Announcing the Publication of Old School, an Expanded 2nd Edition

[Ellis Amdur]

Stephen - Thank you.
Feel free to ask any questions or points of discussion here or in another thread.
Ellis Amdur

[P Goldsbury]

Hello Ellis,

The book arrived today, but I think I will wait until I return from Europe before reading it. As you know, I need time to give your martial arts books the critical attention they deserve. Actually, I am waiting for Oleg Benesch's new book on bushido to arrive. I have read good things about this book.

[Hissho]

Matthew

They did the opposite to me, telling me I needed to upgrade for additional dollars to ensure my book got there safely. It was a bit off-putting, actually.

[StephenBaker]

I had the same experience. I was also asked for additional money to ensure safe delivery.

Matthew

They did the opposite to me, telling me I needed to upgrade for additional dollars to ensure my book got there safely. It was a bit off-putting, actually.

[P Goldsbury]

After ordering the book on NYE, I've received an email today that it has been shipped, so hopefully it will make it's way Down Under shortly.

With respect

Hello Dean,

Which mailing option did you choose? I chose the quickest and most expensive option.

I went to the post office yesterday to collect the book, for I was away in Tokyo and they could not deliver it, and the documentation (US postal service) indicated that the package could be tracked. However, I received no tracking code and so I could not find out where the book was. For me tracking is quite important, since a large company like Amazon chooses a variety of local companies to make the final delivery: DHL, Sagawa, Yamato, as well as the Japanese postal service. Since I have lived here for so long, I know all the local companies and usually make my own arrangements for delivery of the package.

I suppose it is no big deal, but I was hoping that a small publisher like Freelance Academy Press could offer a more personal service than a monolith like Amazon -- and I would be willing to pay.


Best wishes,

PAG

[Hissho]

I just decided that since I know the author, maybe I'll just pay him directly for one...

[Ellis Amdur]

Just so all know, I have no copies to sell. Everything goes through the publisher. And I've tried to keep out of the entire issue of shipping and the like. It's my understanding that there have been some <notices> given to those who live in Alaska and Hawaii, because if one orders media mail, it goes by boat. So people were told of the costs of air delivery. But seriously, beyond that, I've no idea how things are shipped, and by what means.

Ellis Amdur

[Dean Whittle]

Peter,

Thank you, I've received the book now, the publishers indicated that the delay was the result of a last minute re-print.

Ellis,

No doubt like many other readers I tucked into Chapters 1 and 12 first. Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto ryu has held a fascination for me since I first saw The Way of the Warrior back in the 80s and I’ve subsequently read many articles and books, seen much footage of the school and even communicated with a practitioner for a while. So I was amazed at your revelation about the standardization of the curriculum by Hayashi Yazaemon stemming from the variance taught by different shihan. And then I was glad I was sitting down when you revealed the existence of the Noda-ha Katori Shinto ryu, and the fact that it has sections of curriculum no longer taught in the mainline.

Your respectful disclosures reminded me of Stanley Pranin’s work in revealing the truth about the depth of influence Daito ryu had on the creation of Ueshiba’s Aikido which significantly contradicted the Aiki-Kai’s stance.

Thank you for reworking what was already such a wonderful book with additional insight. I’m looking forward to the publication of the 2nd edition of Duelling with O’Sensei, a book that I regularly revisit.

With respect

[nicojo]

I got my copy of Old School 2.0 just this weekend and have enjoyed it very much. The quality of the pictures and print type alone make it a significant upgrade from the first run. But more than this, the expanded information is outstanding and I highly recommend it, whether one has the first edition or has not read Ellis Amdur's work before. And Freelance got it to me quite quickly with no issues. I missed out on a signed copy, but am very happy to have this one.