an 18th-century samurai, Yamamoto Tsunetomo. It is a window into the samurai mind, illuminating the concept of bushido (the Way of the Warrior), which dictated how samurai were expected to behave, conduct themselves, live, and die.
-
-
Samurai
- By Tyler on 03-10-16
-
Training the Samurai Mind
- A Bushido Sourcebook
- By: Thomas Cleary - translator/editor
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Training the Samurai Mind gives an insider's view of the samurai world: the moral and psychological development of the warrior, the ethical standards they were meant to uphold, their training in both martial arts and strategy, and the enormous role that the traditions of Shintoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism had in influencing samurai ideals.
-
-
Simply excellent
- By Daren Knight on 19-03-19
-
A Book of Five Rings
- The Strategy of Musashi
- By: Miyamoto Musashi
- Narrated by: Alec Sand
- Length: 1 hr and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Legendary 17th century swordsman Miyamoto Musashi’s exposition of sword fighting, strategy and Zen philosophy. Required reading for any martial artist, business person or student of strategy. Includes the one hour Zen inspired soundtrack The Mysterious Sound of Wind in the Bamboo. Performed on authentic Japanese instruments.
-
-
horrible
- By Anonymous User on 20-07-20
-
The Art of War
- By: Sun Tzu
- Narrated by: Aidan Gillen
- Length: 1 hr and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The 13 chapters of The Art of War, each devoted to one aspect of warfare, were compiled by the high-ranking Chinese military general, strategist, and philosopher Sun-Tzu. In spite of its battlefield specificity, The Art of War has found new life in the modern age with leaders in fields as wide and far-reaching as world politics, human psychology, and corporate strategy finding valuable insight in its timeworn words.
-
-
This books is to be read not listened to
- By Amazon Customer on 04-09-18
-
The Way of the Warrior
- Young Samurai, Book 1
- By: Chris Bradford
- Narrated by: Joe Jameson
- Length: 8 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
August 1611. Jack Fletcher is shipwrecked off the coast of Japan - his beloved father and the crew lie slaughtered by ninja pirates. Rescued by the legendary sword master Masamoto Takeshi, Jack's only hope is to become a samurai warrior. And so his training begins. But life at the samurai school is a constant fight for survival. With courage in his heart and his sword held high, can Jack prove himself and face his deadliest rival yet?
-
-
my kids enjoyed the story and performance
- By AK on 28-07-18
-
Breathe
- A Life in Flow
- By: Rickson Gracie, Jocko Willink
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From legendary Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA master Rickson Gracie comes a riveting, insightful memoir that weaves together the story of Gracie’s stunning career with the larger history of the Gracie family dynasty, showing how the connection between mind and body can be harnessed for success both inside and outside the ring. Undefeated from the late 1970s through his final fight in the Tokyo Dome in 2000, Rickson Gracie amassed hundreds of victories in the street, on the mat, at the beach and in the ring.
-
-
inspiring, but so stereotypical
- By Ettore on 21-11-21
-
Hagakure
- The Book of the Samurai
- By: Yamamoto Tsunetomo, William Scott Wilson - translator
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 5 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Living and dying with bravery and honor is at the heart of Hagakure, a series of texts written by an 18th-century samurai, Yamamoto Tsunetomo. It is a window into the samurai mind, illuminating the concept of bushido (the Way of the Warrior), which dictated how samurai were expected to behave, conduct themselves, live, and die.
-
-
Samurai
- By Tyler on 03-10-16
-
Training the Samurai Mind
- A Bushido Sourcebook
- By: Thomas Cleary - translator/editor
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Training the Samurai Mind gives an insider's view of the samurai world: the moral and psychological development of the warrior, the ethical standards they were meant to uphold, their training in both martial arts and strategy, and the enormous role that the traditions of Shintoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism had in influencing samurai ideals.
-
-
Simply excellent
- By Daren Knight on 19-03-19
-
A Book of Five Rings
- The Strategy of Musashi
- By: Miyamoto Musashi
- Narrated by: Alec Sand
- Length: 1 hr and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Legendary 17th century swordsman Miyamoto Musashi’s exposition of sword fighting, strategy and Zen philosophy. Required reading for any martial artist, business person or student of strategy. Includes the one hour Zen inspired soundtrack The Mysterious Sound of Wind in the Bamboo. Performed on authentic Japanese instruments.
