Great MA books

[granmasterchen]

I am in a search of really great books of martial arts knowledge. The best book that I have read, but I forget which author it was, was the BOOK OF FIVE RINGS.

 

I have read several different versions of this translation of Musashi but one author I found to be very great....but thats not whats important right now.

 

I am looking for your help in finding me some more great books to read and learn more. I dont want any of the basic how to do this or that. I am looking for writings on the higher learnings of martial arts.

 

So please help me if you can so i can add some nice books to my collection and hopefully learn some new stuff to make me feel ..... like more of an artist instead of sports player if you know what i mean.

 

Thanks in advance

[tommarker]

It has been highly reccommended to me on more than one occasion by several different masters that I should read:

 

"All Men Are Brothers" as translated by Pearl S. Buck (not the Autobiography of Ghandi.)

 

If you can find it, there are hardback editions from the 1930s with BEAUTIFUL illustrations.

[Ashigeru]

The best books that I have read concerning the Martial Arts are:

 

*Miyamoto Musashi - his life and writings, by Kenji Tokitsu (really explains the next book, and is a seriously good book)

 

*The Book of Five Rings (Go Rin No Sho), by Miyamoto Musashi

 

*The Art of War, by SunTzu

 

*The Unfettered Mind, by Takuan Soho (really good)

 

*Hagakure

 

And (saving the best for last)

 

*Living the Martial Way- the way a modern warrior should think, by Forrest E. Morgan, Major USAF.

 

(this last one seriously changed my life! I have two copies- one for studying and note taking, and one hardbound for rereading. A Must have!)

[Shorin Ryuu]

The Secrets of Okinawan Karate by Kiyoshi Arakaki

 

Unante: The Secrets of Karate by John Sells

 

Don't let their over-usage of the word "secrets" in their title fool you. They are among the best books written about martial arts I've read. The first one is more technique and theory (actual combative theory and principles, not just basics). I thought it was so good, I went and bought it and the two sequels in Japanese (the two sequels are not translated yet) in an attempt to read up more on it. It's not what I would consider light reading though. Some of the stuff is obvious, some of it is semi-new and some of it is just intriguing. I'm not sure if this is what you're looking for, since the majority of it is on actual fighting concepts rather than a more "artistic" orientation.

 

The second one is the most exhaustive book out there on the history of karate in English. It also dispels common myths out there about karate.

 

I did like "Living the Martial Way", although I really just nodded in affirmation to a majority of his points rather than it having a life-changing impact on me. Perhaps it has more impact on people not used to his kind of armed service culture.

 

Martial Musings by Robert Smith is another good read. As the name implies, it really is just the author's musings on various things and some history of his life.

[Shorinryu Sensei]

Okinawa: Island of Karate by George Alexander.

 

Now, before we get to carried away, I am NOT a big fan of Sensei Alexander or the claims he makes, but I do like his book and feel it is well written and well researched.

[GhostlySykanRyu]

I enjoyed Living The Martial Way as well, even did a research paper on his views and how they effect the MAs and our daily lives...but again,it had no huge impact on me.

[stoneheart]

Okinawa: Island of Karate by George Alexander.

 

Now, before we get to carried away, I am NOT a big fan of Sensei Alexander or the claims he makes, but I do like his book and feel it is well written and well researched.

 

What are some of the claims he makes that may be controversial? I'm considering buying his White Crane video series.

[Shorinryu Sensei]

Okinawa: Island of Karate by George Alexander.

 

Now, before we get to carried away, I am NOT a big fan of Sensei Alexander or the claims he makes, but I do like his book and feel it is well written and well researched.

 

What are some of the claims he makes that may be controversial? I'm considering buying his White Crane video series.

 

I'd prefer to not say on here, and will be heading out the door shortly for the evening. On his tapes...maybe 8 years ago I bought a number of his tapes to use to give out to my students to work on kata at home. The quality of those tapes was WAY worse than you can do yourself with a cheap video camera. There were also gross mistakes of techniques on the tapes...such as one student stepping the wrong direction while the rest stepped the correct direction. That should have been re-shot....but they didn't bother. Quality was so poor you couldn't tell what color belt people were wearing...something dark..could have been black, brown, green or blue for all I could tell.

[strangepair03]

I would like to suggest the Bubishi...the Patrick McCarthy translation, I was told by my 1st sensei to read it as a white belt and then re-read it once a year as I progress in my training and I was pleasantly suprised how the text offers more as your knowledge grows, I am not talking about the iron man stuff or the herbal medicine stuff. I wonder if anyone else has done this or your thoughts on what I have done. I am also a big fan of Living the martial way, really helps me to put the ancient principles and lessons into modern practise. I also like the book The twenty guiding precepts of karate by Gichin Funakoshi sensei. Liked Okinawa island of karate by Alexander sensi for the historical info....I too have seen some of his "works" on video and have also been as sorely disappointed as Shorinryu Sensei. An 8th grade a/v class could do far better work.

 

P.S. I also enjoyed Traditions by Dave Lowery...a nice read. IMHO

Edited March 5, 2005 by strangepair03

[strangepair03]

The Secrets of Okinawan Karate by Kiyoshi Arakaki

 

Unante: The Secrets of Karate by John Sells

 

Don't let their over-usage of the word "secrets" in their title fool you. They are among the best books written about martial arts I've read. The first one is more technique and theory (actual combative theory and principles, not just basics). I thought it was so good, I went and bought it and the two sequels in Japanese (the two sequels are not translated yet) in an attempt to read up more on it. It's not what I would consider light reading though. Some of the stuff is obvious, some of it is semi-new and some of it is just intriguing. I'm not sure if this is what you're looking for, since the majority of it is on actual fighting concepts rather than a more "artistic" orientation.

 

The second one is the most exhaustive book out there on the history of karate in English. It also dispels common myths out there about karate.

 

I did like "Living the Martial Way", although I really just nodded in affirmation to a majority of his points rather than it having a life-changing impact on me. Perhaps it has more impact on people not used to his kind of armed service culture.

 

Martial Musings by Robert Smith is another good read. As the name implies, it really is just the author's musings on various things and some history of his life.

 

Shorin Ryuu, is the book Unante: The secrets of Karate that good of a read? I was up in the air about buying it, as I heard very little about it...Judging by your post it will be in my library straight away!