Persimmon Wind

In 1968, Dave Lowry embarked on an unusual journey, apprenticing himself to a master swordsman of the ancient Shinkage-ryu. In Lowry's first book, Autumn Lightning, he began his tale of a teenaged Midwestern boy and his Japanese sensei. His account of the struggle to learn the art of swordsmanship and to understand the unique culture that engendered it continues in Persimmon Wind. When his teacher returned home to Japan, Lowry remained in the U.S.; more than a decade later, he...
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In 1968, Dave Lowry embarked on an unusual journey, apprenticing himself to a master swordsman of the ancient Shinkage-ryu. In Lowry's first book, Autumn Lightning, he began his tale of a teenaged Midwestern boy and his Japanese sensei. His account of the struggle to learn the art of swordsmanship and to understand the unique culture that engendered it continues in Persimmon Wind. When his teacher returned home to Japan, Lowry remained in the U.S.; more than a decade later, he undertook a long-postponed pilgrimage to Japan. Persimmon Wind is the story of his reunion with his teacher and his exploration of the sites and stories that are at the heart of the Shinkage-ryu.Persimmon Wind reveals a Japan unlikely to be witnessed by the average Westerner. Drawing on his deep knowledge of Japanese martial culture, Lowry acts as an interpreter of sorts, deftly describing the myriad ways in which Japan's subtle, yet rich, customs and rituals inform and enrich the seemingly mundane practices of everyday life. At the same time, he explores what is truly essential to the purposeful life, as unveiled in the lessons of swordsmanship.