-
-
horrible
- By Anonymous User on 20-07-20
-
The Art of War
- By: Sun Tzu
- Narrated by: Aidan Gillen
- Length: 1 hr and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The 13 chapters of The Art of War, each devoted to one aspect of warfare, were compiled by the high-ranking Chinese military general, strategist, and philosopher Sun-Tzu. In spite of its battlefield specificity, The Art of War has found new life in the modern age with leaders in fields as wide and far-reaching as world politics, human psychology, and corporate strategy finding valuable insight in its timeworn words.
-
-
This books is to be read not listened to
- By Amazon Customer on 04-09-18
-
The Way of the Warrior
- Young Samurai, Book 1
- By: Chris Bradford
- Narrated by: Joe Jameson
- Length: 8 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
August 1611. Jack Fletcher is shipwrecked off the coast of Japan - his beloved father and the crew lie slaughtered by ninja pirates. Rescued by the legendary sword master Masamoto Takeshi, Jack's only hope is to become a samurai warrior. And so his training begins. But life at the samurai school is a constant fight for survival. With courage in his heart and his sword held high, can Jack prove himself and face his deadliest rival yet?
-
-
my kids enjoyed the story and performance
- By AK on 28-07-18
-
Breathe
- A Life in Flow
- By: Rickson Gracie, Jocko Willink
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From legendary Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA master Rickson Gracie comes a riveting, insightful memoir that weaves together the story of Gracie’s stunning career with the larger history of the Gracie family dynasty, showing how the connection between mind and body can be harnessed for success both inside and outside the ring. Undefeated from the late 1970s through his final fight in the Tokyo Dome in 2000, Rickson Gracie amassed hundreds of victories in the street, on the mat, at the beach and in the ring.
-
-
inspiring, but so stereotypical
- By Ettore on 21-11-21
-
Leadership Strategy and Tactics
- Field Manual
- By: Jocko Willink
- Narrated by: Jocko Willink
- Length: 8 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the military, a field manual provides instructions in simple, clear, step-by-step language to help soldiers complete their mission. In the civilian sector, books offer information on everything from fixing a leaky tap to developing an effective workout programme to cooking a good steak. Leadership Strategy and Tactics: Field Manual is here to help you navigate your way through the difficulties of leadership by providing a direct, situational, pragmatic how-to guide that anyone can instantly put to use.
-
-
Good book
- By Anonymous User on 06-06-20
-
Beyond Order
- 12 More Rules for Life
- By: Jordan B. Peterson
- Narrated by: Jordan B. Peterson
- Length: 13 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 12 Rules for Life, acclaimed public thinker and clinical psychologist Jordan B. Peterson offered an antidote to the chaos in our lives: eternal truths applied to modern anxieties. His insights have helped millions of people and resonated powerfully around the world. Now in this long-awaited sequel, Peterson goes further, showing that part of life's meaning comes from reaching out into the domain beyond what we know and adapting to an ever-transforming world.
-
-
Too much religion for me
- By Matthew Sutcliffe on 04-03-21
-
Thus Spoke Zarathustra
- Penguin Classics
- By: Friedrich Nietzsche, R. J. Hollingdale - introduction
- Narrated by: Saul Reichlin
- Length: 14 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Nietzsche was one of the most revolutionary thinkers in Western philosophy and Thus Spoke Zarathustra remains his most influential work. It describes how the ancient Persian prophet Zarathustra descends from his solitude in the mountains to tell the world that God is dead and that the Superman, the human embodiment of divinity, is his successor. With blazing intensity, Nietzsche argues that the meaning of existence is not to be found in religious pieties or meek submission, but in an all-powerful life force: passionate, chaotic and free.
-
-
I love this book
- By Anonymous User on 12-08-21
-
The Book of Five Rings
- By: Miyamoto Musashi, William Scott Wilson - translator
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 2 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Setting down his thoughts on swordplay, on winning, and on spirituality, legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi intended this modest work as a guide for his immediate disciples and future generations of samurai. He had little idea he was penning a masterpiece that would be eagerly devoured by people in all walks of life centuries after his death.
