All of these are probably already mentioned somewhere, but this is my collection. Well what I could remember everythings packed away right now. Check them out. Some are advertised on this site.

The Lone samurai-William Scott wilson. Biography on Myamato Musashi.

Ideals of the samurai-William Scott wilson. Translated writings of samurai's and pretty much how they thought one should live his life.

The unfettered Mind-William Scott wilson. Writings from priest takuan written to yagyu munenori.

The Life giving sword-William Scott wilson. writting from yagyu munenori.

Hagakure-William Scott wilson. a must read for those interested in samurai way of life and thought.

Go Rin no Sho. The book of five rings. Written by myamato musashi.

Living The Martial way-Forrest E. Morgan. Applying warrior ideals to a modern way of living.

Akido and the dynamic Sphere- A. Westbrook and O. Ratti. A must read for akido artists.

Iaido-Akita Morji Sensei. Lots of kata pictures, good history.

This is Kendo, The art of japanese fencing-Junce sasanori. Classic book on kendo.

Kendo-minoru kiyoto. Another good book about kendo, but nothing more to offer then the book above.

Comprehensive Asian fighting Arts-Donn f. Drager and Gordon Warner. You will find a lot of refrences to this book while reading many other books.

The state of the art Taekwondo-master chul Whang and Jun chul Whang. dont remember how i got this book? But alright if you want to learn about taekwondo history.

classical Fighting Arts of Japan- Serge Mol. classic. Very detailed history on jiujitsu and jiujitsu-like lineages.

IAI-art of drawing the sword-Darrel Max Craig. Excellent book! One of my favs. Very detailed.

sun Tzu Art of war-Denma translation published by Shambhala.

Ninja shadow hand, the art of invisibility- Haha Lung and Christopher. Very interesting book.

Ki and the way of the Martial Arts-Kenji Tokitsu. One of my favs!

Tao of Jeet Kune Do-Bruce Lee.

anyone read any of these books? any feedback someone would like to share on these books? or books similar to these you'd recomend?

I've read most of those and enjoyed them. Secrets of the Samurai by Wesrbrook and Ratti, Karate Do My Way of Life by Funakoshi, Shotokan's Secret by Bruce Clayton, Okinawan Karate by Mark Bishop, and Autumn Lightning, Persimmon Wind, Traditions, Moving Towards Stillness, and Clouds in the West, all by Dave Lowry.
These are some of my favorite books. Of course, anything by Donn Draeger is worth reading, as well as anything by Inazo Nitobe.
The Karate Dojo by Peter Urban is ok, but I thought The Karate Sensei (also by Urban) was strange.

Great books on your list.

-Wilson's translations and notes are great
-Morgan's book is one of the first I read, and I still enjoy it.
-All of Draeger's texts are classics.
-I don't know about the ninja book. I have a friend who loves that book, but i've always been skeptical of "ninja" books. I noticed that in Lung's book he has something about what a modern ninja would dress like, and that turned me off. Anyway, I would need to know about the author.
-I have the Tao of Jeet Kune Do, and, although I used to read it a lot, am not particularly fond of it anymore. I've began to feel that there isn't really anything original in there, and there are some misconceptions and misunderstood ideas. No disrespect to Lee.


Anyway, great list Ktulu!

In addition to the above:

The Japanese Art of War
By Thomas Cleary

The Art of Peace
By Morihei Ueshiba, translated by John Stephens

Bubishi: The Bible of Karate
By Patrick McCarthy

The Life Giving Sword
By Yagyu Munemori

Recommended Magazine:

Classical Fighting Arts
http://www.dragon-tsunami.org/Cfa/Pages/cfahome.htm

Additional threads with recommendations:

Good books
http://www.fightingarts.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/15822142/an/0/page/0#15822142

Most Useful
http://www.fightingarts.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/15757509/an/0/page/0#15757509

Favorites
http://www.fightingarts.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/274076/an/0/page/3#274076

Must Haves
http://www.fightingarts.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/274113/an/0/page/3#274113

Top Picks
http://www.fightingarts.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/274075/an/0/page/4#274075

Wing Tsun
http://www.fightingarts.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/15772335/an/0/page/2#15772335


Pressure Points recommendations
http://www.fightingarts.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/15771312/an/0/page/2#15771312

Modern society combats booklist
http://www.fightingarts.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/274100/an/0/page/3#274100

One book that I have mentioned before but I think it deserves to be in here is On Single Combat by K.Kernspecht it is based on Wing Tsun and explains everything in good detail.
I would also have to add Blitz Defence by K.Kernspecht to be a great book.
I recommend both of these as a must if you are studying Wing Tsun or are just interested.
Happy Reading

