Artists Books

The book is well written. I have been enjoying reading it. However, I can't give it 5 stars because the author takes drugs and writes about it. How about a kid reads this book? So, the kid will think is cool or ok? I don't think the author has the right to inspire people to do what he chooses to do with his body. The body is a temple to take care of not to abuse it and exploited in actions, words, thoughts or writing.
He also mentions the dark side of his nature that it's too personal and too dark. Almost evil to the point, that I felt he should have left it out. Nobody needs to know about this of his past. Only God should judge, and he knows all our sides including the dark ones.
If you are spiritually sensitive, you will feel the darkness of his spirit in the past while reading his words. Words are powerful and words can manifest.
Some parts of the book with these are repulsive!
The rest is excellent! He has great thoughts and ways to present his visions of art. The author can also inspired other artists.
To the Author, I would suggest asw a friend reader for him to see "The Secret." Hopefully, he won't repeat writing events of his inner demons. Sorry, but nobody cares...besides this should be in a personal journal or talked with a theraphist.
The author uses his writtings to heal and confess himself. The bible says, to confess to God only. If you don't want criticism like this don't exploit your past weakneses by writting to the world!
This book should not be given to kids under 25 yrs old. When you are 25 yrs old. your thoughts patterns are mature to make the best judgement before then your brain is still developing and is highly impressionable. This is a fact and one can google it too.

I bought this for my fiance and he ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. I really enjoyed it too. My fiance is a HUGE Alex Grey and TOOL fan and if you are too you will love it too!!!

Soul Expression Can Be Visionary Artistry
Imagine, for a moment, the Creative Forces. How do you envision the Spirit of Life, as it expresses itself within you? When I suggest this meditation in my classes, people usually enjoy it. When I suggest to pick up a colored crayon or two and help the Creative Spirit express itself on paper, this second instruction creates more anxiety than pleasure. I hear the protest, "But I can't draw what I envisioned!" I might reply, "Just allow yourself to enjoy the process and don't be worrying so much about how you think it should look. Let it be easy, let the vision guide the drawing, let it do what it wants with itself."
After we have made our drawings, people share a little of what was experienced during the meditation and we get to see how it came out on paper. The drawings are so different, yet group members usually recognize the mark of the Creative Spirit in them. Their sheets of paper contain precious revelations. People remark favorably, of course, about those that are more "artistic." Some may denigrate their own work when comparing it with those that win the group's "artistic" award. I try to draw their attention elsewhere. It's not about being "artistic," but about honoring one's experience as best one can.
Alex Grey, author of The Mission of Art (Shambhala), writes that the purpose of making art should not be trivialized into a career path toward fame and fortune. The essential purpose of making art, he reminds us, is to honor Spirit, to make it visible, to make it real in this world. If we create also for the purpose that it might further awaken Spirit in others, then making art becomes a spiritual mission as well. If sufficient talent, dedication and hard work are present in the mix, then it can also be a profession. He calls the professional artist to a higher mission, explaining how to invite Spirit into the work. If the artist commits to bringing Spirit into the work, he claims, Spirit will collaborate with the artist.
Creating is an essential part of the soul's activity and thus belongs to everyone as their natural birthright. So he aims his book also at the rest of us, just as he does his painting. He writes, "When people are profoundly moved by art, they recall from their depths their own intuition of spiritual truth." Like Edgar Cayce, he would have us all involved in some sort of creative activity and wants us to appreciate the spiritual importance of doing so.
Even if you do not recognize the name of Alex Grey, very likely you have seen a reproduction of one of his visionary paintings. Best known are his stunning, anatomically correct renditions of a person with transparent skin, revealing the inner body as well as the spiritual energies flowing through that body. In his painting of the kissing couple, for example, you can see the spirit of the man and woman intertwine. His paintings show beautifully the truth of Spirit's activity in this world.
The fact that his stuff is extraordinarily good--dazzlingly good--doesn't take away from the fact that he is sincere when he writes that each of us is an artist. He urges us to recognize that our soul yearns to find outward expression in creative acts. Echoing the understanding of Edgar Cayce, he writes, "Seeing with the eye of the heart, the mystic eye, is seeing with the soul." Responding to the creative itch, taking the time to express it, in poetry, in cooking, in painting, honors the source. Allowing the imagination to become involved in our activities invites the soul's involvement in what we do.
I explain to my students that our doodling exercise is something of a sacred ritual. I note that we attuned ourselves to a very special inner reality, and then expressed it outwardly as honestly as we could. In other words, we gave testimony to our own experience of Spirit. By sharing our drawings, our spiritual intuitions made visible, we treated ourselves to witnessing several reflections of Spirit, expanding and sharpening our sensitivity to its qualities.
But the exercise was not without struggle. It took something akin to what Grey calls "egocide." We had to let go of notions of what the drawing "should" look like, and allow the expression of something greater than our own willful abilities." It requires turning our focus away from the ego's perceived "artistic" outcome and focus instead upon the authenticity of having honored our experience. In the back of my mind is one of my favorite ideas from the Cayce material, that the one of highest service we can give to one another is to share our experience of the Creator. I am also aware of his teachings about art being an essential path of spiritual experience. The purpose of our exercise is not to see who can make commercial art, but to enhance our connection with Spirit. We can not all be commercial artists, but by honoring the muse and being willing to share, we can all serve as visionary artists. [...]

