pBorn in 1862, Nitobe Inazo was a Japanese polymath holding five doctorates and Christian convert who travelled widely in both Europe and America. In 1900, he published his seminal work emBushido, the soul of Japanem, an attempt to explain his country to the western mind via the tenets of Japan's warrior caste, the samurai.ppNitobe places Bushido firmly in the western concept of Knighthood, using an eclectic sample of western philosophy and history to draw out similarities in terms of courage, honour, endurance and loyalty. At the same time he calls upon the eastern philosophies to explain the apparently bewildering differences that exist between the occidental and oriental mind-set why, for example, westerners bestow expensive gifts to demonstrate how much they value a friendship, and the Japanese offer small presents for exactly the same reason.ppEngaging and beautifully written, emBushidoem has remained a best-seller for over one hundred years, and continues to offer readers one of