-
-
Interesting listen
- By Mr R A Nitman on 13-03-18
-
The Art of Peace
- Teachings of the Founder of Aikido
- By: John Stevens - translator, Morihei Ueshiba
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 2 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The inspirational teachings in this collection show that the real way of the warrior is based on compassion, wisdom, fearlessness, and love of nature. The teachings are drawn from the talks and writings of Morihei Ueshiba, founder of the popular Japanese martial art of Aikido, a mind-body discipline he called the "Art of Peace", which offers a nonviolent way to victory in the face of conflict. Ueshiba believed that Aikido principles could be applied to all the challenges we face in life.
-
-
Inspirational
- By Wild Bunny on 30-04-18
-
The Fighter's Mind
- Inside the Mental Game
- By: Sam Sheridan
- Narrated by: Nicholas Techosky
- Length: 8 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
To uncover the secrets of mental strength and success, Sam Sheridan interviewed dozens of the world's most fascinating and dangerous men.
-
-
Not what I expected!
- By Adam Sergeant on 01-08-17
-
The Laws of Human Nature
- By: Robert Greene
- Narrated by: Paul Michael
- Length: 28 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Robert Greene is a master guide for millions, distilling ancient wisdom and philosophy into essential texts for seekers of power, understanding and mastery. Now he turns to the most important subject of all - understanding people's drives and motivations, even when they are unconscious of them themselves.
-
-
Amazing as always
- By david joel rodrigues ferreira on 08-11-18
-
Mastery
- By: Robert Greene
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 16 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Around the globe, people are facing the same problem - that we are born as individuals but are forced to conform to the rules of society if we want to succeed. To see our uniqueness expressed in our achievements, we must first learn the rules - and then how to change them completely. Told through Robert Greene's signature blend of historical anecdote and psychological insight and drawing on interviews with world leaders, Mastery provides a practical guide to greatness - and how to start living by your own rules.
-
-
Mastery through case studies, but not a "how to".
- By D. Panchal on 26-09-19
-
The Essence of Budo
- A Practitioner's Guide to Understanding the Japanese Martial Ways
- By: Dave Lowry
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 6 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The study of budo, or the Japanese martial arts for self-cultivation, is a lifelong path toward perfection of character. Here, Dave Lowry, a sword master who has practiced and taught budo for over 40 years, addresses the myriad issues, vagaries, and inconsistencies that arise for students of karate-do, judo, kendo, kenjutsu, aikido, and iaido as their training develops.
-
Maps of Meaning
- By: Jordan B. Peterson
- Narrated by: Jordan B. Peterson
- Length: 30 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the author of 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos comes a provocative hypothesis that explores the connection between what modern neuropsychology tells us about the brain and what rituals, myths, and religious stories have long narrated. A cutting-edge work that brings together neuropsychology, cognitive science, and Freudian and Jungian approaches to mythology and narrative, Maps of Meaning presents a rich theory that makes the wisdom and meaning of myth accessible to the critical modern mind.
-
-
Probably easier to read
- By Matt James on 04-11-18
-
33 Strategies of War
- By: Robert Greene
- Narrated by: Donald Coren
- Length: 27 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
33 Strategies of War is a comprehensive guide to the subtle social game of everyday life, informed by the most ingenious and effective military principles in war. It's the I-Ching of conflict, the contemporary companion to Sun Tzu's The Art of War, and is abundantly illustrated with examples from history, including the folly and genius of everyone from Napoleon to Margaret Thatcher, Hannibal to Ulysses S. Grant, movie moguls to samurai swordsmen.
-
-
Valuable and Insightful Lessons but...
- By Pad de Braye on 05-02-18
-
The Secret Door to Success
- New Thought Theatre, Book 1
- By: Florence Scovel Shinn, Hillary Hawkins
- Narrated by: Hillary Hawkins
- Length: 2 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This edition of The Secret Door to Success has a new, creative flair! Immediately following each chapter is a short, theatrical exercise. So teens, young adults, and thespians of all ages can act out an affirmation that embodies the positive message in each chapter. A fun way to practice the principles herein! The more we practice, the more it sticks. You do not have to have any prior acting experience in order to do these exercises. All you have to do is believe....
