Ok I'll try again.
Ok I'll try again.
R. Kite
Budoka 34
"Study hard and all things can be accomplished; give up and you will amount to nothing".
-Yamaoka Tesshu
Just wanted to add a couple I thought were very important books. One is a serious pain to find in English tho.
Hagakure - Trans by W. Scott Wilson
Mind and Sword - Yagyu Munenori (It took me 3 months to find a copy.
I really feel a Japanese Budo Library would be lacking without these two.
Hagakure, which I first read in 1991 was the foundation for a very good movie called Ghost Dog.
But that is just my input.
Paul:
Interesting choices.
I use the Hagakure in my work.
I'll start looking for the "Mind and Sword" ASAP!
And the collection grows.
R. Kite
Budoka 34
"Study hard and all things can be accomplished; give up and you will amount to nothing".
-Yamaoka Tesshu
Hi all.
Just a little note here...The book is called "The Sword and the Mind" and is a modern edition of the 'Heiho Kadensho' written by Yagyu Munenori and passed down in the Shinkage Ryu. There was another version that had it along with 'Gorinsho' and this may be easier to find (Try 'Thomas cleary'?) although the research in the Sato version is very good. It was translated by Hiroaki Sato for the Overlook press...That should at least help to start the search off 'proper-like'...
Sato also put together the book "Legends of the Samurai" (Penguin books) a pretty large compendium of various sources of Samurai legends (Yeah I know...Funny that... ) and I would suggest that book also as one to have in the library.
Dave Lowry also has his new book "Traditions" out and it is an excellent book for views from both sides of the Koryu/Gendai arts divide....Basically a collection of his articles written a while back for various magazines ('Fighting arts illustrated' I think I can recall him in..Old age..) the book has a lot on offer and is worth the cash..
Keep em' coming.
Abayo.
Ben Sharples.
智は知恵、仁は思いやり、勇は勇気と説いています。
Great books folks! I'll make sure to look into some of your suggestions. Here are a few of my favorites:
DEAD OR ALIVE, by Geoff Thompson
BOXER'S START-UP: A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO BOXING, by Doug Werner
INDONESIAN FIGHTING FUNDAMENTALS, by Bob Orlando
EFFORTLESS COMBAT THROWS, by Tim Cartmell
KODOKAN JUDO, by Jigoro Kano
TOTAL AIKIDO: THE MASTER'S COURSE, by Gozo Shioda
Ben:
I'll read anything that Dave Lowry writes.
I believe Dave Lowry could write a menu and make it both informative and entertaining!
I'll probably have to actually pay retail for that one.
I'm saving my pennies now, to get Ellis Amdur's books. They sound great, and everyone I have spoken with regards them highly.
Keep the good stuff comming!
R. Kite
Budoka 34
"Study hard and all things can be accomplished; give up and you will amount to nothing".
-Yamaoka Tesshu
I'm totally drooling after reading this thread, so many books to buy, so little money to buy them and time to read them.
My favs are:
Book of five rings
Classical fighting arts of japan(excellently written and researched book)
One arrow, one life
i also enjoyed tao of jeet kune do
Peter Ross
Waiter: "Can I tell you about today's specials?"
Patrick Bateman: "Not if you want to keep your spleen"
Peter:
If cost is a concern,as it is for most of us, try buying at used book stores. I've found some very collectable titles at used bookstore,CHEAP!
First addition, hard/cloth back, good condition, "Dynamic Karate" for $7.00 US.
Four different printings of "Book of Five Rings" $5.00 US each.
The list goes on and on. Just reached one hundred titles, and only forty left to read!
I only buy new if it's something special, like E.Amdur's or Lowry's new books.
Best to you,
R. Kite
Budoka 34
"Study hard and all things can be accomplished; give up and you will amount to nothing".
-Yamaoka Tesshu
For used books, consider abebooks.com. I got extremely lucky & found a copy of the Judoka for $3.95 ! I enjoyed it very much by the way - thank you William for recomending.
While I am here, I might as well post another recommendation:
Someone else mentioned Salzman's "Iron & Silk", which is an amazing book. He also wrote "Lost in Place - Growing Up Absurd in Suburbia", which is about his teenage years & his early obsession with learning Kung Fu. Although this book takes place in Connecticut instead of China, and therefore does not have the advantage of the interesting cultural angles of "Iron and Silk", it is a hell of a lot of fun to read. He has also written a few novels which I enjoyed also. I can't wait until he writes something else !
Brian
Thanx for the tip B34. Can you recommend any good used book sites on the web? I will try abebooks.com, thanx Brian
Peter Ross
Waiter: "Can I tell you about today's specials?"
Patrick Bateman: "Not if you want to keep your spleen"
Brian:
I never thought I'd be the one to say this but,
please sign all posts with your full, or at least first initial and last name, per E-budo requirments.
Thank You,
R. Kite
Budoka 34
"Study hard and all things can be accomplished; give up and you will amount to nothing".
-Yamaoka Tesshu
Sorry about the name - I'll try including as a signature.
While I'm here, I'll recommend "The Secret History of the Sword" for the sword enthusiasts out there. This is actually an eclectic series of articles by J. Chritoph Amberger on topics ranging from the Patton sabre system to the ancient fighting arts of Greece. The illustrations and pictures alone are worth the cost of the book. The author has fought in Sabre Mensurs in Germany and is also a competitive fencer, so he brings an interesting perspective to his writing.
Brian Crowley
For an eye-opening look at how similar techniques can be developed without cultural crossover, take a look at MARTIAL ARTS OF RENAISSANCE EUROPE. The author provides a well researched and well documented study of bladed weapon and grappling attacks and some fascinating drawings and diagrams. I'm only a third of the way through but it's obviously superior to any other source on this subject I've run across.
Mark:
Is this a new title?
I'll have to search for it today, thanks for the lead.
R. Kite
Budoka 34
"Study hard and all things can be accomplished; give up and you will amount to nothing".
-Yamaoka Tesshu
I had to rush to Pennsylvania(family emergency) last week.
thank goodness, every thing worked out well.
While I was up there I checked out some used book stores in the Youngstown Oh, area.
I came home with eight new titles including a first edition hard back of "The Karate way".
I'll post more as I go thru the books.
Also I've ordered several titles over the internet.
Now that Ellis is back from the motherland, I can't wait for my copies of "Dueling with O-Sensei" and "Old School"!
I just received "Shinkage-ryu Sword Techniques" by: Tadashige Watanabe.
I'll try to post reviews soon.
R. Kite
Budoka 34
"Study hard and all things can be accomplished; give up and you will amount to nothing".
-Yamaoka Tesshu