Rating: 
Summary: A classic
Review: A classic book. The intro part is well done, the philosophy of aikido. The fashion-plate-type illustrations do the trick too, somehow making the movements more obvious than photographs may. A tight classic of the Ki society. I wish the authors had done a comprehensive book of technique to follow up, as the technique part is a shade skimpy, but that was not this book's purpose. A great text!
Rating:
Summary: Just want to make sure that the truth be told
Review: This book is a necessity for the avid Martial Artist.
Rating:
Summary: Still The Best
Review: There's not really much I can add to the many highly favorable reviews already given on this book, it is quite simply the best book on Aikido ever written. Besides the excellent drawings illustrating the various techniques and warm-up exercises, it also has the most well-written description of the philosophy and theory of Aikido I've ever read. The only thing missing is that the japanese terms for the techniques that are taught in the dojo are missing, making it a little difficult for beginners to match the techniques in the book with what they are taught. (For those experiencing this problem I recommend the book: Aikido Exercises for Teaching and Training, by C.M. Shifflett ISBN 155643314X which gives the japanese terms and tells you the exact page which they may be found in Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere book). In over 30 years no Aikido book has yet to match this one, a definite must-have for anyone interested in the art.
Rating:
Summary: A great aikido resource for more than thirty years!!!!
Review: I am a real aikido novice, but a hard-core martial arts veteran, having trained in Shotokan karate for more than a quarter-century. I kind of stumbled into aikido training awhile back. I haven't had a chance to become a regular part of an aikido school but my aikido library is quickly catching up with my karate library--more than five feet of bookshelf space devoted to martial arts. This book is superb. First, let me say that I am a big fan of using illustrations to teach things like martial arts because sometimes better clarity can be obtained and Oscar Ratti's are the best I have ever seen in print. There is much more background material about the techniques and the foundations of aikido than about ninety percent of the books out there. This is definitely not your basic martial arts "cookbook"Last but not least, here is food for thought. This book was first published in 1970 and only last year (2001) did it go to paperback. Any book that lasts 31 years in hardcover has to be taken very seriously.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Starting Point!
Review: From the first time I glanced the book, I liked it. It really informs a person on how well Aikido would work against more formal Martial arts. It's almost the most total system I could have ever imagined. It's also great reading for that purpose. You will be enthralled by it's simplicity but also by it's profoundness.
Rating: 
Summary: martial and arts?
Review: Once I asked to myself, if I'm not looking at a painting(art), then is the painting exist? The answer is "Yes" it exist as a painting, but some reason it still gives me enough room to question that "does it exist as an art?". Perhaps, there is a gap between an art and a painting.
Now I have to ask myself that "Is art an object or some certain interaction between a person who is performing or performed and another person who is perceiving the performace or the performed?".
While I was reading through this volume, a question kept poping up in my head was that "Do I have to be mesmerized by vague Asian metaphors for making a connection with occultic Zen prose for sake of art or get onto some action?". If it is "martial and arts" then perhaps, I should love all those art stuff. But my question remains, "Is it martial and arts or martial or arts?"
2002, since the development of firearms and so on, old fasioned martial trainings are no longer prectically martial, though, least I still think it shouldn't be an art.
This book is something that people would love just because they live in 21st century and the past is something we make of.
This book is one of those books makes an old martial trainning into revived idea of what was good before, but now it's mere talking, which isn't martial.
Martial and arts or martial or arts......
Rating:
Summary: Meat and Potatoes
Review: I have a collection of books on Aikido and Martial Arts in general. The great majority are useful to me in some way. But most are either too general or too specific or spend too much space on one aspect or another of Aikido. This book is the foundation of my understanding of Aikido. There's a lot of it that appears out of date, but it's really only an appearance. I even have other Aikido books that make specific references to this one. One of the biggest strengths is the discussion of the ethics of self defense. Anyone who stays with Aikido learns that it isn't all about self defense, but most people start from there. The early attraction of Aikido for many people (certainly me) is the ethical approach described in this book. There is also the clear description and categorization of the techniques. Once again, if you stay with Aikido you will outgrow this, but it provides a much-needed foundation for later study. These are just two of the things that place this book among the "must-haves" of Aikido books.
Rating:
Summary: A Must Have
Review: Essential for any Aikido library. Beautiful illustrations of techniques. You can almost see the caracters moving.
Rating:
Summary: Perfection - Absolute Perfection
Review: WestBrook and Ratti cover all throws taught in Aikido up to black belt level. There are full walkthroughs of all projections and immobilizations in the book, and modifications to them. There is also a section on the jo - short staff - that includes a kata for you to practice. Unlike other books, Westbrook and Ratti cover smaller, but some of the more important, aspects of aikido, including start positions (kneeling, crouched, standing, etc.), etiquitte, hand-to-weapons defense, history, ki development, ki usage, philosophy, and so much more. I have been in martial arts for well over a decade, and this is by far the finest literature on aikido I have ever seen. Complete with pictures, walkthroughs, philosophy and the like, Aidkido and the Dynamic Sphere is on par with "Secrets of the Samurai" (same authors). Both are absolutely fantastic and comprehensive.
Rating:
Summary: A Work Of Art
Review: This book occupies a place of honor on my bookshelf and deservedly so! The quality of the book, first of all, is par excellence. The binding will last for years; the type is clear and easy to read; the illustrations are beautiful and clean. A very well produced book. The content is better! I learned about the true Aikido from reading (and re-reading) this book. It set the standard for all martial arts books and so far, none of them have even come close. Buy and cherish this wonderful book.
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