Rating: 
Summary: Warriorship and excellence
Review: I would like to add a few positive remarks about this book. Generally, to train for a long period of time without understanding the concept of warriorship is merely to master physical movements without attending the important principles of the war arts and of moral character, the foundation of a warrior's success.Mr. Morgan presents the concept of warriorship with concision and congency. Warriorship is a way of training, of maintaining moral principles, of living by the commitment to personal excellence in both skill and character. He correctly marks the mastering of strategy to be the essence of warriorship; that is, essential knowledge that leads to the fulfillment of a commitment to personal excellence. I have been training for a number of years, and I have read many books relating to training in the martial arts. Some of them have been waste of time; few of them have been permanent additions to my personal library. Mr. Morgan's book, his perspective and insightulness, ranks as one of those few which belongs between Musashi's The Book of Five Rings and Funikoshi's My Way of Life. Since reading this book, and looking back through it many times, I have modified my thinking and training to acheive personal excellence. I recommend this book to anyone who seriously desires to understand warriorship and implement its principles to develop skill and character, to live with confidence and courage and, above all, honor. Thank you, Mr. Morgan.
Rating:
Summary: Practical Philosophy
Review: Read this book if you want practical advice on how to integrate martial arts ideals with the rest of your life. It covers a wide range of topics and gives advice how to turn yourself from a martial arts hobbiest into a real martial artist. I can't say enough good things about this book. Its so good that I had to give it 5 stars and post a review, even though its not something that I'd normally do. Buy this book.
Rating: 
Summary: It's a real shame...
Review: It's a real shame that this book was written the way it was, because the value of the material discussed is high. However, Morgan writes in the most egocentric manner imaginable, and it is truly disgusting to read some of his the book because of it. He professes that a warrior should be humble and composed, and that having a big ego is a bad thing. Well I wish that Mr. Morgan would have taken his own advice. He starts every other paragraph with "Notice I didn't say "blah blah blah"." Yeah, we get the idea that he's a fairly intelligent man who is careful with his words... and had he not mentioned it himself I would have had a lot more respect for him. If you can disregard his egocentricity (which at times is exceedingly difficult) then you should read this book... it does have high value, and it's just a shame that it was tainted as greatly it was by the author's style.
Rating:
Summary: THE BOOK for all martial artists.
Review: If you're into flashy martial arts and all the other garbage you see on TV this book is not for you. This book is for the serious martial artist seeking to perfect himself or herself through the martial arts. I highly recommend this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Worth reading, but I disagree with the majority of it
Review: The main theme of this book is that martial arts students should adopt a "warrior" mentality. Personally, I think this is important, but I also think that martial arts is more than a combat mentality; it is about improving yourself as a person. The warrior mentality is basically a joke if you live in 21st century suburbia - your chances of getting into a life-threatening fight are about a zillion to one if you are smart enought to walk away from ego challenges and avoid dangerous areas. The reality is that most martial arts are more "art" than combat, which is ok; learning an ancient art is a nice thing. If you want to learn self-protection, the modern combat training (Krav Maga, Combato, etc) is much more effective. However, modern combat training lacks the history and mental focus of the traditional martial arts, which is an aspect that many people (myself included) enjoy. Thus, the author's main point about martial arts training being about constantly preparing oneself for an attack is, in my opinion misplaced. I very much liked the chapter on fighting strategies and the author's emphasis on being physically fit. The diatribe about eating a lowfat, high carb diet is inconsistent with the modern, "low-carb" theories, but the point is well-made: being fit makes you a better fighter. The bottom line is that the book is very well written and makes some strong points (hence the 4 star rating); it's just that I disagree with a lot of them. Even so, I highly recommend reading the book.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book & a must own by all serious Martial Artist
Review: This is a must read book and a book to be owned by anyone who considers themselves a warrior. I require its reading by all of my Black Belts and recommend it to all my students. This book explains in detail the essential elements of a true martial artist/warrior. It is not about the skill of fightinhg, yet more importantly about the moral and ethical obligation to self. This book should be required reading in all police and military academies. I think, it is one of the five major books regarding the martial arts. The Martial Way is one in which the practitioner can excell in life and the constant pursuit of excellence in all of life. The mind, body and spirit must be trained as one and function as one in all pursuits. This book will assist one greatly in acheiving the mental balance of the Martial Way.
