Rating: 
Summary: An invaluable reference source for all MA practitioners
Review: Although I am not an expert on FMA or any other MA styles, I have a varied background with a strong interest in military history/warefare. This publication raises the bar for other publications addressing martial traditions, and martial arts publications. It is a well articulated compendium of knowledge about the history and evolution of martial traditions in the Phillipines.
Rating:
Summary: Must Reading For Students of S.E. Asian Arts
Review: Excellent book. "Must" reading for anyone studying, or interested in studying, Southeast Asian fighting arts -- not just Filipino arts. Should be required reading for Filipino martial art practitioners.
Rating: 
Summary: I've read better
Review: I feel that this book is Mr. Wiley's personal view on the Filipino Martial Arts. The history in this book is far from valid. The information is presented in a way to support his perception on the Filipino Martial Culture. Written history about the Philippines is distorted or deleted in order to provide the reader with an accurate perception of his fictional writings. Obviously, the author wants to destroy anything that supports Kali being a Pre-Hispanic art. Inducing the reader to believe it did not exist during Pre-Hispanic times. With this false foundation, the author can then steal what truly belongs to the Filipinos and say it originated from European Fencing methods. Therefore, transforming it into a European art. Sadly, giving credit to the colonizer who oppressed the Filipinos, denied them equal rights, while governing them with no progress for over 300 years. In reality, anybody who has seen Kali/Arnis/Eskrima and Fencing can see that they're two completely different arts. Filipino blades like the Kris and Kampilan do not resemble Spanish rapiers nor are they designed for their fighting methods. Filipinos carried these weapons even before Magellan arrived according to Magellan's historian, Antonio Pigfetta. While reading this book I felt very upset. This book tarnished the history of countless Filipino warriors who preserved, developed and passed the Filipino arts down to us. Their history is being portrayed and altered by an author's personal perception. With this book, their true history is erased like words on a notepad. They are then filled in with bias views, in a book that claims to be 'scholarly.' I hope that the reader keeps an open mind while reading this book. Seek out other sources on this topic as well. This way the reader can broaden their perspective and not become limited to the information presented in Mr. Wiley's book.
Rating:
Summary: Trailblazing
Review: Mark Wiley's thorough examination of the ancient and modern Filipino martial culture is ground breaking, exemplary, and extremely well researched (there are 175 books referenced in the bibliography). My wife is Filipino so I've had a long time fascination with the martial culture of that archipelago, but had difficulty finding English-language texts to study prior to discovering this outstanding work. This book covers all aspects of those arts. It is well written and very informative, covering the martial history of the Philippines, the ethos and worldview of the Filipino warrior, structure, rites, and symbols of the indigenous martial arts, typology of weapons, and more. Eighteen masters of the Filipino arts are interviewed, covering arnis, escrima, kali, and a variety of lesser-known arts (e.g., hagibis, sikaran, sagasa, and kuntaw lima-lima). There are some great pictures as well. In 1521 Filipino natives killed the famous explorer Magellan. Learn about the fighting spirit, weapons, and tactics of these fierce warriors, ancient and modern.
Lawrence Kane
Author of Martial Arts Instruction: Applying Educational Theory and Communication Techniques in the Dojo
Rating:
Summary: A work of surprising depth and scope
Review: The only books which I can readily think of which approach this book in depth and scope are those by Donn Draeger. Kudos to Wiley for producing such an interesting sourcebook which presents the contemporary mosaic of Filipino martial culture with a thoroughness rarely seen in the world of martial arts writing.
Rating:
Summary: An Absolute Must!
Review: There are so few trustworthy English-language books on the Filipino martial arts that the publication of a new one is a landmark. And when such a competent and respected practitioner as Mark V. Wiley produces it, then the occasion is one to be savoured.There have been many technical manuals on eskrima, arnis, and kali, and the library shelves are well stocked with them. Even so, there has always been a need for well-researched scholarly material relating to the history and culture of the Filipino arts. Unfortunately, such works are rare--as incidentally, are the people capable of writing them. Mark V. Wiley is an exception and this book has surpassed all my expectations. I've no doubt it will become the standard reference on the martial arts of the Philippines.The book is comprehensive and covers the history of turbulence and war in the Philippines from pre-historic times to the present day. It also examines the culture from which arises Filipino martial arts, the spirituality, folklore, and weaponry, plus biographical sketches of 18 Filipino masters, and descriptions of their respective fighting styles, and a comparative study of the ethos, ideology, and development of the Filipino martial arts in relation to the traditions of India, China, and Japan.Wiley also addresses the many misconceptions which surround the Filipino martial arts, informing us firstly that the terms kali, eskrima, and arnis are not synonimous and do not represent the same art. Kali did not exist during the pre-Spanish times. Then he tells us that not all Filipino arts are based on weapons training--in fact, there are quite a few strictly empty-hand arts.These statements are based on solid historical research. I recommend this book to serious martial artists, whilst for all practitioners of the Filipino martial arts, it is an absolute must!
Rating:
Summary: great book
Review: this is an excellent book.it was very usefull to me as both a martial artist as well as a Filipino American.if you're intersted in the Filipino martial arts,their history,or the Filipino culture in general,read this book
Rating:
Summary: ...
Review: Tuttle Publishing has published some good books on martial arts. I really liked their, Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere. And The Secrets of the Samurai, both by the same authors. Their work appears to me to be quite meticulous and well researched and really beautiful. Stunning. Never mind that I think Aikido is nearly useless in the street, these are thoughtful books. But I am left wondering, whether or not Tuttle has a peer review procedure for books claiming to be anthropologically valuable. They should, that way [stuff] like this wouldn't get published. Mark Wiley is a martial artist who, really gets on my nerves. I am glad I only borrowed this book from a friend, and that he is the one stuck with it!
Rating:
Summary: ...
Review: Tuttle Publishing has published some good books on martial arts. I really liked their, Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere. And The Secrets of the Samurai, both by the same authors. Their work appears to me to be quite meticulous and well researched and really beautiful. Stunning. Never mind that I think Aikido is nearly useless in the street, these are thoughtful books. But I am left wondering, whether or not Tuttle has a peer review procedure for books claiming to be anthropologically valuable. They should, that way [stuff] like this wouldn't get published. Mark Wiley is a martial artist who, really gets on my nerves. I am glad I only borrowed this book from a friend, and that he is the one stuck with it!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent introduction to FMA
Review: Very well written, thoroughly researched, and detailed book on the Filipino martial arts, along with separate sections covering 18 different masters. These cover some of my favorite people, such as Rey Galang of Sagasa and Hagibis, Christopher Ricketts of Sagasa and Kali Illustrisimo, Angel Cabales of Escrima, Edgar Sulite of Lameco Escrima, and Florendo Visitacion of Vee Arnis Jutsu, along with many others. The sections on the history and development of the FMA over the last several hundred years are interesting and informative. The material on the 18 masters discusses their background and the details of their arts such as type of weapons used, fighting techniques and strategies, philosophies, and so on. Overall an excellent book on FMA that will no doubt become the standard by which the others will be measured. By the way, Rey Galang does a very nice job of presenting the Lingua de Fuego (Tongue of Fire) knife-fighting kata, as well as breaking out the individual applications, in the fist volume of the Kali Illustrisimo videos that Ricketts and Galang have put out. I can recommend this quality video series by Ricketts and Galang also for anyone wanting more information on this art.
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