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Rating: 
Summary: Terrific Kendo and Kenjitsu Writer
Review: Another terrific book by the Texas Samurai, Darrell Craig. Unlike his last book on kendo, this one goes much deeper and further into the spirit of kendo and talks more about the essence of kendo and kenjitsu. Craig talks a lot about the "gentleman's" side to kendo and how kendo can be a source of experience where a person can, "mold themselves into better people through strengthening their dignity, sense of duty and honor". This book is a great companion book to the first kendo book that came out earlier this year, I think was called - The Heart of Kendo. Craig has a web site with some really good photographs at www.houstonbudo.com. He readily admits that kendo is not for everybody and that kendo can be tough and a challenge. But he writes something to the effect that if you can stop the impulse to run from difficult challenges such as kendo, you can deflect fear's energy into fuel for continuing on a very traditional, seasoned and proven path. Worth the read. Seven stars
Rating:
Summary: Terrific Kendo and Kenjitsu Writer
Review: Another terrific book by the Texas Samurai, Darrell Craig. Unlike his last book on kendo, this one goes much deeper and further into the spirit of kendo and talks more about the essence of kendo and kenjitsu. Craig talks a lot about the "gentleman's" side to kendo and how kendo can be a source of experience where a person can, "mold themselves into better people through strengthening their dignity, sense of duty and honor". This book is a great companion book to the first kendo book that came out earlier this year, I think was called - The Heart of Kendo. Craig has a web site with some really good photographs at www.houstonbudo.com. He readily admits that kendo is not for everybody and that kendo can be tough and a challenge. But he writes something to the effect that if you can stop the impulse to run from difficult challenges such as kendo, you can deflect fear's energy into fuel for continuing on a very traditional, seasoned and proven path. Worth the read. Seven stars
Rating: 
Summary: Another Great Buy
Review: Here's another informative, instructive, and inspiring book by Darrell Craig - a great addition to your library if interested in kendo, iaido, kenjitsu, or simply martial arts in general.
Thanks to the helpful reviews below, I've gratefully added this book to my collection. One reviewer complained that the author was arrogant, which I was unable to determine from reading the text. To the contrary, the stories reveal a kind and generous man. If the author is arrogant, so what? His book is a great buy!
And so is "The Heart of Kendo," which I rate at 5 stars for being not only educational but also exceptionally beautiful.
Rating: 
Summary: just like other books
Review: Knowledgeably written by Darrell Max Craig (a renowned martial arts expert and film choreographer with a 6th Dan in Kendo, Karate, and Jujitsu, 5th dan in Iaido and Kobudo, and a 4th Dan in Judo and Aikido), The Way Of Kendo & Kenjitsu: Soul Of The Samurai combines the author's personal life experiences, philosophy concerning the way of the sword as has been practiced in Japan since ancient times, diagrams and carefully worded descriptions of techniques, movements forms, and exercises relating to historical as well as sport kendo, and much more. From extensive guidelines to using basic equipment, to a reflection on the tradition of the samurai and his swords, to information concerning the collection, care and upkeep of swords as well as martial arts training regimens, The Way Of Kendo & Kenjitsu is a holistic introduction and highly recommended for anyone fascinated by what it means to better one's skill with the Japanese blade.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable read
Review: Mr. Craig has again written another fine book and I can recommend it as a enjoyable read. It maintains the traditional Craig writing style that integrates authentic personal stories, but written around completely new information and insight into one of the more mysterious of the martial arts - kendo. This book is as good as, and in many ways much better, than Mr. Craig's previous books. If you don't read it for the diagrams and technical depth, it certainly should be read for his historical reflections. I found it particularly interesting to understand that the martial experience Mr. Craig has gained - enough to write an authoritative book on the subject, comes from his long relationship with a family in Japan that has been practicing kendo in one form or another for almost 800 years. I only will point out an observation that Craig gets slowly around to making. He describes that kendo has a very pragmatic modern application. In spite of the list of ranks, skills and titles that Mr. Craig has (l)earned, he writes that the marital samurai is not a person brute bristling with weapons and bravado, but rather a courteous, indifferent person who carries within himself, unseen except when called to action, a martial spirit and a courage to battle for a right.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable read
Review: Mr. Craig has again written another fine book and I can recommend it as a enjoyable read. It maintains the traditional Craig writing style that integrates authentic personal stories, but written around completely new information and insight into one of the more mysterious of the martial arts - kendo. This book is as good as, and in many ways much better, than Mr. Craig's previous books. If you don't read it for the diagrams and technical depth, it certainly should be read for his historical reflections. I found it particularly interesting to understand that the martial experience Mr. Craig has gained - enough to write an authoritative book on the subject, comes from his long relationship with a family in Japan that has been practicing kendo in one form or another for almost 800 years. I only will point out an observation that Craig gets slowly around to making. He describes that kendo has a very pragmatic modern application. In spite of the list of ranks, skills and titles that Mr. Craig has (l)earned, he writes that the marital samurai is not a person brute bristling with weapons and bravado, but rather a courteous, indifferent person who carries within himself, unseen except when called to action, a martial spirit and a courage to battle for a right.