Summary
The Complete Book of Five Rings is an authoritative version of Musashi's classic The Book of Five Rings, translated and annotated by a modern martial arts master, Kenji Tokitsu. Tokitsu has spent most of his life researching the legendary samurai swordsman and his works, and in this book he illuminates this seminal text, along with several other works by Musashi. These include "The Mirror of the Way of Strategy", which Musashi wrote when he was in his 20s; "Thirty-five Instructions on Strategy", and "Forty-two Instructions on Strategy", which were precursors to The Book of Five Rings; and "The Way to Be Followed Alone", which Musashi wrote just days before his death.
Heard together, these five texts give listeners an unusually detailed, nuanced view of Musashi's ideas on swordsmanship, strategy, and self-cultivation. Tokitsu puts all these writings into historical and philosophical context and makes them accessible and relevant to today's listeners and martial arts students. Tokitsu understands Musashi's writings - and Musashi as a martial artist - unusually well and is able to provide a rare insight into the man and his historical contribution.
More from the same
What listeners say about The Complete Book of Five Rings
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- ShaneG
- 20-11-16
Get the shorter version
The extra content in this version is all repetitive useless fluff that is not a part of the actual book of five rings, don't waste the time just get the shorter version
18 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jake Suter
- 18-10-18
Not sure what I was expecting
Was interesting and narrated well. But know it was written for warriors of the, much of it is straight forward advice for would-be samurai.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Daniel
- 17-08-18
Very well narrated!
The narrator made this version of the book a very enjoyable listening experience. Thank you!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- A Dalby
- 22-06-22
fascinating
Great listen, some really interesting parallels to other fencing manual's of the same time period. Translation notes helped improve overall understanding. Would recommend to anyone interested in samurai culture and swordfighting in general.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- D M
- 15-06-22
Definitely worth a look
Some good life lessons but the sword section in particular was hard to follow in audiobook form
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kindle Customer
- 24-03-22
you must study this well
The additional insight provided
by the translator and editor are a great help to someone raised on western philosophy. listening to this clarifies so many of the differences and similarities between our culture's
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 11-03-22
The master of the way
Magnificent... From beginning to end. Highly recommended to any one with a few to improving their own way in life.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 29-12-21
Inspirational
Every one who is training martial arts schould read this book and study words of this ancient master. When you relise that this is distilled knowledge that Miyamoto have used to win all of his fights for live and death you respect every word even more.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Stephen Coates
- 26-09-21
Book of Conflict.
It is a interesting book, written by a Master for his pupils. True life Knowledge.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 04-02-21
great book
the recording is super glitchy.. no matter which device i play it on, half of the word in the beginning of the sentances are missing throughout th reading...bitterly dissapointed and really annoying, as its a great book full of knowledge.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- DW
- 27-05-16
Best translation I have encountered.
I read Go Rin no Sho for the first time when I was just a lad of fifteen, and have read and reread it many times since then. It has informed and enriched my martial arts practice considerably. The translation I had was Thomas Cleary's, published by Shambala, but until listening to this translation I never knew what I had been missing all these years. The translator, of course being Japanese, imbues the text with a layer of nuance that, sorry to say, had been absent from other translations. His prose is at the same time elegant and concise, and I could really feel Musashi speaking through him, with very little if anything lost in the translation. What a pleasure as well to hear it narrated by a Japanese man with proper pronunciation of the language, something that bugged me incessantly when listening to the audiobook of James Clavell's Shogun: the fact that Clavell's grasp of Japanese was shaky at best was exacerbated by the Narrator's hideous pronunciation and diction. I will definitely seek out other titles by this translator and narrator.
64 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- JakalTheOne
- 02-12-17
You must study this book, well!
If you could sum up The Complete Book of Five Rings in three words, what would they be?
Tremendous.
Would you listen to The Complete Book of Five Rings again? Why?
Yes, you must listen, well.
What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?
The structure of the 5 elements; Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Heaven; and how they correlate to master any craft.
What could the authors have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?
Not a thing.
What about Brian Nishii's performance did you like?
Perfect. Just perfect.
Any additional comments?
