Shogun of Harlem Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 I am interested in a few books on Okinawa Karate history any body have suggestions thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShotokanKid Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 A good book to read would be Karate Do: My Way of Life by Gichin Funakoshi. "What we do in life, echoes in eternity.""We must all fear evil men. But there is another kind of evil which we must fear most, and that is the indifference of good men." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SenseiMike Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 Yup, Funakoshi's biograghy is very good read. You can become a great fighter without ever becoming a martial artist, but no sir, you can not become a great martial artist with out becoming a great fighter. To fight is most certainly not the aim of any true martial art, but they are fighting arts all the same. As martial artists, we must stand ready to fight, even if hoping that such conflict never comes.-My response to a fellow instructor, in a friendly debate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shorin Ryuu Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 I think a far better book would be John Sells' Unante: The Secrets of Karate (2nd edition). It is about 50 dollars, but the best book in English I've read on karate history (Okinawan and Japanese). If you want to know Okinawan karate history, that would be it. Most other books seem just like a Reader's Digest version in comparison.Funakoshi's book certainly does have some interesting anecdotes, but any one serious about learning the history of Okinawan karate should invest in John Sells' book.This may be the only place to buy it (perhaps?): http://www.martialsource.com/Unante.htm Martial Arts Blog:http://bujutsublogger.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewGreen Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 Weaponless Warriors - Richard KimTales Of Okinawa's Great Masters - Shoshin NagamineEssence of Okinawan Karate - Shoshin NagamineBubishi - Translated by George Alexander and Ken PenlandAncient Okinawan Martial Arts 1 & 2 - translated by Patrick McCarthyWatashi no Karate-jutsu - Choki Motobu (translated McCarthy) Andrew Greenhttp://innovativema.ca - All the top martial arts news! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivette_green Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 Anybody read that "Eats, Shoots and Leaves" book? "Don't tell me what I can't do." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Groenewold Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 For a history text you can't go wrong with either Harry Cook's beautiful text, or Randall Hassel's "Shotokan Karate: It's History and Evolution". Granted, there is a fair bit of Shotokan focussed stuff there, but the material on the early karate pioneers is quite excellent as well.Mark See how karate is done in Japan.http://www.karatethejapaneseway.commark@karatethejapaneseway.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NidaninNJ Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 For a history text you can't go wrong with either Harry Cook's beautiful text, or Randall Hassel's "Shotokan Karate: It's History and Evolution". Granted, there is a fair bit of Shotokan focussed stuff there, but the material on the early karate pioneers is quite excellent as well.MarkThat book by Harry Cook is awesome. I should buy it someday. I've read it by borrowing a friend's copy. It took a while to get through. Great stuff. Some it is about before Funakoshi's time, in Okinawa. Some of it's about Japan and the JKA. It's pretty much everything you wanted to know about Shotokan and then some. More good books about karate in Okinawa are Nagamine's 'Tales of Okinawa's Great Masters' and Kim's 'Weaponless Warriors'. I know there are a couple more not already mentioned but I don't remember the titles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NidaninNJ Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 Sorry. I just noticed somebody else already recommended the 2 books I just did. Well at least that shows you their worth reading, right! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killer Miller Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 I checked out your website Mark. Very Nice...- Killer -For a history text you can't go wrong with either Harry Cook's beautiful text, or Randall Hassel's "Shotokan Karate: It's History and Evolution". Granted, there is a fair bit of Shotokan focussed stuff there, but the material on the early karate pioneers is quite excellent as well.Mark Mizu No KokoroShodan - Nishiyama SenseiTable Tennis: http://www.jmblades.com/Auto Weblog: http://appliedauto.mypunbb.com/Auto Forum: http://appauto.wordpress.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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