A book That I have read recently is Living the Martial Way, Its a great book for beginners and Masters, this book helped me understand and also enhance my Martial Walk and why I am a Martial Artist and how I should live my life as one, I recommend this book to everyone.

great read. it's a classic... tip: keep your copy, you'll be reading it again years from now.

will do, also has everyone probably knows that the book of the five rings and the art of war are really great, and alos Deadly Karate Blows, (The Medical Implications) this book helped me understand if you hit a person in the neck this and this could happen, heres what you should do to help them, basiclly its Kinda a first aid for certain parts of the body when they have been struck to hard. good read.

good stuff Dan...keep reading ...and don't forget to train every now and then! lol

My recommendations are "Karate" by hidetaka nishyama & richard c. brown. Grappling Master by gene lebell. Training and fighting skills by Benny the "jet" urquidez. Nunchuku by Jiro shiroma. The dynamics of isshinryu karate by Harold Long & Allen Wheeler. Isshinryu by Master John L. Nichols. And last but not least Living the martial way by Forrest E. Morgan. All of these but the last were required reading by my sensei, who incidentally absconded with this book when he moved his school! also in the months after he left i was looking for something to fill the void so i joined a local teakwondo class which was set up in the local senior citizens library, only to foolishly lend that sensei the book, when he boogied out With the book too! seriously dont lend your instructors this book, you will never see it again!

Online Meibukan Magazine:
http://www.meibukanmagazine.org

"In Little Need of Divine Intervention"
Scrolls of the Mongol Invasions of Japan
Translation with Interpretive Essay

Thomas D. CONLAN

http://www.einaudi.cornell.edu/eastasia/CEASbooks/item.asp?id=44

also:
http://www.deremilitari.org/resources/articles/intervention.htm

excerpt from book:
http://www.deremilitari.org/resources/pdfs/conlan.pdf

I've read a lot more than these, but the standouts in my collection are:

Wrestling Tough - Mike Chapman
Best Judo (can't remember the author's names, but this book is everywhere)
The Art of Expressing the Human Body - "Bruce Lee"
More No Holds Barred Fighting: Killer Submissions - Mark Hatmaker (particularly the first part of the book before the techniques)
Fighter's Fact Book - Loren Christenson (it's got a lot of good ideas, I like that it's just a collection of good ideas)
Championship Fighting - Jack Dempsey
The Straight Lead - Teri Tom
The Sabaki Method (can't remember author's name either)
Capoeira: Roots of the Dance, Fight, Game - Nestor Capoeira

other than that I'm mostly a fan of videos

I'll recommend the classic 'On War' by Clausewitz. Can't go wrong with such a brilliant work, although I advise you to concentrate on the first part if you're just looking at it from a MA perspective.

I'd recommend my new book, Judo Unleashed, published in the US by McGraw-Hill and available in bookstores nationwide. More info is at http://judobook.com, including information about the UK, German, and Dutch editions.

Neil Ohlenkamp

Ryu-te No Michi
By Taika Seiyu Oyata

Good book, not in stores, worth every penny:http://www.ryu-te-supplies.com/Books%20and%20Tapes.htm

The Cannon of Ryukyu Kempo: very informative again not sold in stores:http://www.authorsbookshop.com/kempobook/

Wing Chun Teahouse Magazine

I'm an avid reader and have read many of the books listed above.

For my money the best book is "Mastering Kung Fu - Featuring Shaolin Wing Chun" by GArret Gee, Benny Meng, and Richard Loewenhagen. While it definitley promotes Hung Fa Yi Wing Chun, it's scientific aproach and explanation is worth investigating no matter what your style of MA.

Some ideas:

Scholar Boxer: Cháng Nâizhou's Theory of Internal Martial Arts and the Evolution of Taijiquan
http://www.amazon.com/Scholar-Boxer-N%C3...4242429-7347155

Empire of Signs
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0374522...id=JS4WHEXRFHA4


On the Warrior's Path: Philosophy, Fighting, and Martial Arts Mythology
http://www.amazon.com/Warriors-Path-Phil...8982&sr=8-1


Classical Weaponry of Japan: Special Weapons and Tactics of the Martial Arts
http://www.amazon.com/Classical-Weaponry...9372&sr=1-1


Children and the Martial Arts: An Aikido Point of View
http://www.amazon.com/Children-Martial-A...9372&sr=1-2

Spies, Vixens, and Masters of Kung Fu: The Art of Paul Gulacy
http://www.amazon.com/Spies-Vixens-Maste...9372&sr=1-6


Combat, Ritual, and Performance: Anthropology of the Martial Arts
http://www.amazon.com/Combat-Ritual-Perf...828&sr=1-24

The Eleventh Son: A Novel Of Martial Arts And Tangled Love
http://www.amazon.com/Eleventh-Son-Novel...0172&sr=1-2

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7) (7/21/2007)
http://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Death...0741&sr=1-1

that'll keep you busy for the upcoming summer reading.

