Shogun

The Life and Times of Tokugawa Ieyasu: Japan's Greatest Ruler

By: A.L. Sadler, Stephen Turnbull - foreword, Alexander Bennett - foreword

Narrated by: Jonathan Yen

Uncover the true story of the man who unified medieval Japan.

For 700 years, Japan was ruled by military commanders who waged war against one another incessantly. Shogun tells the fascinating story of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the man who finally unified and brought lasting peace to the nation. He established a new central government which enabled his descendants to rule Japan for the next 260 years—a period in which Japanese culture as we know it today flourished.

The dramatic episodes retold in this book include:

- Ieyasu's crushing victory at the Battle of Sekigahara, the largest battle ever fought in Japan

- His creation of a new form of government with a centralized system of control that allowed his descendants to rule Japan peacefully for the next fifteen generations

- Ieyasu's fateful decision to limit the spread of Christianity in Japan, ultimately banning the religion and massacring tens of thousands of ardent believers

This new edition highlights the drama and pageantry of Ieyasu's life and features a new foreword by leading Japanese military historian Alexander Bennett.

©1937 George Allen & Unwin Ltd (P)2023 Tantor

Shogun

This audiobook was a great read, especially for someone who is starting to learn about Japanese history.

Tour de force!

I learned a lot about the arc of his life. But the barrage of names and places is pretty hard to follow in audio format. If you’re reading for retention of specifics the book would be a better format.

INTERESTING

This book was difficult for me when I started listening.
So many names and interactions to remember, unlike reading a book, where you can easily refer back.
I seriously contemplated to stop listening and trying another time.
So glad I did not, eventually it came all together and it is a very interesting book.
I learned a lot about the Japanese history, way of life and mentality.
All very interesting and exactly what I was after.
So, if you are interested in Japan and its history, I highly recommend listening.
The narrator, Jonathan Yen is a pleasure to listen to.
My thanks to all involved, JK.

bad narrator

annoying voice and clipped reading like he's translating in his head before speaking. poorly done

Awful Pronunciation

The pronunciation of Japanese figures, places, etc is so bad that this audiobook is unlistenable.