Warp your mind and you just might see God. Haven't tried LSD. Have tried "Salvia Divinorum" (still legal as I write this in most areas) I don't smoke and rarely drink, and I've never even tried pot, something most who know me don't believe since my parents were hippies.

But, after being stuck in a 70 hour week overtime job for 3 years, I had an art block that made me feel almost suicidal. The flood of ideas trying to focus through that tiny speck of time I had burned me out.

So, against everything I'd ever done in life, I got some Salvia Divinorum after a lot of net research on anything "Psychedelic". And after a few trys had a hallucination beyond comprehension. Literally seeing God and his infinite love and creativity and how bright that burns in all of us, even as tiny and insignifigant the universe is in the greater universe beyond.

Reading this book I felt kinship. Someone who'd used a psychoactive and seen his true purpose.

I reccomend to anyone who wants to do art (with or without earning a dime from it) but feels limited or blocked by stress interferring with creativity to do this. Try a hallucinogen ONCE (or a couple times) and check out visionary stuff like this.

In The Mission of Art, Alex Grey shows that his prodigious artistic gifts are moored in intellectual depth. Grey discusses art history, aesthetics, mysticism, religion, postmodernism, and processes of art reception with equal facility. This kind of writing is a rare treat. Only a small number of American artists have articulated their ideas in writing and fewer have done so with as much skill and alacrity. Grey's writing is reminiscent of G. Albert Aurier, the French Symbolist critic who shared Grey's mystical inclinations and his views about the spiritual and moral potential of art. Grey believes that mystically inspired art can in turn inspire its viewers to transcend today's oppressive consensual values of materialism, utilitarianism, and consumerism, and become aware of more authentic spiritual realities. There are a couple of factual inaccuracies, perhaps due to exaggeration or oversight, as where Grey states that mystical art was virtually absent in late nineteenth century Europe (p.37) and that Van Gogh labored in "complete obscurity" (p.90). Many prominent artists of the late nineteenth century French Symbolist movement were deeply inspired by neo-Platonic mysticism. Though Van Gogh never achieved material success, he was well known and respected by some major artists of his time. Aurier praised Van Gogh's art in a published review shortly before the latter's death. As the world seems to plummet ever deeper into eco-devastation and strife, to continue to hold out faith in general processes of human spiritual "evolution" which are aided by art, as Grey does, appears to demand ever more credulity. In my view, one can now realistically expect mystical art only to be a source of some personal inspiration and an exemplar of humanity's highest but tragically failed ideals. Its ideals of spiritual perfection might still be realizable, or approachable, by the minority of persons and minds which are receptive to it, but it has been virtually impotent as a means of producing a generalized social-spiritual transformation. Indeed, our society seems to appropriate such art as a means of a repressive desublimation of mystical idealism. Mystical art might tend to palliate and pacify idealistic urges, lulling some viewers into complacency by its pleasant presentations of images of spiritual self-actualization, images which, as wonderful as they may be, are only shadows of real conditions of actualization. Our society allows access to these images while doing its best to restrict access to the kinds of experiences which might truly facilitate such an actualization, such as the entheogenic experiences which largely inspired Grey, and competent shamanic guidance. Nevertheless, such mystical representations of what might be more realizable in a better world may for some others highlight the differences between what is and what ought to be, inspiring greater efforts to close the gap. Mystical imagery, as a means of Bildung or of the cultivation of consciousness, is capable of helping to "magnetize" the minds of receptive viewers, helping to keep some minds freed from Plato's cave and aimed toward the light.

