Book · 2000 · Mothers and sons
The Last Samurai
- mentions
- 5
- people
- 5
- podcasts
- 2
- episodes
- 5
- recommendations
- 2
Well okay so I might be the last person in my radius who has not read The Last Samurai.
The best things said about it
The Last Samurai by Helen DeWitt. A really good reader.
Patrick Radden Keefe The Book Review · Apr 2026 And then Helen Dwit, uh, the author of The Last Samurai, came out with a book that she wrote about 20 years ago and has been trying to get published for that long. And it was extraordinary to see that project finally arrive.
Well there is still a threat of a severe illness in this book that I'm reading and dedicated listeners of the book review podcast will remember that I am reading tremendously out ofd books between the secret history and The Last Samurai.
Helen do it's the Last Samurai was just refine distorted and Amazon and excited to get my copy.
5 people who brought it up
Why people recommend it
The Last Samurai by Helen DeWitt is a critically acclaimed and inventive novel that follows a single mother raising a precocious young boy in Tokyo as he becomes obsessed with Akira Kurosawa's film. On The Book Review, the novel was championed by several prominent readers and hosts. Patrick Radden Keefe briefly noted his admiration for it as a book by a genuinely good reader. Jim Rutenberg shared that he was currently reading the novel, joking that he might be the last person in his radius to pick it up. Jumana Khatib mentioned the work while discussing her habit of reading older books out of order alongside other classics. Tina Jordan reflected on the book's publishing history, noting how extraordinary it was to see the project finally arrive after the author spent decades trying to get it published. Michael Orthofer also discussed the book on Conversations with Tyler, using it as an example of how critically praised works can sometimes temporarily vanish from public view. Together, these commentators highlighted the novel's enduring cult status, intellectual depth, and unique literary journey.
Every mention
Jim Rutenberg well okay so I might be the last person in my radius who has not read The Last Samurai 1
“well okay so I might be the last person in my radius who has not read The Last Samurai”
Patrick Radden Keefe The Last Samurai by Helen DeWitt. A really good reader. 1
“The Last Samurai by Helen DeWitt. A really good reader.”
Joumana Khatib well there is still a threat of a severe illness in this book that I'm reading and dedicated listeners of t… 1
“well there is still a threat of a severe illness in this book that I'm reading and dedicated listeners of the book review podcast will remember that I am reading tremendously out ofd books between the secret history and The Last Samurai”
Michael Orthofer Helen do it's the Last Samurai was just refine distorted and Amazon and excited to get my copy 1
“Helen do it's the Last Samurai was just refine distorted and Amazon and excited to get my copy”
Tina Jordan And then Helen Dwit, uh, the author of The Last Samurai, came out with a book that she wrote about 20 years… 1
“And then Helen Dwit, uh, the author of The Last Samurai, came out with a book that she wrote about 20 years ago and has been trying to get published for that long. And it was extraordinary to see that project finally arrive.”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (3: passing, ad reads, own books)
“it's a book called lightning rods it's by Helen DT who people might know if they know her for a book called The Last Samurai”
“she wrote The Last Samurai”
“so last time I was on here I talked about The Last Samurai and I am continuing with my theme of going back to older books”