Rating:
Summary: just like other books
Review: Pretty much repeats himself. If you have his other books don't worry about getting this one and wasting your time. Author is very arrogant and has a big ego and that is a turn off.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent information
Review: Reviewed by Bob Spears
Publisher and Chief Reviewer
Heartland Reviews
The author has written a definitive work on the subject. Kendo, using padded armor and split-bamboo swords, is a sport. He covers its essentials. Kenjitsu is the much older code of sword fighting, which has no rules and uses real, metal swords for practice.
The book is remarkably well illustrated and the text provides excellent information on the topic. The author provides not only the movements, descriptions, and customs, but what to look for in collectible swords and other equipment.
Rating:
Summary: More helpful to the practitioner but beautiful
Review: Samurai seem to be everywhere. From the Oscar-nominated films The Twilight Samurai and Tom Cruise's The Last Samurai to anime marital arts sagas and the hit Emmy-winning Cartoon Network series, Samurai Jack, the robed, inscrutable, unstoppable warriors conquer our hearts with their martial arts and their dignity. The illustration of a black-robed Japanese gentlemen seated in a meditation pose with a katana by his side, one in his lap, sets the tone for Kendo and Kenjitsu practitioner Darrell Max Craig. Although Craig, like so many martial arts devotees, is a gai-jin (foreigner), he displays a reverence and knowledge of Japanese culture, samurai in particular, that is to be respected and admired. Craig goes into great detail about the katas, combat, clothing, equipment, and most of all, the swords of his art. He writes of the details with the same intricate deftness of a skilled samurai dueling with an adversary, and his strokes of the keyboard baffle and enlighten us as much as the strokes of the katana, or the other sword Craig introduces us to, the shinai.
Those readers who, like this reviewer, have not read Craig's previous book, The Heart of Kendo, and are not familiar with Kendo and Kenjitsu, may find the details difficult to master. This is not a casual read, but if you truly desire to learn martial arts, or at least collect Japanese swords, a pastime to which Craig devotes the last two chapters (perhaps recognizing, wisely, that some of his audience for the book may be Japanophiles and collectors), The Way of Kendo and Kenjitsu is a worthy place to start.
Rating:
Summary: Impressive and insightful
Review: This is a great book: enjoyable, entertaining, and enlightening. Craig's basic premise is that the way of kendo is something different to each and every student who picks up a Japanese sword. While traditional Kenjitsu had no rules per se, modern (sport) kendo does. He has fascinating insight into the differences and similarities between the two, asserting that to learn kendo properly practitioners must not think of it (or practice it) as a sport. If you don't already know, kendo uses bamboo shinai and padded armor for practice while kenjitsu uses live steel. To get the most out of these arts, Craig believes that you must think of them as a way of life, a perspective promulgated by most of the leading sword arts practitioners such as Dave Lowry as well.
Craig's writings will advance your sword skills imparting knowledge of equipment, exercises, applications, and kata (including the last three kata of the All Japan Kendo Federation, which use the wakizashi short sword). More specifically, topics include kendo clothing, equipment and care thereof, fundamental movements, advanced waza, and kodachi katas. There is also great information about samurai sword collecting, care, maintenance, and terminology. The illustrations enhance the text and facilitate the reader's ability to understand and internalize Craig's excellent points. I think that the target audience is experience practitioners so it might be a bit beyond some beginners though. Regardless, this is a great book, a worthy addition to any martial arts library.
Darrell Craig really knows his stuff. He holds a exceptionally impressive list of black belt ranks in several different martial arts, including kendo (renshi), karate (kyoshi), jujitsu (kyoshi); iaido (godan), kobudo (godan), judo (yodan), and aikido (yodan). He has worked as a martial arts choreographer on a number of feature films and is the author of several other martial arts books as well.
Lawrence Kane
Author of Martial Arts Instruction: Applying Educational Theory and Communication Techniques in the Dojo
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