I am jealous. Admit I love the artist; I've purchased several dozen of his works. But,I don't want you to ever own his books or his paintings; let me explain. As our children were young, I would surprise my wife each year with one of Steve Hanks' paintings. It was the last present opened at Christmas. The children would always watch in anticipation to see my wife cry as the wrapping would unveil the lastest painting. It is probably the most profound gift I've ever given - or gotten. Each year I would mount the latest painting; our bedroom walls have nothing but Hanks' works. It is said that sharing is the most precious gift we gift to each other. I, on the other hand, don't want to share Steve Hanks. You have given my wife a lifetime of memories, as have you have given my children treasure in the world of art. Don't buy this book; I want all of the copies. Mound them on the floor; stack them to the ceiling. But don't buy the book. In fact, buy any other book "but" this one. I'm begging you! Hanks is certainly worthy as an American treasure - a Michelangelo, a Raphael, a Cezanne. So please, don't buy the book!

This is an absolutely fabulous collection of works produced by Steve Hanks. The artwork is beautiful and the written excerpts provide insight into the artist's life and inspirations for the pieces.

Book was as expected and arrived on schedule. I buy many books from Amazon and will continue to do so.

"Moving On" is a beautiful book of Steve Hanks paintings. What makes it realy special is the artists explanation of his works. His insight helps you understand his motives and his intentions when he created each piece and shows you things that you may have missed on first glance. I love it!

I have admired the work of Steve Hanks for a long time. I bought Poised Between Heartbeats years ago and was very pleased to see the new book, Moving On. I recommend both of these books. Spend an afternoon with Steve Hanks.

Murphy Dog Bedtime Story is just plain fun for children to read! The original art work enhances the text and helps children remember or figure out the words. The rhyme is fun and easy. Children will want to read it over and over!

Not only is this book a great story to read out loud to your child at bedtime, but it is highly educational. The rhythm of the story is perfect and at the end of the book is a dictionary to help younger readers learn their words. Read this book with your children and eventually they will be reading it TO you! And Murphy Dog totally makes you laugh remembering your own favorite dog. It's a very sweet book!

My son loves to read this book, and feels great because he can read it by himself. The story is good, and the pictures are wonderful. We look forward to many more Murphy Dog stories.

I love this book! I am a dog lover and think this is so unique! This book is written from Murphy Dog's point of view. The message for all of us is great. Murphy likes who is and he likes his place in life. He gets great satisfaction from just "being" with his family, and takes his role within the family very seriously.
The illustrations are wonderful--very warm and loving. The text is easy and my daughter loves to say some of the phrases as we read together.
The dictionary and definitions at the end of the book are so well written. Words are defined in easy to understand ways. This author clearly understands how children think.
My daughter and I give this book two thumbs up!

Murphy Dog is not just another fluffy book about dogs or animals. The story is an engaging tale of a real dog doing real dog things. As a special education teacher for first graders, I feel that this book is powerful because the text is rich, yet very easy to relate to. The illustrations transform this great book into an absolutely fabulous book. They enable children to feel Murphy Dog deep in their spirits. This book will give you immense satisfaction at the end of a long day. It is sure to be a book that will make your child plead for you to read "one more time." I personally can't wait for the next Murphy Dog book to be available.

The New York Yankees are the most popular and successful franchise in major league baseball history. They have boasted such legendary performers as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, and Reggie Jackson. Those great players and teams can all be found in The New York Yankee Encyclopedia, the most complete record of Yankee baseball ever published.