Rating:
Summary: A step by step guide to living the martial way
Review: As the title states, this is a manual for living the martial way. Mr. Morgan does a good job of distinguishing between being a martial artist and living the martial way. Anyone that has studied the martial arts for any length of time understands that the principles taught in these arts begin to extend to your life outside the dojo. This is an excellent guide for making that transition in an organized and thoughtful way. Although I don't agree with all of Mr. Morgan's premises, I found all his conclusions helpful by forcing me to examine what I do believe. Overall, this is a very good book for helping martial artists integrate their training into their everyday lives. Mr. Morgan also provides some good advice on selecting a school, but I think a beginning martial artist might find the proposed training regimen a bit intimidating. However, those that have already discovered the usefulness of daily training, will find this book both motivational and thought provoking.
Rating: 
Summary: Discard the Samurai Code!
Review: First of all, we are living in the 21st century of a world dominated by modern mores. Applying the Samurai code of ethics, morality, and lifestyle simply doesn't fit in anymore. The Samurai concept no more applies today then does the ethical practices of the European Knights from the 8th century forward.
Lets start with the basics of living like a Samurai:
1. Samurai were a caste, and the position was generally something you were born into, as near the end of the Sengoku Jidai period (about 1590), the powerful warlord Hideyoshi ended all social mobility. This means that skill at arms was generally not a qualification for being a member of the samurai caste for the last 300 years of Samurai culture. Who your parents were was the qualification.
2. Samurai followed in absolute duty to their leader in a fashion that took precedence over family obligations. Samurai were supposed to kill their own children if so ordered. Samurai as a punishment often had to kill themselves too, in a very grisly manner called Seppuku. This whole honor thing was called Giri.
3. The Samurai were above the craftsmen and peasant castes. They had the right of kirisute-gumen, which was the right to kill a commoner for no reason. So a samurai could walk into your shop and just kill you.
4. These acts took their toll on the Samurai mind. Ninjo translates as compassion, and conflicts between Ninjo and Giri drove good men mad. What if your lord ordered you to kill a child? Honor demands you fulfill your request, but how could you slay an innocent little girl with tears in her eyes?
5. One more thing, and that is that Samurai were warriors. They didn't do labor. That means unless you are making a living as a warrior, as a teacher of warriors, as an artist (a later development), or as a maker of swords, you are not being a Samurai.
---Conclusion---
I cannot recommend following the Samurai code of honor. Not without changing it into something completely different. Using Bushido as a code of ethics in this century resulted in countless people suffering in the first half of this century, and you still find it something worth considering?
Even the European Code of Chivalry is just as flawed by our standards. Sure, it demands that you defend the weak, but it also demands that you 'never cease in your efforts to smite the heathen.
Find a modern code of ethics and follow that one. If you want something militant, go join the military. Most first world military ethical codes are decent and well thought out, and don't turn you into a robotic drone willing to follow orders blindly.
Rating:
Summary: Great guide for a strong attitude in any martial art!
Review: This book is a great primer to show you how to get the most out of your martial arts endeavors. From picking the right martial art for you, to giving you the right tools to form strategic thinking in training and combat, LIVING THE MARTIAL WAY will help you get the most out of your training and go down the right path.
Rating:
Summary: This is a must buy
Review: This is a great book! Forest really breaks down everything to make it easy to understand. The topics he covers are amazing, I am a 2nd don black belt in Tae Kwon Do and i learned a ton from this book. If you are in any way involved in Martial arts, BUY THIS BOOK!!
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