One of the hardest tasks of nonfiction writers to tackle when trying to reach a general audience is to broaden the appeal to a general audience instead of specialists and fellow historians. Popscience has emerged recently in public interest, and the echoes of this I'm seeing more and more in the nonfiction historical books I've reached for lately. African Samurai is written with a voice more akin to a novel, told very much more like a novel in that it takes assumptions with different figures opinions and feelings that there are no direct records for. Laying it out in a narrative form keeps the reader engaged. This may not appease a purest, but may work better for an audience that isn't as familiar with a piece of time and a place that is very different to them. I've personally found this to be most helpful when a culture's language and subsequent places and people of interest are not based in latin.

Now, thankfully, while I do not speak Japanese, I am very well acquainted with it. I also know some of the history of the country from previous books and pop-culture inspired fueled research rabbit holes. Even with that I still get caught up some times. That being said, I had heard of Yasuke and passing. Somehow it never linked to my silly whitewashed brain that he and the infamous Black samurai were the one and the same. I'm ashamed to admit that I thought the later was more a myth or subjective assumption. I am quite happy that my error has been corrected and greatly appreciated hearing his tale from start to speculated finish.

While also being approachable, this story's greatest appeal is a look into the culture of the time. Based in Japan, it also gives a peak into the surrounding region, the span of the influence and practices associated with the Christian church and trade culture, and the subsequent ripple effects. I also enjoyed a brief peak into what the author assumes Yasuke's life would have been in the African lands at the time.

Over all, a solid, well sewn story of a rough but remarkable life of a person who learned to transform and thrive more times than seems possible.