Another good new book is "Hidden Karate- The True Bunkai for the Shotokan Katas" it was translated into English and is published by Champ in Japan, but it is available through kiai-karate.com. It is very detailed and informative.

COMING SOON...
some interesting sounding titles to give reading ideas:


June 19, 2007
Rumi Maki Fighting Arts: The Complete History and Martial Techniques of the Peruvian Inca
http://www.amazon.com/Rumi-Maki-Fighting...713&sr=1-72


June 20, 2007
Boxing: Advanced Tactics and Strategies
http://www.amazon.com/Boxing-Advanced-St...713&sr=1-71


July 10, 2007
Chin Na Fa: Traditional Chinese Submission Grappling Techniques
http://www.amazon.com/Chin-Traditional-S...713&sr=1-60


July 31, 2007
The Five-and-Twenty Tales of the Genie
http://www.amazon.com/Five-Twenty-Tales-...713&sr=1-58


Aug 15, 2007
Wrestling for Fighting: The Sport of Mixed Martial Arts
http://www.amazon.com/Wrestling-Fighting...088&sr=1-73


August 28, 2007
Spiritual Verses
http://www.amazon.com/Spiritual-Penguin-...742&sr=1-79


Aug 30, 2007
Haunted by Combat: Understanding PTSD in War Veterans Including Women, Reservists, and Those Coming Back from Iraq
http://www.amazon.com/Haunted-Combat-Und...742&sr=1-78


September 2007
Chinese Leadership Wisdom from the Book of Change
http://www.amazon.com/Chinese-Leadership...646&sr=1-71


Nov 20, 2007
Japanese Castles in Korea 1592-98
http://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Castles-K...104&sr=1-67


April 10, 2008
By Sword and Fire
http://www.amazon.com/Sword-Fire-Sean-Mc...981&sr=1-25

I haven't had a chance to read it myself, but a friend just published the first issue of a online magazine. Go to http://www.martialartswaymag.com

Zen in the Martial Arts - by Joe Hyams

I know this was already mentioned on another thread, but I just read it and was inspired by it. Any open minded person, Martial Artist or otherwise will find guidance in this book, which is applicable to their own personal life. Any closeminded person trying to open their mind will be assisted in doing so by this book. In additional to having a good self-help side, there is much entertainment value in Joe Hyams' life experiences, training will various masters.

I read this article off of a martial arts website about finding martial arts through my lifestyle. I highly recommend it to everyone. It started me off on the right track with MA:

http://www.ninjaninja.com/site.php/arti/read/ninja_article_find_a_way/

Just got this one and it's very good:

Combat Fitness for the Elite Female Martial Artist by Martina Sprague

it's not directly about martial arts, but it is about getting into fighting shape for martial arts training. 2 or 3 hours a week in the dojang is not enough for me to reverse 25 yrs of inactivity.

-A Story of Life, Fate, and Finding the Lost Art of Koka Ninjutsu in Japan
by Daniel DiMarzio

Very interesting read about life, work, and training in Koka (Koga) and Iga Ninjutsu in Japan. Doesn't romanticize Japan.......is very direct and upfront about the positive and negative aspects of living and working there. It also describes in detail training in the long-thought to be extinct art of "Koka" Ninjutsu. Almost nothing is known outside of Japan about Koka Ninjutsu except what is written in this book. It details one-on-one private training with a master of Koka Ninjutsu. The training is very old-fashioned and brutal. It's a glimpse into old-school training and how Japan "really" is.
http://www.lulu.com/content/2106699

I will recommend that you read this book. Its got alot of good info. A must read!
<a href="http://53ca5hdg5a7fto1ozv4a3fwav1.hop.clickbank.net/" target="_top">Click Here!</a>

Sorry about that you'll have to copy and paste the web address. Here it is.
http://53ca5hdg5a7fto1ozv4a3fwav1.hop.clickbank.net/

Great that you added the Book of Five Rings in that first list. I'm going to have to check out the rest.

I don't know where in these forums I bumped into the books by John Donohue (he writes reference books and novels). Thank you, whoever you are.

With about thirty years of experience in several combat arts and two black belts, he can speak with authority.

I have located copies of his four "Connor Burke" novels and can recognize a lot of the moves and kata he describes.

By the way, my Aikido sensei enjoys them, too.