An Introduction to the Tales of Gunslingers, Samurai, Gangsters, Barbarians, and Steampunk in a Post-Apocalyptic World of Qi Warriors "These are not mere contraptions built from the scrap metal of old, my dear apprentice. These are the foundation for a new world, and those who build them control its fate." - Deckland Burr, creator of The Salvation The One Land used to be a place of beauty, co-operation, and progress. It was the envy of all the known universe, built and nourished under the guidance of the Elemental Spirits that created it. We were their chosen ones, gifted with sentience, emotion, and creativity. All until the All-Father, creator of everything, became jealous of this world doted on by his children. So he came down in his true form and sought to wipe it from existence. His children fought back to protect what they had built and locked the All-Father (now known by his proper name, Chaos) within the Shard of Hope. That was then. This is now. The battle of Chaos' Wrath ruined this once idyllic paradise and left us scrambling to make ends meet under the fury of the warlords controlling the remaining Five Cities. And let us not forget about the Wastes, the nuclear desert where Chaos began his path of destruction. Things are bleak and a world this damaged needs heroes to rise up and show the people hope against the odds. That hope begins with Legends. High Plains Samurai: Legends provides a one-shot experience to this storytelling RPG of epic exploits against a post-apocalyptic, high fantasy setting. Acting as both a preview for the upcoming High Plains Samurai Roleplaying Game and a stand-alone version, players will have a chance to tell their own versions of three storylines using condensed rules and pre-generated lead characters. Master the political intrigue and dangers of Yung Zhi while bringing in the gunrunner, Dollface, in Showdown In Yung Zhi; survive another day on the Salvation as it races through the Wastes in To Catch A Train; and discover the vengeance and sheer power of the legendary figure known only as Black Scorpion. A perfect way to bring HPS to your favourite convention or as an introduction to your friends before the release of the HPS core rulebook (currently slated for late Summer/early Fall 2018). Your Legends are only the beginning.

"Nimura paints history in cinematic strokes and brings a forgotten story to vivid, unforgettable life." —Arthur Golden, author of Memoirs of a Geisha In 1871, five young girls were sent by the Japanese government to the United States. Their mission: learn Western ways and return to help nurture a new generation of enlightened men to lead Japan. Raised in traditional samurai households during the turmoil of civil war, three of these unusual ambassadors—Sutematsu Yamakawa, Shige Nagai, and Ume Tsuda—grew up as typical American schoolgirls. Upon their arrival in San Francisco they became celebrities, their travels and traditional clothing exclaimed over by newspapers across the nation. As they learned English and Western customs, their American friends grew to love them for their high spirits and intellectual brilliance. The passionate relationships they formed reveal an intimate world of cross-cultural fascination and connection. Ten years later, they returned to Japan—a land grown foreign to them—determined to revolutionize women’s education. Based on in-depth archival research in Japan and in the United States, including decades of letters from between the three women and their American host families, Daughters of the Samurai is beautifully, cinematically written, a fascinating lens through which to view an extraordinary historical moment.

For 50 years, samurai movies have wowed the Japanese and the world with gory sword fights and tear-jerking tales of honor and sacrifice. From Kurosawa's Seven Samurai to anime's Samurai X, this first-ever collection of original samurai movie art pays tribute to a cinematic genre that is truly Japanese. Silver Screen Samurai is a must-have for samurai fans, movie-buffs and lovers of poster art!

Kawanakajima is unique in history. In the space of 12 years, between 1553 and 1564, this valley deep in the mountains of central Japan witnessed no fewer than five battles between two of Japan's greatest warlords. Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin were both descended from great families and were highly skilled tacticians. Both had taken the tonsure and risen to high rank in their respective Buddhist sects. When Shingen attempted to seize control of Shinano province they were set on a collision course. Stephen Turnbull chronicles the see-saw struggle between two men who epitomize the warrior daimyo from Japan's 'Warring States' period.

This book explores the historical roots of economic nationalism within Japan. By examining how mercantilist thought developed in the eighteenth-century domain of Toas, Luke Roberts shows how economic ideas were generated at the regional level. During the Edo period (1600-1867), Japan was divided into over 230 competitive states, many of which wished to reduce the dominance of the shogun's economy. The seventeenth-century Japanese economy was based on samurai notions of service - especially the duty performed by the dominal lord to the shogun - and the rhetoric of political economy that centred on the lord and the samurai class. This 'economy of service,' however, led to crises in deforestation and land degradation, government fiscal insolvency and increasingly corrupt tax levies, and finally a loss of faith in government.

"Samurai Trails: A Chronicle of Wanderings on the Japanese High Road" by Lucian Swift Kirtland is a captivating exploration of Japan's ancient high roads and the adventures they hold. Kirtland's narrative skillfully immerses readers in the rich culture and history of Japan as he embarks on a journey of discovery. Through vivid descriptions and insightful observations, this book not only provides a travelogue but also offers a deeper understanding of Japan's landscapes, traditions, and the spirit of the samurai. It's a must-read for those who seek to wander the high roads of Japan from the comfort of their armchair.

“Reading this book is a joy... much to say about the trans journey and will undoubtedly become a standard for those in need of guidance. ” — The Washington Post "Sante’s bold devotion to complexity and clarity makes this an exemplary memoir. It is a clarion call to live one’s most authentic life.” — The Boston Globe “Not to be missed, I Heard Her Call My Name is a powerful example of self-reflection and a vibrant exploration of the modern dynamics of gender and identity.” — Lit Hub’s Most Anticipated Books of 2024 An iconic writer’s lapidary memoir of a life spent pursuing a dream of artistic truth while evading the truth of her own gender identity, until, finally, she turned to face who she really was For a long time, Lucy Sante felt unsure of her place. Born in Belgium, the only child of conservative working-class Catholic parents who transplanted their little family to the United States, she felt at home only when she moved to New York City in the early 1970s and found her people among a band of fellow bohemians. Some would die young, to drugs and AIDS, and some would become jarringly famous. Sante flirted with both fates, on her way to building an estimable career as a writer. But she still felt like her life a performance. She was presenting a façade, even to herself. Sante’s memoir braids together two threads of personal narrative: the arc of her life, and her recent step-by-step transition to a place of inner and outer alignment. Sante brings a loving irony to her account of her unsteady first steps; there was much she found she still needed to learn about being a woman after some sixty years cloaked in a man’s identity, in a man’s world. A marvel of grace and empathy, I Heard Her Call My Name parses with great sensitivity many issues that touch our lives deeply, of gender identity and far beyond.