Counsel to Myself, Volume 1

What does it mean to be strong without becoming harsh, gentle without becoming weak, and independent without withdrawing from other people? Nitobe Inazō turns these questions upon himself in a searching, often humorous examination of everyday character.

A childhood quarrel, an anxious public speech, a crowded tram, and the sting of criticism lead him toward larger questions of conscience and duty. He asks why good deeds provoke enemies, why public acclaim is an unreliable measure of achievement, and how a person might remain inwardly steady through victory and defeat.

The author of Bushido draws upon Japanese poetry, Chinese moral thought, Christian teaching, and stories from international public life. This first volume begins with his opening reflections and follows their developing argument into the distinction between personal tastes and moral judgment. The translation preserves his conversational voice and historical outlook, with notes illuminating names, unfamiliar expressions, and uncertain references.