BOOK REVIEW

 

STRIKE BACK!!!  A very catchy name and a striking red cover is how you would see the book on purchase.  My introduction was on the computer screen at first....then as my interest spiked I started printing it out 20 or so pages at a time.  This became my reading to get me away from the web page for awhile. In the Martial Arts World there are a lot of self defence manuals but very few books on how not to need self defence....fighting without fighting.  The only other book I know of that has self protection is Khaleghl Quinn"s "Art of Self Defence" which combines self defence and and self protection . Firstly this an easy read....GARY SIMPSONS laid back and sometimes humorous style of writing....gets the serious points across in an easy to understand manner.  What sets this book apart from the others is that it is set out exactly as it is described on the cover....a manual....you don't just read you participate. Most of the things in this "MANUAL" are second nature to me after years in the arts....to say I didn't learn anything would just be a form bragging and untrue....for those who have had years in the arts like me there is much to learn and to consolidate what has been learnt.  Those who don't study Martial Arts or are beginners this is the must have manual to keep the baddies away. I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn SELF PROTECTION. I look forward to reading STRIKE BACK II at some stage in the future. Andrew Payne Please send me your review on this book here or any book you want to review

 

Shotokan's Secret made me reassess many of the concepts that I had learnt about kata over the years. It is written as if the facts are all true as usual but you still understand at the end that it is a theory and not fact.  In some instances you feel he has a tongue in cheek attitude to it all. On reading Gary Simpson's interview in Blitz magazine you realise that he has a tongue in cheek style about him which is unusual for American authors. It does give quite a good insight into some historical events that happened in Okinawan history and the obliteration of the small nation by the American War Machine. Some of his Oyo and Bunkai of the kata are unusual to say the least although the ones I've tried have worked fine for me. I would recommend this book not just for Shotokan practitioners but all those interested in karate or karate history. Andrew Payne   Being a personal friend of Bruce Clayton (Kyoshi 6th Dan) and having trained with him in his California dojo and stayed at his Mariposa home I am completely biased. So I make that comment up front. I also contributed some material for the book and Bruce bounced some ideas off me about what to include and what not to include.   Having said all that, "Shotokan's Secret" is a brilliantly researched and written account of the beginnings of Shotokan karate.   Every karate practitioner will benefit by reading Bruce's insightful writings. If you haven't read this book - especially if you are a Shotokan stylist - then you SHOULD!   I rate this book 10/10.   Gary Simpson    Gary Simpson with Bruce D. Clayton PhD. www.santenkarate.com Please send me your review on this book here or any book you want to review.

 

This book is considered to be the bible of Shotokan even though it has nothing to do with Japanese Shotokan.  It is one of a long line of books written or rewritten by Master Funakoshi. It does contain the eighteen kata that are the official Shotokan kata, although this is only a few of the kata that Master Funakoshi knew. Although it is hard to follow sometimes, once you get use to the format it becomes much easier. I would recommend this to anyone doing any martial arts.     Please send me your review on this book here or any book you want to review.

 

This book is actually written by Master Funakoshi. It does contradict some of his earlier histories so if you can separate the tatamae (official story) and the honne (truth), and the foggy mind of an elderly gentleman you can get a fairly true picture of his life. There are many great stories of the old Masters and this is a must read as a glimpse into the past of one of our great modern Masters.      Please send me your review on this book here or any book you want to review.

 

I have Sugiama's "25 Shotokan Kata" in my personal martial arts library and it is one of my favourite books. It contains every Shotokan kata except Kihon (also known as Taikyoku Shodan) and, oddly enough, Ji'in.   All kata are depicted in line drawings and with explanations which make the movements and direction of kata performance very easy to follow.   Perhaps the only criticism that I would have of this book would be the fact that it doesn't contain any history of the origins of the kata or any applications for the major movements (bunkai/oyo).  Maybe historical information was not the intention when it was first published in 1984. Also, most bunkai/oyo shown in almost every other Shotokan book are fallacious so maybe, in hindsight, this might be a blessing. I get sick of seeing "applications" that are nonsense.   I find that I continually refer to this book. I take it everywhere with me so I can study the kata when I am in hotel rooms, on planes or. well... anywhere.   If you are a Shotokan karate practitioner then, in my opinion, this book is a MUST! I rate this book 9/10   Gary Simpson Please send me your review on this book here or any book you want to review.