Serious work must have been done, to create such a solid storyline.
13 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- MIEK127
- 12-07-18
instruction manual
it doesn't matter what you are up against..this is how you defeat all negativity. While listening, I have placed my personal stresses that I wish to defeat in place of the attacker Musashi mentions from his and his instructions. He found the formula that runs universally. it doesn't matter what planet you may find yourself on or even the city. this is the art of living to live, not living to die.
20 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Jason P
- 09-10-15
A Manual for a Martial Artist, Not a Strategist.
This book was an interesting listen. It gave me some insight and a better understanding of some of Japan’s history and culture. However, this was a manual to train swordsman in a particular school of swordsmanship. Most of the book is how to hold the sword, your body, attack and guard. There are some deeper meanings and philosophical ideas within the text, but they are few and far between. Not a good listen for the average reader. A martial artist or swordsman might love this book. For a strategist I recommend instead Sun Tzu’s The Art of War.
60 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- SAMA
- 08-05-16
Prepare to Pause and Ponder
This is not a book to listen to passively while driving to work or taking the train. This is a book that demands you to actively think, pause, and make connections to real life events, whether they happened to you, someone close to you, or some public figures.
One listen will never be enough, as you will have to come back again and again to gain a deeper understanding of the subject.
36 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Mr. E
- 05-02-20
Musashi: The man, the myth, etc
This book seems like a must-"read" for fans of the famous samurai, but for those looking for a concise listen on swordsmanship and martial arts philosophy might want to pass. The book does tell you everything you could think to ask about Miyamoto Musashi; his praises, his detractors, a rough idea of when he lived and his background. The actual meat of the book, consists of Musashi explaining his approach to swordsmanship and "The Way" and what many might know as the 28 precepts. The Way, as Musashi calls it, is how a warrior trains and prepares for battle. Bruce Lee is able to explain his personal beliefs with more panache but it's hard to discount what Musashi says in this book. The narrator is even thoughtful enough to offer a few interpretations of the text as ancient Japanese is difficult to fully translate.
The 28 precepts, are a list of rules Miyamoto Mushashi created to help others follow The Way. Are they absolute? Only if you're a free-thinking samurai in the 17th century Japan. Some of it sounds extreme, and it is; like Bruce Lee, Musashi trained diligently to excel past others in his time to become legendary. Overall, the list is an intriguing code to apply as you see fit, and worth considering if you're a philosophy-leaning martial artist.
Not a bad book, a little long and takes awhile to get to the good stuff.
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Fernando Dineli
- 27-07-15
Martial Arts Masterpiece
Simple and profound.
Would you like to learn about the way and strategy this is a essential work. Written by a man who faced more than 60 life or death combats you can obtain some of his thoughts and understandings about how he achieved such feat.
In our present days of relative peace and stability it's hard to understand or even learn by real experience the art of combat, so what remains it's some of grandmasters works to reflect well on those matters.
11 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Nicholas
- 25-06-15
Translation
Amazing translation. The five scrolls and the 21 principles were very easy to visualize and understand.
10 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Marv
- 27-01-15
Great and simplistic on strategy
If you could sum up The Complete Book of Five Rings in three words, what would they be?
To the point!
Who was your favorite character and why?
Miyamoto Musashi. The author Samurai.
Which scene was your favorite?
The 5 elements are explained throughly and in clear detail. I am an advocate in the Chinese Martial Arts and found much comfort and similarities of thought. To be a successful student of the Martial Arts, you must appreciate the subtle differences in the styles. Musashi was a true master in his explanation of the "Way" And it's many nuances. An excellent book!
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I read the paper back version of this book over 30 years ago, and I must say that I got something out of it in my early days of practice and enjoyed the book then. However, my understanding and enlightment of listening to it today is like night and day to what I herd. It made a lot of sense. Glad I took the time to purchase this audio.
Any additional comments?
The narrator was really good!
15 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- There, they're, their...
- 20-10-15
A little boring
Brian Nishi is the voice I want to read me anything Japan related. He's really great.
The story is strategy related if you want to learn sword fighting. It also has other applications to your daily life. I just feel like some other books that are strategy related have been a little easier to apply.
7 people found this helpful