Mind of the Ninja: Exploring the Inner Power

Rating:
Summary: Great read
Review: Excellent book, explains a lot, but a little boring in places. Really explians a lot about what the ninjas of old believed. As a ninjutsu practitioner, I highly recommend this book for anyone.

Rating:
Summary: A fair review
Review: This book is the typical product of pop psychology--while it is interesting and informative, the academics are a bit soft and the main premise based more on the teachings of well known authorities and personal opinions and less on historical or scientific fact. For example, there are sweeping statements of personal opinion like "Buddhism--probably the most advanced spiritual discipline known to man" used to bolster the author's case.

I do not mean to discredit the purpose of this book, which is to explode myths surrounding the art it is trying to defend. Rather, I applaud this effort. But, a compelling defense needs to be a bit stronger and leave out sweeping statements which are based on the authors opinion. The aim of this book should be more sharply focused on changing the minds of people who are not as open-minded to the ninja as perhaps I am. After all, the type of people who are likely to buy a book which is titled "Mind of the Ninja: Exploring the Inner Power" are martial arts enthusiasts. And the photo art depicts the author striking poses in his various costumes. Clearly he was trying to aim at the ninja boom market to increase readership, which was probably good in the 80s for attracting who? You guessed it--martial arts enthusiasts. The point I'm trying to make is that he is trying to dispel myths in his book, but the title and book art attract people who probably would support his argument anyway. It all adds up to a total package that would be scoffed at by any serious intellectual.

I realize ninjutsu is more a mind/ body/ spirit art than it is an intellectual affair, but the book is trying to bring the art into the intellectual realm, and so it needs to play by the rules of the game. If ninjutsu is to be discussed amongst people with the power to outlaw it, who will be backed by intellectuals, a better book needs to be written. Still, if you like psychological theory (mainly that of Carl Jung), and you are open to a new perspective without the need for heavily documented scholarship, you will enjoy this book. Just remember that it is one man's perspective. Even Stephen Hayes, author of the foreward, makes this important distinction. Additionally, if you want to read books about ninjutsu, try the Grandmaster's books. They are focused on the essence of the art rather than on intellectualism. They alone provide a more highly compelling argument than anything anybody else has written on the subject. And, they are works of art in themselves.

Rating:
Summary: Let The Truth About The Ninja Be Known!
Review: This is one of the best Ninja books I've read! Kirtland Peterson describes in depth why the public still views ninjas as violent, deadly, assassins. He describes other various ninja stereotypes. There is a lot of ninja history in this book. Kirtland refers to Masaaki Hatsumi, Stephen K. Hayes, Jack E. Hoban, Bud Malmstrom, Glenn J. Morris, and Christopher Hunter/Ashida Kim. Stephen Hayes does a excellent foreword in this book. I won't spoil the rest of book for you. If you like this book, I suggest reading anything by Masaaki Hatsumi, Stephen K. Hayes, Jack E. Hoban, Doron Navon, Glenn J. Morris, Charles Daniels, Bud Malmstrom and Richard Van Donk