Okinawan Karate: Teachers, Styles, and Secret Techniques

Rating:
Summary: Book with a lot of substance.
Review: Wow, I felt as if I visited the dojos addressed in this book. It did serve to demystify Okinawan Karate, which I found a mixed blessing. As they say, "ignorance is bliss." Oriental culture tends to venerate ancestors and "those that have gone before." While that is a noble practice, it can also be maddening for the Westerner that is not adept at reading between the lines to get to the truth. Mr. Bishop does a wonderful job at calling it like he sees it. In the end, this is an excellent overview of Okinawan styles of Karate. It contains a very detailed look at many different styles including philosophies, training methods, history, current conditions, and personalities. Although it didn't address every style of Okinawan Karate, I would recommend this book to assist those interested in picking a style, and I would certainly recommend it to anyone already interested in Okinawan Karate.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent overview of Okinawan styles of Karate
Review: Wow, I felt as if I visited the dojos addressed in this book. It did serve to demystify Okinawan Karate, which I found a mixed blessing. As they say, "ignorance is bliss." Oriental culture tends to venerate ancestors and "those that have gone before." While that is a noble practice, it can also be maddening for the Westerner that is not adept at reading between the lines to get to the truth. Mr. Bishop does a wonderful job at calling it like he sees it. In the end, this is an excellent overview of Okinawan styles of Karate. It contains a very detailed look at many different styles including philosophies, training methods, history, current conditions, and personalities. Although it didn't address every style of Okinawan Karate, I would recommend this book to assist those interested in picking a style, and I would certainly recommend it to anyone already interested in Okinawan Karate.