BOOKS ON SAMURAI IN ENGLISH
Unlike with the ninja, books on the samurai are nearly always of a high standard so you won't go wrong with any of these. Hence they are not reviewed. The bibliography is in two parts.
Allyn, John, The 47 Ronin Story Tuttle, 1970
Benneville, James S. Tales of the Samurai. Dover Publications, 2004 ISBN 0486437469
Blomberg, Catharina, The Heart of the Warrior: Origins and Religious Background of the Samurai System in Feudal Japan Japan Library, 1994 ISBN 1873410131
Bottomley, I & A. P. Hopson, Arms & Armour of the Samurai. Bison Books, 1988 ISBN 086124415X
Brinckley, F. Samurai: the Invincible Warriors. Ohara Publications, 1975 ISBN 0897500431
Cleary, Thomas, The Japanese Art of War: Understanding the Culture of Strategy. Shambhala, 1991 ISBN 0877736537
Clements, Jonathan, A Brief History of the Samurai: the way of Japan's Elite Warriors. Robinson, 2010 ISBN 9781845299477
Conlan, Thomas D. Weapons & Fighting Techniques of the Samurai Warriors, 1200-1877 AD. Amber Books, 2008 ISBN 9781906626075
Cook, Harry, Samurai, the Story of a Warrior Tradition. Blandford, 1993 ISBN 0713724323
De Lange, William, Famous Japanese Swordsmen of the Two Courts Period. Floating World, 2007 ISBN 9781891640476
De Lange, William, Famous Japanese Swordsmen of the Warring States Period. Floating World, 2006 ISBN 1891640437
De Lange, William, Famous Japanese Swordsmen of the Period of Unification Floating World, 2008 ISBN 9781891640544
Ehara, Tadashi, Shogun & Daimyo: military dictators of samurai Japan. Different Worlds, 2011 ISBN 9780975399958
Friday, Karl F., The First Samurai: the Life and Legend of the Warrior Rebel Taira no Masakado. John Wiley & Sons, 2008 ISBN 978047176085
Friday, Karl F. and Seki Humitake, Legacies of the Sword: the Kashima-Shinryū and Samurai Martial Culture. University of Hawai'i Press, 1997 ISBN 0824818792
Fujioka, Michio, Japanese Castles. Hoikusha, 1973 (c. 1968)
Hillsborough, Romulus, Ryoma: Life of a Renaissance Samurai. Ridgeback Press, 1999 ISBN 9780966740165
Hillsborough, Romulus, Samurai Sketches from the Bloody Final Years of the Shogun. Ridgeback Press, 2001 ISBN 0966740181
Hillsborough, Romulus, Samurai Tales, Courage, Fidelity and Revenge in the Final Years of the Shogun Tutttle, 2010 ISBN 9784805311233 (new edition of above with some new material)
Hillsborough, Romulus, Shinsengumi: the Shogun's Last Samurai Corps. Tuttle, 2005 ISBN 9780804836272
Hirai, Kiyoshi, Feudal Architecture of Japan trans. Hiroaki Sato and Jeannine Ciliotta. Weatherhill/Heibonsha, 1973
Ikegami, Eiko, The Taming of the Samurai: Honorific Individualism and the Making of Modern Japan. Harvard University Press, 1997 ISBN 0674868099
Kanzaki, Ryuto, Samurai Confidential. Manga university, 2008 ISBN 9784921205218
Katsu, Kokichi, Musui's Story: the Autobiography of a Tokugawa Samurai trans. by Teruko Craig. University of Arizona Press, 1988 ISBN 0816510350
Kure, Mituso, Samurai Arms, Armor, Costume. Chartwell Books, 2007 ISBN 9780785822080
Kure, Mitsuo, Samurai, an Illustrated History. Tuttle, 2001 ISBN 0804832870
Kure, Mitsuo & Ghislaine Kruit, The Samurai Recreated in Colour Photography Crowood Press, 2000 ISBN 186126335X
Louis, Thomas and Tommy Ito, Samurai, the Code of the Warrior. Sterling, 2008 ISBN 9781402763120
Mabire, Jean & Yves Breheret, The Samurai Wyndham, 1976 ISBN 0427000122
