Armchair Martial Arts by Rob Jacob |
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We are blessed today with a huge selection of martial arts books available to us. While organized martial arts systems have existed for well over a thousand years, not much had been published about them until about one hundred years ago. Randy F. Nelson and Katherine C. Whitaker's book The Martial Arts: An Annotated Bibliography which was published in 1988 and was comprehensive at the time, has only about 1400 listings, many of which are references to magazine articles. But since that time there has been an explosion in the number of martial arts books published.
Given the plethora of literature available, I am often surprised by how little some people know of the martial arts outside of their own school. They seem to assume that all schools do things the same way. Every martial arts school is different. Everyone's journey on the martial arts path is different. Through martial arts autobiographies, you can read about other people's experiences in their own words. This gives you a greater perspective, and allows you to appreciate the similarities and the differences in your own journey on the martial path.
Here is a sampling of interesting books to start your armchair martial arts journey. I have tried to include a variety. All of the books listed are in print at the time of this writing. The books are ordered by author's name. For even more books, check out my book Martial Arts Biographies-An Annotated Bibliography.
Jackie Chan - I am Jackie Chan: My Life in Action
Jackie Chan describes growing up in a Peking Opera school, as pretty much an indentured slave. A lot of his training would be considered child abuse in the United States. The book details Chan's starting out in the movies as a stuntman, and on to his eventually starring in dozens of movies.
Norbert Donnelly - Dojo! The Hard Way, The Only Way
The books describes the rough and tumble world of karate in America during the 1960's, as Donnelly learns Isshinryu karate. This autobiography follows the author from the day he started learning karate, until the end of the book when he is a 6th Dan. (Available through author's website at www.isshinryu.com)
Gichin Funakoshi - Karate-Do: My Way of Life
Autobiography of Funakoshi, who through perseverance, brought karate from Okinawa to Japan, from where it spread throughout the world. He describes how he trained under masters Azato and Itosu. He also tells how he based his life on the philosophy of karate-do. A classic book in martial arts literature.
George Leonard - The Way of Aikido: Life Lessons from an American Sensei
Author describes how he begins his study of Aikido under Robert Nadeau. As he progresses, he begins to use centering, and blending in his life.
BK Loren - The Way of the River: Adventures and Meditations of a Woman Martial Artist
At eleven years old, her military family moves to California where she meets an old Chinese man who becomes her teacher as she starts to learn Nan Quan Shao-Lin Boxing. At sixteen her family moves to Colorado. She starts training at a kung-fu/karate dojo where she gets her black belt in about a year. She goes on to teach self-defense classes.
Dave Lowry - Autumn Lightning: The Education of an American Samurai
Growing up in the suburbs, the author becomes the student of a Japanese neighbor, and learns kenjutsu. There is a lot of history of the Samurai, and kenjutsu in old Japan mixed in with the autobiographical stuff. The kenjutsu described in Lowry's books is the old style koryu kenjutsu, as opposed to the new kendo, and iaido styles. He describes how he was taught to sit, eat, and even go to the bathroom in Samurai fashion.
CW Nicol - Moving Zen: One Man's Journey to the Heart of Karate
Nicol goes to Japan to learn karate. After exploring the various major styles, he decides to study Shotokan karate. The book goes on to describe his karate training in Japan during the 1960's to achieving his black belt.
Chuck Norris - Against All Odds: My Story
Norris learns Tang Soo Do while stationed in Korea. Later in the book he describes winning various tournaments in the U.S., and then starting his own schools. He goes on to star in many movies. Some of his interactions with Bruce Lee, and Ed Parker, and even Elvis Presley are described in the book.
Jens Pulver - Little Evil: One Ultimate Fighter's Rise to the Top
Pulver is brutally honest in telling his story. The story starts with his abusive drunk father sticking a shotgun in young Jen's mouth threatening to kill him. The book follows his involvement in wrestling from boys club to college. His life gets messy, and he drops out of college. Eventually he manages to pull things together. He gets involved in mixed martial arts. The book follows him from the Shamrock training camp to the Miletich training camp to his winning the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and then defending his title.
Jack Sabat - Zen and the Art of Street Fighting: True Battles of a Modern Day Warrior
Sabat starts learning Kenpo karate while stationed on an aircraft carrier during the Vietnam War. He is exposed to other styles while in various ports. The book skips forward to his being back home in the U.S., and furthering his karate training, and eventually opening up his own dojo. He skips over large segments of time, which might have been interesting, and makes a reference to a teacher of questionable credentials, but doesn't go into detail. Reading about the author's style of dojo, he reminds me of John Kreese from the Karate Kid movie.
Mark Salzman - Lost In Place: Growing Up In Suburbia
Salzman tells of his growing up in the suburbs in the 1970's watching Kung Fu on TV, and Bruce Lee movies. He practices his TV learned kung fu in his Connecticut basement wearing black dyed pajamas, and a bald wig, until he finally starts taking kung fu from a real teacher. Salzman has a great sense of humor in his writing.
Robert Twigger - Angry White Pyjamas: A Scrawny Oxford Poet Takes Lessons from the Tokyo Riot Police
Twigger while living in Japan decides to take Aikido with his roommates. He ends up studying Yoshinkan Aikido in the special, much more intense Riot Police program where endurance and survival are stressed.
Peter Uhlmann - Flowing the Tai Chi Way: A Voyage of Discovery by a Tai Chi Master and His Student
The author and his wife meet Tai Chi Master Henry Wang in Taiwan and begin to study Tai Chi. Upon returning to Canada, they open the way for Henry to emigrate to Canada. Author goes on to become a senior student.
Rob Jacob is the author of: Martial Arts Biographies - An Annotated Bibliography.
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