03/11/2019
Academic Lockley and novelist Girard (Mary Rose) combine their talents in this eminently readable but somewhat speculative biography of Yasuke, the only known African samurai. The few records that exist indicate he arrived in Japan in 1579 as bodyguard to the Jesuit Alessandro Valignano, the pope’s “Visitor to the Indies.” One Japanese account describes Yasuke as unusually tall and dark and thus of fascination to the Japanese of the time, so much so that when the Catholics met the great lord Oda Nobunaga, the general summoned Yasuke before summoning Valignano and later took Yasuke into his service as one of his samurai. The authors flesh out the scant data points with supposition about Yasuke’s life before Japan (for example, the uncomfortable slog of sea travel he endured with Valignano), details about Japanese life in the 16th century (what it must have been like to look up at the town of Kuchinotsu from the beach; descriptions of clan flags), and more novelistic passages imagining Yasuke’s actions and thoughts. The final third of the work considers the possible paths his life may have taken after records cease. The solid scholarship on and imaginative treatment of Yasuke’s life make this both a worthwhile and entertaining work. (Apr.)
With fast-paced, action-packed writing, Lockley and Girard offer a new and important biography and an incredibly moving study of medieval Japan and solid perspective on its unification. Highly recommended.” —Library Journal (starred review)
“This fact-checked portrait of an often-mythologized warrior with manga and anime variations is an exciting and illuminating tale of action and intrigue. Fans of manga and anime will enjoy reading this excellent work of Japanese history.” —Booklist (starred review)
“A readable, compassionate account of an extraordinary life.” —The Washington Post
“Eminently readable…. The solid scholarship on and imaginative treatment of Yasuke’s life make this both a worthwhile and entertaining work.” —Publishers Weekly
“A rich portrait of a brutal age.” —Kirkus Reviews
“A gripping tale of politics, war and religion that reads like an adventure story.” —Dave Rear, author of A Less Boring History of the World
“The time has come for history to embrace the amazing story of Yasuke. In African Samurai words flex their muscles and pay tribute to a man of physical strength and combat skills. The writing is seductive and the reader sees the world through Yasuke’s eyes. There is much to learn about the wonder of his life, and his story is a sharp blade cutting into invisibility.” —E. Ethelbert Miller
“This book is not only the best account in English of Yasuke, the famous African samurai. It's also a delightful introduction to the vibrant and multicultural world of Asian maritime history. Written novelistically, with a light scholarly touch... Exciting and informative!” —Tonio Andrade, author of The Gunpowder Age
“Rarely do I read a book that challenges my worldview of history, but African Samurai certainly alters my understanding of African and Japanese history. African Samurai gripped me from the opening sentence — a unique story of a unique man, and yet someone with whom we can all identify.” —Jack Weatherford, author of Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World
“African Samurai sounds like a novel, a freaking amazing novel. But Yasuke is real, and Lockley and Girard bring him and his world to life with incredible research and style. Yasuke may have lived in the 1500s, but he is a hero for our modern world. Seriously…when is the movie?” —Bret Witter, #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of The Monuments Men
★ 03/01/2019
Yasuke has been a legendary character in the samurai mythos of Japan. The historical African warrior accompanied the Jesuits to Japan in the latter part of the 16th century, entering the service of Oda Nobunaga, a powerful feudal lord attempting to unify the country. While in Nobunaga's service, he became the first foreign-born samurai of Japan. Lockley (Nihon Univ., Sch. of Law, Tokyo) and Girard (Cain's Blood) use primary sources to piece together Yasuke's immersion into Japanese culture with a novelistic history that takes place at the height of one of Japan's most important cultural and political moments. While the authors may take some liberties with Yasuke's narrative, they do so with attention to their source material and the culture of the time. The story involves several figures alongside Yasuke, including samurai, ninjas, and Catholic missionaries. VERDICT With fast-paced, action-packed writing, Lockley and Girard offer a new and important biography and an incredibly moving study of medieval Japan and solid perspective on its unification. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, 10/15/18.]—John Rodzvilla, Emerson Coll., Boston
Gary Furlong narrates a vivid biography of the first non-native samurai in feudal Japan, who was also black. Yasuke has achieved almost mythical status in Japan, but he was very much human and flawed. While telling Yasuke's life story, the audiobook covers a staggering amount, including the topics of warfare and politics. Furlong capably imbues the well-researched and detailed biography with respect and awe. The story alternates between dramatic historical fiction and nonfiction, with the narration keeping both on a steady and even keel. Furlong's youthful voice coupled with natural-sounding accents and an engaging tone combine for a captivating listen that's difficult to pause. The narration and writing complement each other well. J.M.M. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine
Gary Furlong narrates a vivid biography of the first non-native samurai in feudal Japan, who was also black. Yasuke has achieved almost mythical status in Japan, but he was very much human and flawed. While telling Yasuke's life story, the audiobook covers a staggering amount, including the topics of warfare and politics. Furlong capably imbues the well-researched and detailed biography with respect and awe. The story alternates between dramatic historical fiction and nonfiction, with the narration keeping both on a steady and even keel. Furlong's youthful voice coupled with natural-sounding accents and an engaging tone combine for a captivating listen that's difficult to pause. The narration and writing complement each other well. J.M.M. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine
2019-01-13
Biography of an African slave who rose to fame and fortune in 16th-century Japan.
Making his literary debut, Lockley (Nihon Univ. College of Law) teams up with Girard (Mary Rose, 2018, etc.) to create a fast-paced, novelistic history of Japan's feudal past, centered on the life of Yasuke, who arrived in Japan in 1579 as the indentured bodyguard and valet of Alessandro Valignano, a wealthy and influential Portuguese Jesuit missionary. Drawing on abundant sources, including archival material, the authors offer a panoramic view of politics, sex, religion, and war. They recount in horrifying detail the massacre of African families and kidnapping of boys by Arab, Persian, and Indian slave merchants that resulted in Yasuke's enslavement. Growing up in India as a boy soldier, he was "trained in violence, as well as comportment and service," making him an appealing servant for the Jesuits, who fanned out across Japan, determined to save souls. Over six feet tall, strong and muscular, Yasuke was an intimidating presence and protector as the Jesuits battled religious and political factions in a nation beset by endlessly warring factions. Blood and gore ooze from the pages as the authors describe ruthless slaughter, beheadings, disembowelment, rapes, and torture. Ninjas, who "killed only for money, and had no honor beyond what they were paid," were hardly the most vicious, and Yasuke proved himself a valiant fighter. Seeking favor with the mighty warlord Oda Nobunaga, Valignano handed over Yasuke as "a weapon bearer and novelty." Delighted, the warlord awarded Yasuke the elite status of samurai. "You are my black warrior," Nobunaga proclaimed. "The demon who will ride beside me into battle, the dark angel who protects me and my family." Because black skin, although unusual in Japan at the time, carried "entirely positive" connotations, Yasuke became revered, and his prowess became legendary. "People in the streets did not only gape at him," the authors write, "they bowed, heads to the earth, as they addressed him."
A rich portrait of a brutal age.
