The Original Martial Arts Encyclopedia: Tradition, History, Pioneers

Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: I am a brown belt in ASK. I am working toward my black belt. This book was suggested as valuable reading material. Excellent book. Every Martial artist should have it.

Rating:
Summary: few japanese/okinawan karate masters, too much US
Review: This book provides little information about japanese and okinawan karate masters and is much to US oriented for a real encyclopedia.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: This reference work was written and edited by the same authors who wrote the Q&A, "Martail Arts Catalogue" in 1976. This book is more indepth and authoritative. The primary sections are on Tradition, History, and the Pioneers who have helped shaped this multi-faceited idea of what we call "martial arts."

The chapters are very good, providing excellent history and coverage. America is probably a little over represented. This however, doesn't mean they should have written less about American martial arts, just more of other traditions.

It must also be fair to say, that America has contributed much to the Asain arts and helped expand the arts, for better or worse, where they are today. The photos are neat and add greatly to this book. The writing is sometimes dry, like most reference works are.

All in all, it is a book that stands on its own and should be purcahsed by those martial artist who either are interested in history or having a quick refernce at their bookshelf.

Rating:
Summary: A Terrific One-Stop Source of Martial Mania
Review: This reference work was written and edited by the same authors who wrote the Q&A, "Martail Arts Catalogue" in 1976. This book is more indepth and authoritative. The primary sections are on Tradition, History, and the Pioneers who have helped shaped this multi-faceited idea of what we call "martial arts."

The chapters are very good, providing excellent history and coverage. America is probably a little over represented. This however, doesn't mean they should have written less about American martial arts, just more of other traditions.

It must also be fair to say, that America has contributed much to the Asain arts and helped expand the arts, for better or worse, where they are today. The photos are neat and add greatly to this book. The writing is sometimes dry, like most reference works are.

All in all, it is a book that stands on its own and should be purcahsed by those martial artist who either are interested in history or having a quick refernce at their bookshelf.