Kyudo: The Japanese Art of Archery

Rating:
Summary: Not an adequate or satisfying introduction/technical manual.
Review: After reading this book in one short sitting, I am unsure as to why the author wrote it. The book basically describes a step-by-step process of Kyudo with several anecdotes sprinkled here and there. The reader is provided with many technical details, but is left confused from the lack of a fluid overview of the subject matter. The few illustrations that do exist provided very little descriptive aid to the text. Noticeable aspects of the book are its tone and language. The writing style is both cumbersome and reminiscent of a 1940's technical manual. The author also assumes that the reader knows very little of the Japanese culture and beliefs. While this is not a fault, it is an ineffective assumption for such a short book. I assumed that the book was meant to be an introduction to Kyudo. In this regard, the book failed to accomplish its goal, leaving anyone interested in Kyudo to search for a more substantial and clear text.