Michael Wert is a historian and professor who specializes in Japanese history with publishing experience in East Asian and world history. Academic-adjacent projects throughout his career include manga translation, media appearances and consulting (Netflix, The Smithsonian Channel, The History Channel), and manuscript editing that ranges from academic monographs and gaming resources to children's readers. His publications include Samurai: A Very Short Introduction and Meiji Restoration Losers: Memory and Tokugawa Supporters in Modern Japan. He is currently working on his third book tentatively titled Politics of the Sword: Ideology and Violence in Early Modern Japan.

Books & Monographs

  • Book cover titled "Samurai" by Michael Wert. Illustration of a traditional Japanese warrior riding a horse, holding a sword, wearing armor, with mountains and clouds in the background.

    Samurai: A Concise History

    Hardcover, color version of Samurai: A Very Short Introduction. Both available from Oxford University Press

  • Green and blue gradient book cover titled 'Samurai: A Very Short Introduction' by Michael Wert, published by Oxford.

    Samurai: A Very Short Introduction

    A concise but reliable introduction to samurai history.

  • Cover of a book titled 'Meiji Restoration Losers' by Michael Wert; features an illustration of historical Japanese warriors and scenes of conflict and battle.

    Meiji Restoration Losers: Memory and Tokugawa Supporters in Modern Japan

    My first academic monograph published through The Harvard University Asia Center.

Foreign Language Editions

  • Book cover with Japanese title, illustration of a screw, and publisher's name.

    明治維新の敗者たち

    「勝てば官軍、負ければ賊軍」なのか?明治新政府史観に対する親幕府側の、国に対する地方の、二重の抗いを明治から平成までたどり、歴史の生成を描く。

  • Book cover of 'Samurái: Una historia breve' by Michael Wert, featuring a person with tattoos and traditional hair styled as a samurai, facing sideways with a wooden background.

    Samurái: Una historia breve

    Este libro persigue el rastro de los samuráis a través de los siglos, indaga en su papel en momentos cruciales de la historia de Japón como fueron la invasión de Corea a finales del siglo xvi o la rebelión de Satsuma en 1877. Al cobrar vida en episodios reales como esos, comprendemos quienes fueron esos samuráis, famosos o no, que dieron forma a la historia del país.

  • Book cover of 'Samurai' by Michael Wert featuring an illustrated Japanese warrior woman holding a sword with a traditional kimono and hair accessories.

    Samurai. Una breve storia

    Michael Wert racconta la parabola dei samurai a partire dall’VIII secolo; i loro legami con l’aristocrazia e la corte imperiale di Kyoto, che spesso li appoggiava o usava come pedine politiche; il loro ruolo nella formazione dello shogunato, il governo militare del paese che spodestò l’imperatore, nato dalle lotte tra i clan più potenti; la strenua resistenza contro le invasioni dei mongoli; le continue guerre civili dell’età degli stati combattenti e la successiva unificazione del paese sotto il clan Tokugawa; il declino durante il periodo di pace inaugurato dai Tokugawa, che corrispose tuttavia al momento di massima celebrazione dei samurai presso i nuovi ceti urbani, nella letteratura e nel teatro

  • Book cover for 'Samurais: Uma História Concisa' by Michael Wert featuring a side profile of a person with traditional Japanese tattoos, standing against a wooden background.

    Samurais - Uma História Concisa

    Este livro segue o rasto dos samurais ao longo dos séculos, analisa o seu papel em momentos cruciais da história do Japão, como foi a invasão da Coreia, em finais do século XVI, ou a rebelião de Satsuma, em 1877. Vendo-os cobrar vida em episódios reais como esses, compreendemos quem foram os samurais, famosos ou não, que moldaram a história do país.

  • Book cover featuring a traditional Japanese warrior with a stern expression, elaborate armor, and a helmet adorned with a black antlered creature. The background is red, and there is large Chinese text at the top with additional smaller Chinese text below.

    极简日本武士史

    武士为什么留月代头?武士的崛起靠女性?武士道是人为的塑造?跨越11个世纪,一本书读懂一千年来日本武士的兴亡与文化!牛津大学出版社镇社之宝!读客熊猫君出品 by 迈克尔·维尔特