The Samurai's Garden: A Novel ebook

by Gail Tsukiyama

The Samurai's Garden" is a novel that came highly recommended to me by my sister. I had no idea what to expect as she never gave me any hint about the book's content. At times, it can difficult to find the most appropriate words to describe how a novel has impacted the reader

The Samurai's Garden" is a novel that came highly recommended to me by my sister. At times, it can difficult to find the most appropriate words to describe how a novel has impacted the reader. This is one such novel. I am neither familiar with Japanese nor Chinese culture, therefore, I was intrigued to learn more about both. Author Gail Tsukiyama has definitely been exposed to both cultures as the daughter of a Chinese mother and a Japanese father

The samurais garden, . Just before leaving, I bought this book of Japanese parchment paper to record any other prizes I might be lucky enough to capture.

The samurais garden, . The Samurai's Garden, . It opens before me now, thin sheets of sand-colored paper, empty and quiet as the beach below the village. Since I became ill last spring in Canton, I’ve had no time to myself.

The Samurai's Garden is a 1994 novel by American author Gail Tsukiyama. Many consider it to be Tsukiyama's finest work, and an influential piece in Asian-American literature. Twenty one year-old Stephen leaves his home in Hong Kong just as the Japanese are poised to further invade China, towards Hong Kong.

Since the day I saw Keiko, I’ve felt much lighter. It’s as if the darkness of winter has lifted. soms sprouting from Matsu’s weeping Higan, and the clear, light scent I smell every time I step into the garden. When I returned from my swim today, Matsu followed me into my room from the garden. There’s a letter for you, he said, putting the thin blue envelope down on the table. You’ve been to the village already?.

When I got to the last third of the book, it started to sound more and more familiar

The Samurai's Garden: A Novel.

The Samurai's Garden: A Novel. The daughter of a Chinese mother and a Japanese father, Tsukiyama uses the Japanese invasion of China during the late 1930s as a somber backdrop for her unusual story about a 20-year-old Chinese painter named Stephen who is sent to his family's summer home in a Japanese coastal village to recover from a bout with tuberculosis.

The Samurai's Garden book. I'm just going to glaze over my problems with this book, or else I'd be writing a novel. A 20-year-old Chinese painter named Stephen is sent to his. First off, the way Tsukiyama wrote the Japanese parts bugged me. At one point Kieko, Stephen's love interest, is apologizing for how rudely her father acted towards Stephen. But instead of referring to her father as "Chichi", she refers to him as "otousan", which refers to someone else's father, So, for starters, this book sucks. 3. I felt restless this morning and decided to do some sketching in the garden. I stood up and waited, my heart beating faster.

The Samurai's Garden. St. Martin's Griffin.

The Samurai’s Garden by Gail Tsukiyama is a quietly compelling novel. It tells of the passage of a boy out of childhood: the year is 1937 and Stephen is a Chinese boy sent to recuperate in his. The Samurai’s Garden by Gail Tsukiyama is a quietly compelling novel. It tells of the passage of a boy out of childhood: the year is 1937 and Stephen is a Chinese boy sent to recuperate in his family’s Japanese beach house following a withering bout of tuberculosis. Separated from his friends at university, from his sister and mother whom he loves, and from the hustle and bustle of his hometown of Hong Kong, Stephen finds the quiet town of Tarumi silent and lonely.

The daughter of a Chinese mother and a Japanese father, Tsukiyama uses the Japanese invasion of China during the late 1930s as a somber backdrop for her unusual story about a 20-year-old Chinese painter named Stephen who is sent to his family's summer home in a Japanese coastal village to recover from a bout with tuberculosis. Here he is cared for by Matsu, a reticent housekeeper and a master gardener. Over the course of a remarkable year, Stephen learns Matsu's secret and gains not only physical strength, but also profound spiritual insight. Matsu is a samurai of the soul, a man devoted to doing good and finding beauty in a cruel and arbitrary world, and Stephen is a noble student, learning to appreciate Matsu's generous and nurturing way of life and to love Matsu's soulmate, gentle Sachi, a woman afflicted with leprosy.

Elastic Skunk

I read this novel a couple of summers ago and chose it for use in my English IV class. As I am sure others have written, the story concerns Stephen, a 20-year-old Chinese man who spends over a year in Tarumi, Japan, at the family beach house while he recovers from tuberculosis and learns a great deal about beauty, honor and loyalty. My students and I liked that the novel has a historical setting, Japan and China during Japan's 1930s march across China, because we had little knowledge of it. My science-oriented students were interested in the leprosy aspect, which gave us opportunities to research the disease. And who can resist the unfolding love stories of Sachi and Matsu, Stephen and Kieko and the secrets of the past.? Beautifully written.

