Shogun

Author's Name: James Clavell

Two cultures, two different ways of life. Worlds collide when English captain John Blackthorne finds himself lost on the shores of 17th-century Japan. Lost at sea, Blackthorne awakens to find himself in a place little known to Europeans and even fewer have seen—Japan. He is thrust into the closed society of Japan, where the line between life and death is as thin as a sword's edge. Blackthorne must contend not only with a foreign people with unfamiliar customs and language, but also with his own notions of morality, truth, and freedom. As internal political infighting and a clash of cultures lead to inevitable conflict, Blackthorne's loyalty and strength of character are tested by passion and loss, and he finds himself torn between two worlds, each of which will be changed forever. Shogun masterfully captures the opulence and harsh realities of life in feudal Japan. This epic has captivated the world, becoming one of the best-selling novels of all time, as well as one of the highest-rated TV series. Shogun, as described by The New York Times: “It’s not just a novel you read… it’s a novel you live.”