The Complete Guide to Kung Fu Fighting Styles

Rating:
Summary: Excellent intro to subject
Review: A few readers have criticized this book for not being more comprehensive and for perhaps dealing more with kung-fu styles outside of China, but it's still a good introduction for the non-specialist in kung-fu. Some important styles have been left out, or are mentioned only in passing, such as some of the main animal styles such as snake, dragon, black tiger style, and so on, but they still get some attention in the discussions of some of the styles that incorporate their movements, such as Hung Gar and praying mantis. And the author does do a fine job discussing not just praying mantis, but at least five different praying mantis styles (northern praying mantis, 7-star praying mantis, 6-harmony praying mantis, tai mantis, and tai chi praying mantis (also known as the mayflower mantis style), and five monkey kung-fu styles.

I would have also liked some mention about which styles were important for later developments in karate. For example, a fusion of several styles from Fukien province, dragon, white crane, and tiger, became the basis of such famous Okinawan karate styles as Uechi-ryu. Others, such as Shorin-ryu, incorporate white crane influences and forms. But again, this is not a big deal and is perhaps not appropriate for an intro book.

Anyway, despite a few oversights, the book's strengths by far outweigh its shortcomings. Hollander writes with a nice style and also does a good job with much of the history. So overall, still a fine book on the subject.

Rating:
Summary: Just Enough To Peak Your Interest
Review: Jane Hollander follows the tradition of Draeger and Leung Ting. She writes about every art she can get her hands on, detailing it better than most of the instructors of the style can. Here, she gives a simple guide designed simply to introduce us to the myriad ways that kung fu can be applied. It is not a book for learning exact techniques, but for becoming familiar with basic principles and showing the relationship of various arts which share certain princples. This book gives us the means to see the difference and the similarity, based solely on the basic premises of the styles. To learn more about each art, one would have to get videos & books specifically dedicated to that one art, which would still provide less by way of separate perspectives. This is the type of book that Americans need to help them wade through the confusion of which Chinese art is best for them.

Rating:
Summary: Nice photos but...
Review: shame about the text. The book covers a handful of the major styles (that are commonly taught in the USA)and very briefly touches on the history and some characteristics of these styles but says little else. The photos take up probably more space than they should but they are interesting nonetheless. Despite the title, there is nothing complete about this book.

Rating:
Summary: Nice photos but...
Review: This book promises to be the complete guide to kung fu styles, in some ways this is true, in other not at all. If we are comparing this book with most of the other variants knocking about then this probably is the complete guide! If we look into kung fu styles then this is not. At over 1000 in china no book can document all of them, and most of the family styles would not allow themselves to appear in such a book. This book should have been called 'The Complete Guide to Western Known Kung Fu Styles', as it gives pretty good if not broad information on most of the styles we know. I was very dispointed to find that some major animal styles were missing though.

Overall I would say an interesting read, and at around £10 you cant really complain about some styles missing,

Rating:
Summary: Not bad but missing some major styles
Review: This book promises to be the complete guide to kung fu styles, in some ways this is true, in other not at all. If we are comparing this book with most of the other variants knocking about then this probably is the complete guide! If we look into kung fu styles then this is not. At over 1000 in china no book can document all of them, and most of the family styles would not allow themselves to appear in such a book. This book should have been called 'The Complete Guide to Western Known Kung Fu Styles', as it gives pretty good if not broad information on most of the styles we know. I was very dispointed to find that some major animal styles were missing though.

Overall I would say an interesting read, and at around £10 you cant really complain about some styles missing,

Rating:
Summary: a vey good book
Review: This particular text provides the reader with an unusual amount of information that was available at the time it was first published. It details a variety of styles within the art of kung fu that were likely unheard of to the non-practicioner. This book is for those who are curious and non-specific with their preference towards any style of kung fu, but perhaps not best suited for a practitioner of a certain style searching for more information or already posessing baseline knowledge of their art. Still, the work itself is written fairly well and has some appropriate pictures to go with it. While the book itself is slightly outdated by recent material that is available, it is a fine introduction to any student interested in martial arts, particulary those of China.