Martial arts research library

[hobbitbob]

What would you consider indispensible in a good MA research library?

 

Here are some of my choices,and I am eager for others to add to this:

 

Karate History:

 

-Unante, John Sells

 

-Secrets of Okinawan Karate, Mark Bishop

 

-Shotokan: A Precise History, Harry Cook

 

-The History of Okinawan Karate Do, Higoanna Morio

 

-Classical Kata of Okinawan Karate, Patrick McCarthy

 

-Koryu Uchinadi (two volumes), Patrick McCarthy

 

-Bubishi, Patrick McCarthy (tr.)

 

-Rentan Goshin Tode Jutsu, Funakoshi Gichin (reprint, available from Kodansha)

 

-Karate Do: My Way of Life, Funakoshi Gichin

 

-Okinawan Kempo Jutsu, Motobu Choki (reprint, available from University of Hawaii Press)

 

-Karate: History and Traditions, Bruce Haines (a bit dated, but still worthwhile)

 

-Karate Masters, Jose Fraguas(interviewer)

 

-Tales of Okinawas Great Masters, Nagamine Shoshin

 

Japan and Okinawa:

 

-Okinawa: A History of an Island People, George Kerr (the only comprehensive overview of Okinawan history to date)

 

-The Making of Modern Japan, Kenneth Pyle, et.al.

 

- Dogs and Demons: Understanding the Dark Side of Japan, Alex Kerr

 

-The Chrysanthemum and the Sword, Ruth Benedict

 

-Angry White Pyjamas, Robert Twigger

 

-Moving Zen, C.W. Nichol

 

Technical:

 

-Karate Kinematics and Dynamics, Lester Ingber (out of print, but well worth finding)

 

-Dynamic Karate, Nakayama Masatoshi (the "orange book")

 

-Best karate #2: Fundamentals, Nakayama Masatoshi

 

-The Essence of Okinawan Karate Do, Nagamine Shoshin

 

-Shihan Te, Darryl Craig

 

Korean Styles:

 

-Hapkido: An INtroduction To The Art of Self Defence, Marc Tedeschi

 

-Taekwondo: Traditions, Philosophy,and Technique, Marc Tedeschi

 

-Taekwondo, Choi Hong Hi

 

-Taekwondo: The Korean Art of Self Defence, Richard Chun

 

-Advancing in Taekwondo, Richard Chun

 

-Muye Dobo Tongji, Sang Kim (tr.)

 

Periodicals:

 

-Dragon Times/Classical Fighting Arts (quarterly, published by Dragon enterprises. Semi Scholarly, peer reviewed)

 

-Journal of Aisan Martial Arts( Quarterly. Scholarly, peer reviewed)

 

This is my "short list." I eagerly await suggestions! Especially suggestions regarding Chinese MA, about which I know very little.

 

[gheinisch]

The only one I can think of right off is "The Book of Five Rings" (Go Rin No Sho) by Miyamoto Musashi. It was written in 1645 and is a very interesting read about strategies from an old Master. You can read it online from this link if you wish.

 

http://www.hut.fi/~renko/gorinnosho.html

[hobbitbob]

Indeed. After I had posted the list, I remebered Musashi's work. Also I should include the Hagakure,and Suzuki Daisetsu's work Zen And The Art Of The Sword.

[SaiFightsMS]

I liked the topic of this post and thought it would make a good sticky.

[battousai16]

Tao of Jeet Kune Do by Bruce Lee

[Martial_Artist]

The Art of War by Sun Tzu.

 

Michiavelli's The Prince

 

to add to your collection.

[Zdoshi]

Living the Martial Way- Forest Morgan

 

Great Book, fairly philosophical, but shows how to by philosophy into action

 

Zdoshi

[Patrick]

We also have a books page, long forgotten. Maybe I could add some entries too it from this.

[jushin]

Bruce Lee : Tao of Jet Kune Do

[GrrrArg]

Im not so sure on the relevance of Hagkure, it seems too bleak and heavily focused on death (I do own it) - just an opinion.