Uste

Transported to a time and place I know very little about, I felt such a connection with young Stephen-san as he slowly healed with the help of two people he would have never considered connecting with. Against a backdrop of a war that was decimating his homeland,
he lived surrounded by those who were supposed to be his mortal enemies. But only tenderness and wisdom carried him to health.

BroWelm

I found the language beautiful; not overdone, nor too minimal. For such a short read, I find myself still pondering thoughts and questions that occurred to me: you know, those philosophical kind of questions about life. For instance, that old saying that "time heals all wounds" illustrate that the pain from the past is actually diminished over time, or is it more caused by small changes in perception as we age and grow?

MilsoN

"The Samurai's Garden" is a novel that came highly recommended to me by my sister. I had no idea what to expect as she never gave me any hint about the book's content. At times, it can difficult to find the most appropriate words to describe how a novel has impacted the reader. This is one such novel.

I am neither familiar with Japanese nor Chinese culture, therefore, I was intrigued to learn more about both. Author Gail Tsukiyama has definitely been exposed to both cultures as the daughter of a Chinese mother and a Japanese father. This thought-povoking fictional novel is a lovely introduction to both these worlds in the late 1930's at the onset of World War II. The main character is Stephen, a young Chinese man who, at twenty years old, discovers he has contracted tuberculosis. Due to his ill health, he is sent by his parents to his deceased grandfather's beach house in Tamuri, Japan in order to recuperate. Although he has visited here before at a much younger age, he soon discovers the quiet and stoic personality of Matsu, the gardener who has taken care of the beach house all these years. Stephen is soon to be embraced into Matsu's life as he learns about Sachi, who lives in the leper village of Yamaguchi up the mountain not far from Tarumi.

The enchanting and calming pace of "The Samurai's Garden" takes the reader on the most incredible journey as the story of Sachi and Matsu unfolds. The strength of character, devotion, loyalty, and love are enough to take your breath away. Their story is as beautiful as the Samurai's garden and the peace, beauty, and serenity found there.

This is a story so eloquently told...it is sure to touch those with a sensitve and sentimental heart in such a way that its affect will not soon be forgotten. I know that Stephen, Matsu, and Sachi have touched my heart in the most memorable way possible and I enjoyed every moment of my time with them. I thank this gifted author for sharing her talent with me, so that I could also share in the wisdom of all three.

Author Dolores Ayotte

Taur

This is one of the Best Books I've read this year and I read many! The story takes place prior to WWII. It is a story of a Chinese man who goes to his family's summer home in Japan to recover from tuberculosis. The story takes you on an adventure of one finding himself. It is beautifully written, and thought provoking. I had tears running down my face at the end of the book.

Ance

Tsukiyama writes as a Japanese writer who explains their culture while writing a good story. There's some complex stuff going on here, but it's a beautiful book nonetheless. Overall this book gives more a "slice" of the main character's life, and not necessarily a solving of any problems--other than we have to live in acceptance of our problems most of the time. I'm inspired to clean up my back yard and make it a safe, happy place--which is a nice metaphor. I'll give it 5 stars because I looked forward to picking it up and reading it, and was sad that it did not continue longer....

Ffleg

I love books that have real historical and cultural contexts. I had high hopes for this book, but I felt like it fell flat. The main character was given little personality and because of this lack of character the voice of the story was boring. I also had no idea what a Japanese garden looked like and even though they talked about them all the time, I still don't have a mental picture. I wanted to picture this Japanese town but wasn't given enough details to see it. And all the action of the war at this time was far away and only told on the news which I knew from history classes. The character of Sachi was the best because mystery and sadness consumed her. Other than that, I saw nothing spectacular.

I have waited a couple of weeks to write a review about this book. And the whole time, the book stayed in my memory. This is a lovely book but for some, the story would be too slow. I decided to read only a part of the book at a time, and I used the reading time almost as a meditation. I wasn't sure whether to give the book 3 or 4 stars, but since the book still haunts me, I think 4 stars are deserved. Enjoy this, read slowly, savor the story and the writing and the characters. Meditate on it and maybe you can put into words why this book is wonderful.