Mitchelhill, Jennifer, Castles of the Samurai: Power and Beauty. Kodansha International, 2003. ISBN 4770029543
Mol, Serge, Classical Weaponry of Japan: Special Weaponry and Tactics of Martial Arts. Kodansha International, 2003 ISBN 4770029411
Motoo, Hinago, Japanese Castles. trans. and adapted by William H. Coaldrake. Kodansha International, 1986 ISBN 0870117661
Newman, John, Bushido, the Way of the Warrior Bison, 1989. ISBN 086124530X
Ooms, Herman, Charismatic Bureaucrat: a Political Biography of Matsudaira Sadanobu, 1758-1829. University of Chicago Press, 1975. ISBN 0226630315
Ratti, Oscar & Adele Westbrook, Secrets of the Samurai: a Survey of the Martial Arts of Feudal Japan. Tuttle, 1973 ISBN 0804809178
Ravina, Mark, The Last Samurai: the Life and Battles of Saigō Takamori. John Wiley & Sons, 2004 ISBN 0471705373
Sadler, A. L. The Maker of Modern Japan: the Life of Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. Tuttle, 1981 (c. 1937)
Samurai War Stories, Teachings and Tales of Samurai Warfare. Translated by Antony Cummins and Yoshie Minami. History Press, 2013
Sato, Hiroaki, Legends of the Samurai. Overlook Press, 1995 ISBN 0879516194
Schmorleitz, Morton S., Castles in Japan. Tuttle, 1974 ISBN 0804811024
Seward, Jack, Hara-kiri, Japanese Ritual Suicide. Tuttle, 1968
Sharpe, Michael, Samurai Battles: Japan's Warrior Lords in 700 Years of Conflict. Compendium, 2009 ISBN 9781906347178
Sharpe, Michael, Samurai Leaders from the Tenth to the Nineteenth Century. Compendium, 2008 ISBN 9781906347307
Shiba, Gorō, Remembering Aizu: the Testament of Shiba Gorō trans. by Teruko Craig. University of Hawai'i Press, 1999 ISBN 0824821572
Shioya, Sakae, Chūshingura, an Exposition. Hokuseido Press, 1956
Sinclaire, Clive, Samurai, the Weapons and Spirit of the Japanese Warrior. Lyons, 2004 ISBN 1592287204
Sinclaire, Clive, Samurai Swords: a Collector's Guide to Japanese Swords. Chartwell Boos, 2009 ISBN 9780785825630
Storry, Richard, The Way of the Samurai. Orbis, 1978 ISBN 0856133027
Sugawara, Makoto, The Ancient Samurai. East Publications, 1986 ISBN 4915645037
Sugawara, Makoto, Lives of Master Swordsmen. East Publications, 1988. ISBN 4915645010
Till, Barry, Samurai, the Cultured Warrior. Sono Nis Press, 1984 ISBN 9819203450
Turnbull, Stephen, The Book of the Samurai, the Warrior Class of Japan. Bison Books, 1982 ISBN 0861240618
Turnbull, Stephen, Fighting Ships of the Far East: Japan and Korea AD 612-1639. Osprey, 2003 ISBN 1841764787
Turnbull, Stephen, Hatamoto: Samurai Horse and Foot Guards. Osprey, 2010 ISBN 9781849082518
Turnbull, Stephen, The Lone Samurai and the Martial Arts. Arms and Armour Press, 1990 ISBN 0853689679
Turnbull, Stephen, The Samurai: a Military History, Osprey, 1977 ISBN 0850450977
Turnbull, Stephen, The Samurai and the Sacred. Osprey, 2006 ISBN ISBN 9781846030215
Turnbull, Stephen, Samurai Armies 1467-1649. Osprey, 2008 ISBN 9781846033513
Turnbull, Stephen, Samurai Commanders, 940-1576. Osprey, 2005 ISBN 1841767433
Turnbull, Stephen, Samurai Commanders, 1577-1638. Osprey, 2005 ISBN 978184167444
Turnbull, Stephen, Samurai Heraldry. Osprey, 2002, ISBN 1841763047
Turnbull, Stephen, The Samurai Sourcebook. Arms and Armour Press, 1998 ISBN 1854093711
Turnbull, Stephen, The Samurai Swordsman. Frontline Books, 2008 ISBN 9781844157129
