Martial arts research library

[pakua]

I have never try to learn martial arts training in books? how is that? I mean, can you really learn something that way?

[Toptomcat]

Learning entirely from books is not a practical way of going about things, no. Martial arts books are intended more for people with a few years of study under their belts, to help them get a handle on more advanced concepts, give them training ideas, and the like.

[DWx]

I know this book's been mentioned before but I just got it yesterday after months of waiting for Amazon to get it back in stock and ship it to me.

For anyone interested in Korean MA history, A Killing Art: The Untold History of Tae Kwon Do by Alex Gillis is an awesome book. Very well researched and gives the true history behind both WTF and ITF as well as histories of the major founders of the style. I'm only part the way through but I definitely have a lot more respect for all the individuals that helped create Korean MA because what they had to go through.

[bushido_man96]

I know this book's been mentioned before but I just got it yesterday after months of waiting for Amazon to get it back in stock and ship it to me.

For anyone interested in Korean MA history, A Killing Art: The Untold History of Tae Kwon Do by Alex Gillis is an awesome book. Very well researched and gives the true history behind both WTF and ITF as well as histories of the major founders of the style. I'm only part the way through but I definitely have a lot more respect for all the individuals that helped create Korean MA because what they had to go through.

I enjoyed this book very much, too. Definitely worth a second read, for sure. Its nice to see something that is not fabricated for Korean MA history, and although some of the motives behind the evolution of TKD weren't that good, its still important to know and understand where and why it developed like it did.

[dwarf2]

I like george dillmans books, and judo gene lebell, his books are good too. My favorite is farmer burns wrestling great read.

[MartialStudy]

I really need to read The Art of War actually, a good tip!

Coming from a Chinese martial arts background, I'd have to throw the following two into the pile:

Chinese Boxing: Masters and Methods by Robert W. Smith

Nei Jia Quan: Internal Martial Arts (Second Edition) edited by Jess O'Brien

Both take a look at Masters of these styles, the first through the eyes of the author, the second through the eyes of the masters themselves...

[Nevinyrral]

Hi, I'm looking for some novels about karate or other japanese styles. There are lot of wuxia style but I'm more into karate than kung fu. Can anyone help?

[Skmith]

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, remove duplicates 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.

I Will Also wait For Your Replies With Same Question!!!!!

[still kicking]

Can anyone recommend Katsu Jin Ken -- Living Karate etc. by Shimabukuro et al? I searched the frst 5 and last few pages of this thread and didn't see it, sorry if it's somewhere between there. I am particularly interested in the history of karate in Okinawa and Japan part. Seems like every style has it's own interpretation of what happened back then. Anyway... the book looks really good, but costs $30 on Amazon, and I'm cheap so want to know if it's worth it.

[bushido_man96]

I'm not familiar with it. You might check with your local library and see if you can get it through some kind of inter-library exchange.

You might check at a site called Alibris.com. They are able to locate hard to find titles, and offer lots of used books at good deals. Check there.