Books! Books! Books!

OSU!

It is potentially a great discussion place where all of us could share reviews, recommendations and opinions. I look forward to great discussions.

Toly

Hi All,
I would be interested in what folks
would consider the Five Greatest Karate books
of All time. I am refering to Books which have an instructional value and not just
philosophical viewpoints.

Regards,
Tom Ross

Tom,

I have some suggestions, but I can't stop at five. Here is what I like.

i. "The Textbook of Modern Karate" by Okazaki and Stricevic This is the most interesting karate text I have. No where have I ever seen a complete analysis of every technique in every kata of a system such as Okazaki does with the Shotokan Kata. If you accept the premise you don't really understand a system unless you can drop somebody with every technique in the system, you have to make sure you know every technique in the system.

In my mind, this is the type of analysis needed of a system by a senior researcher into the study of bunkai. If for the purpose of the template of analysis designed by Okazaki alone, the book is worth the price.

For the Senior Instructor, Senior Researcher, or very hardcore karate junkie

ii. "The Way of Karate Beyond Technique" by Egami Shigeru. Don't discount he's a Shotokan stylist and you're an Okinawan stylist. He candidly discusses the 40 plus years of training and study he's undertaken with Funakoshi and the Shotokan system. You learn a great deal about the past from his original trainings, such as how the front kick was originally performed. You get to see his research into the punch and I believe you'll see how he goes forward, he actually returns full circle to the past in some instances.

The real value to this text is the personal journey over 40 years. It gives you some of the challenges all of us face too.

For all Dans, Senior Researchers, and those inquisitive about one who has walked the walk.


iii. "Judo Inside Out" by Geof Gleeson. A very special book for me. His insight on how to prepare a judoka in England for competition, is the strongest exposition I've found on how to prepare for competition, in the tournament or in real life.


iv. "Advanced Karate" by Mas Oyama. One of the legends of the 20th Century, presenting many interesting techniques that can add spice to your training cycle.


v. Best Systems Presentations

Shotokan Karate Do Nyumeon by Funakoshi Ginchin
Karate Do Kyan by Funakoshi Ginchin
Dynamic Karate by Nakayama
Best Karate 1 - 12 by Nakayama

Shorinryu The Essence of Okinawan Karate by Ngamine Shoshin

Goju Ryu Karatedo Okinawa Gojuryu 1 to 4 by Higaonna
The History of Karate by Higaonna

Ueichi Ryu Ueichi Ryu Karate Do by Mattson George
Secrets of Ueichi Ryu Karate By Dollar Alan

Isshinryu Isshinryu Karate Do by Evseeff David

Aikido Budo by Usheiba M
Aikido by Usheiba K
Total Aikido by Shioda
Aidido and the Dynamic Sphere by Westbrook and Ratti

Aiki Jutsu The Hidden Roots of Aikido - Aiki Jujutsu Daitoryu -by Omiya Shiro

vi. Bubushi The Bible of Karate - Bubushi By McCarthy Patrick
The Bubushi by Alexander George & Penland Ken

vii. Advanced Tai Chi Chaun II by Dr. Yang Ming-Jwing While a goldmine for the Yang Style Tai Chi Chaun practioner, it also is the best example of a 'bunkai' analysis I've seen. Dr. Yang demonstrates how a move from a system can have multiple potential. His technique can strike an opponent, down an opponent or lock an opponent.

viii. Overview of the Okinawan Martial Arts

Tales of Okinawa's Great Masters - Nagamine Shoshin
Unate by Sells John
Okinawan Karate by Bishop Mark

ix. Best Kung Fu Text - Eagle Claw Kung Fu Classical Northern Chinese Fist by Shum Leung

x. Most Obscure Texts

To-Te Jujitsu - by Funakoshi Ginchin
Goshin karate kempo- Defense and Attack by Mabuni Kenwa
Seipai No Kenkyu - by Mabuni Kenwa
Okinawan Kempo by Motobou Choki
Karatedo Taikan by Nakasone Genwa

xi. The Encyclopedia of Dim Mak by Montague

Victor Smith
Bushi No Te Isshinryu

Hi Tom,

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Midael:
I would be interested in what folks
would consider the Five Greatest Karate books
of All time. I am refering to Books which have an instructional value and not just
philosophical viewpoints.
[/QUOTE]

Interesting, and I have some obscure books that I find extremely helpful in my own studies. They include:

1) Ryukyu Kenpo Toudi (1922) by Funakoshi Gichin

2) Okinawa Kenpo Toudijutsu Kumite-hen (1926) by Motobu Choki

3) Watashi no Toudijutsu (1932) by Motobu Choki

4) Karate Kenpo (1933) by Mutsu Mizuho

5) Seipai no Kenkyu (1934) by Mabuni Kenwa

6) Karatedo Taikan (1938) ed. by Nakasone Genwa

7) Kobo Kenpo Karatedo Nyumon (1938) by Mabuni Kenwa and Nakasone Genwa

and for more modern books

8) Seiden Okinawa Gojuryu Karatedo Giho (1987) by Kai Kuniyuki

9) Ryukyu Oke Hiden Bujutsu (1990) by Matsuo Kanenori Sakon

10) Bu no Mai (1992) by Uehara Seikichi

11) Okinawa-den Gojuryu Karatedo (1978) by Miyazato Eiichi

12) Karatedo to Ryukyu Kobudo (1973) by Murakami Katsumi

13) Ryukyu Bojutsu no Higi (1997) by Murakami Katsumi

14) Ryukyu Kobujutsu 1-3 (mid 1970s) by Inoue Motokatsu

15) Okinawa Karate Hiden Bubishi Shinshaku (1995) by Tokashiki Iken

16) Chugoku, Ryukyu Bugeishi (1998) by Otsuka Tadahiko

17) Okinawa no Karatedo (1975) by Nagamine Shoshin

18) Jissen Seiden KinNa-Jutsu (1995) by Sato Kinbei

And for a couple in English

19) Okinawa Gojuryu by Toguchi Seikichi

20) Saijutsu (2000?) by Murakami Katsumi - not released yet, but sure to be GREAT!

Whoops, well over five! O'Well...

Joe Swift

Holy Smoke guys my cup runneth over!
I have some of these but there are some others I am definately going to be hunting over the next couple of days,
Thanks,
Tom Ross

Hi everybody, I'm Mike and hail from the Boston area.
I've logged 25years in Shorin-ryu karate.
5 favorite books? good idea. It might seem that people will list books associated with their petucular style so I'm going to keep mine netural..
1) the book of 5 rings..I've worn out the pages on this one!
2)Kodo..many good quotes.
3)beyond the known...highlighted the whole thing!!
4)Secrets of the Samuari..good basic info on many things.
5)sun and steel..a story of one mans hari-kiri
Ok you said 5 so...well..there are so many!!! But you said 5!! bummer!

"The road to a friends house is never long"

Since we have broken the ethnic barrier I will put in my bid for some of the Korean Titles including:

Hapkido
Hapkido II
Kuk Sool Won
Han Mu Do
all written by Dr He Young Kimm.

Hapkido - Art of Masters
by GM Kwang Sik Myung (also has quite a series of related tapes and weapons books)

Kuk Sool Won
by GM In Hyuk Seo (who also has quite a series of tapes and books)

Another couple of cents on the pile....
Best Wishes,
Bruce W Sims www.midwesthapkido.com

Bouncer Guide to Barroom Brawling Peyton Quinn. Hard won wisdom from the school of hard knocks. Alain Burrese. unarmed aginst the knife Oscar diaz. Put em down take them out Don Pentecost. The Logic of Steel James Lafond.