Turnbull, Stephen, Samurai, the Story of Japan's Noble Warriors. Collins & Brown, 2004 ISBN 1843402076
Turnbull, Stephen, Samurai, the World of the Warrior. Osprey, 2003 ISBN 1841767409
Turnbull, Stephen, Samurai Warlords: the Book of the Daimyo. Blandford Press, 1989 ISBN 0713720034
Turnbull, Stephen, Samurai Warriors. Guild Publishing, 1987
Turnbull, Stephen, Siege Weapons of the Far East AD 960-1644. Osprey, 2002 ISBN 1841763403
Turnbull, Stephen, Strongholds of the Samurai: Japanese Castles 250-1877. Osprey, 2009 ISBN 9781846034138
Turnbull, Stephen, Tokugawa Ieyasu. Osprey, 2012
Turnbull, Stephen, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Osprey, 2010
Turnbull, Stephen, War in Japan 1467-1615. Osprey, 2002 ISBN 9781841764801
Turnbull, Stephen, Warlords of Japan. Sampson Low, 1979
Turnbull, Stephen, Warriors of Medieval Japan. Osprey, 2005 ISBN 1841768642
Varley, H. Paul with Ivan and Nobuko Morris, The Samurai. 1974 ISBN04140217940
Varley, H. Paul, Warriors of Japan as Portrayed in the War Tales. University of Hawaii Press, 1994 ISBN 0824816013
Wilson, William Scott, The Lone Samurai: the Life of Miyamoto Musashi. Kodansha International, 2004 ISBN 477002942X
Yoda, Hiroko and Matt Alt, Ninja attack! True tales of assassins, samurai and outlaws. Kodansha, 2010 ISBN 9784770031198
Yumoto, John M., The Samurai Sword. Tuttle, 1979 (c. 1958)
Books by and for Samurai (or "Bushido for Dummies")
Cleary, Thomas, ed. & trans., Samurai Wisdom: Lessons from Japan's Warrior Culture. Tuttle, 2009 ISBN 9780804840088
Cleary, Thomas, ed. & trans., Soul of the Samurai: Modern Translations of Three Classic Works of Zen & Bushido. Tuttle, 2005 ISBN 0804846906
Cleary, Thomas ed. and trans, Training the Samurai Mind: a Bushido Sourcebook. Shambhala, 2008. ISBN 9781590305720
Daidoji, Yuzan, Budoshoshinshu: the Warrior's Primer of Daidoji Yuzan trans. by William Scott Wilson. Ohara, 1984.ISBN 897500962
Issai, Chozanshi, The Demon's Sermon on the Martial Arts trans. by William Scott Wilson. Kodansha International, 2006 ISBN 9784770030184
Kaibara, Ekiken, Yojokun: Life Lessons from a Samurai trans. by William Scott Wilson. Kodansha International, 2008 ISBN 9784770030771
Miyamoto, Musashi, The Book of Five Rings trans. by Thomas Cleary. Shambhala, 1994 ISBN 0877739986
Miyamoto, Musashi, A Book of Five Rings trans. Victor Harris. Overlook Press, 1974
Nitobe, Inazo, Bushido, the Warrior's Code. Ohara, 1979. ISBN 0897500318
Taira, Shigesuke, The Code of the Samurai: a Modern Translation of the Bushido Shoshinshu of Taira Shigesuke trans. Thomas Cleary. Tuttle, 1999. ISBN 978080831901
Takuan Soho, The Unfettered Mind: Writings of the Zen Master to the Sword Master trans by William Scott Wilson. Kodansha International, 1988
Wilson, William Scott, trans. Ideals of the Samurai: Writings of Japanese Warriors. Ohara, 1982. ISBN 0897500814
Yagyu, Munenori, The Life-Giving Sword: Secret Teachings from the House of the Shogun trans. by William Scott Wilson. Kodansha International, 2003. ISBN 9784770029553
Yamamoto, Tsunetomo, The Art of the Samurai: Yamamoto Tsunetomo's Hagakure. trans. by Barry D. Steben. Duncan Baird Publishers, 2008 ISBN 9781844835942
Yamamoto, Tsunetomo, Hagakure: the Book of the Samurai trans. by William Scott Wilson. Kodansha International, 1980 ISBN 087011378X
Ninja bibliography Books on Tokugawa Japan in English The Samurai home page