Dear Mr Boyé Lafayette de Mente:
After reading through your News & Reviews I wanted to tell you how much I appreciated your efforts to share your vast life's experiences with all who might be attuned. Your books are most appealing, particularly the three on Kata; Samurai Principles & Practices; and Japanese Samurai Code.
My name is Bob Davies, I am 60 and based in Durban, South Africa. have been studying and teaching the Japanese and Chinese martial arts for 40 odd years and have, over the last 10, become more deeply involved in the classical sword and spear system of Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu. Recent training visits to Japan opened a whole new appreciation of the positive contribution that aspects of the Japanese cultural mindset could have towards a turnabout in declining social inter-relationships, and personal development.
This latter-day exposure has led me into a deeper awareness of the spiritual aspects of our nature, which achieved a greater sense of direction after walking the Shikoku Pilgrimage over the end of last year. This has recently materialised in the realisation that a period of dedicated spiritual study would be appropriate to achieve a deeper understanding of my potential and desire to be of positive service to others; I will be starting a 1000 day retreat from the beginning of next year. The exact form and substance still has to unfold.
Not sure why I am sharing this with you, except that I would have liked to share some real time chatting with you to hear more about your life.
Well Done Sir - Stay in strength and health,
Bob
"Striving to be proud of everything I do today".
Provocative articles that reveal how and why people think and behave the way they do, including the profound influence of languages on cultures and the mindsets of individuals...with culturally oriented guidelines on how to understand and deal with them more effectively...along with indepth features on Japan.
Boyé Lafayette De Mente
Japanologist and Author
Links
About Me
- Boyé Lafayette De Mente
- Boyé Lafayette De Mente (b.1928) has been involved with Japan and Asia since the late 1940s as a member of a U.S. intelligence agency, student, trade journalist, and the editor of business and cultural magazines. He is the author of more than 50 books on Japan, Korea and China, including the first books ever on the Japanese way of doing business: "Japanese Etiquette & Ethics in Business" (1959), and "How to Do Business in Japan" (1961). His other pioneer series include business and cultural ‘code word’ books on the above countries. His books are widely used by business people and in universities around the world. His most recent titles include: The Japanese Samurai Code--Classic Strategies for Success; Samurai Strategies--42 Martial Arts Secrets from Musashi's Book of Five Rings; Elements of Japanese Design--Understand and Using Japan's Classic Wabi-Sabi-Shibui Concepts; Instant Chinese, Instant Korean; and Japan Unmasked--The Character & Culture of the Japanese. To see a full listing and description of his books, see his personal website: www.phoenixbookspublishers.com