An in-depth volume that include statistics on every Yankee player and manager, more than 250 classic photos, chapters on different Yankee eras, rivalries, ball parks, and much more

The New York Yankees are the most popular and successful franchise in major league baseball history. They have boasted such legendary performers as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, and Reggie Jackson. Those great players and teams can all be found in The New York Yankee Encyclopedia, the most complete record of Yankee baseball ever published. From their humble beginnings in 1903 as the Highlanders through nine decades of unforgettable players, teams, and classic games, noted baseball author and historian Harvey Frommer has compiled everything about the history and lore of this fabled club in the one book no true Yankee fan can afford to be without.

Here is the ultimate reference for baseball's most storied team.The "Bronx Bombers" have won 35 American League pennants and 24 World Series championships, and have boasted such legendary performers as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, and Reggie Jackson. 250 photos.

I bask in the loveliness of being the fan of the baseball team of the millenium! The Yankees have won for three consecutive years and there is no stopping them! I have Yankee fever. I like a book that describes the history of this amazing team and its past accomplishments. I marvel at the fact that so many great players have been part of this team. I also enjoyed reading the stats of past players and the rookies. This is a book that every Yankees' fan should own. Go Yankees!

I still take this book out from our huge home library -- sorry, we have a lot of books -- to look at Kris'paintings and the subtle words that tell about her life.

Ricky was my first love. I was seven years old when I first heard him sing "Travellin' Man" and the family meant so much to me as a child. I know they weren't real now, and Rick and Kris' children are all grown and Ozzie and Harriet are long gone. But... Is Kris still painting? Where are you, Kris? Remember Saint Martin of Tours in Brentwood?

This book was received as a gift, after reading it I just could not put it down. It's true interest from start to finish, Kris did a great job with this book with alot of talent and love!

I recommend any Rick Nelson fan, get a copy and enjoy!!

There was a time when all of us and our mothers too were in love with Rick Nelson. But the one most in love with him was Kris Harmon, who became his wife in April 1963. She wrote a book about this life, and it is a book from which everyone can learn -- from her example, her words, and her artwork.

Rick Nelson brought rock music into the living rooms of America and made it acceptable. He was the teen idol of a generation - the Prince of Rock and Roll in the days when Elvis was the King. I am appalled that the kid at Starbuck's doesn't know who Rick Nelson is today.

Rick's fans have always criticized Kris for reasons I only partially understand. (Remember, they weren't wild about Yoko either.) For instance, Kris had a temper; Rick did not. His fans criticized her when she was with him on the road and when she was not. Kris and the kids always had to compete with the fans and his band for his attention. Rick liked being a father, but he was not home very often.

In 1981, she left the marriage and Rick reluctantly. Rick's sudden death in an airplane crash in December 1985 shocked the nation and left many people in addition to his family bereft for a long time. I attended a Tribute to him in 1993 in L.A. and was surprised at the number of people from all over the world who grieved his death as a personal loss.

In 1987, Kris was accused by her family of being an unfit mother at the time she sought treatment for pill and alcohol addiction. This is, unfortunately, a reason that keeps many women from seeking treatment when they need it. Asking for help takes courage; getting help means one will be a better mother. To be punished for it enrages me still. She discusses this time in her life without sparing the hurt.

The book has over 100 of her paintings in it and many poems. Some reviewers have called it a daybook, or journal, not a traditional autobiography. It is a memoir in the true meaning of the word -she has elevated her personal story to a more universal level.

When asked in an interview once how she feels about Rick now, she said something like, "I miss him. He was funny. We were friends and had fun. And I still miss him." After all those years of fights in court, the truth emerges.

Kris is building an extraordinary legacy. It is clear that she finds solace and salvation in her artwork and in New Mexico. She is, for the first time, being recognized as herself, not the daughter of someone famous, or the wife of someone famous, or the mother of someone famous - but for herself. And it is clear that she has learned that death ends a life, but not a relationship.

I always loved The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, especially when Kristin joined the cast in later years. This book is Kris's autobiography, a personal glimpse into her life and soul, and an in-depth look at the woman behind the actress on TV. A very gifted artist, Kris expresses herself through her paintings. I marveled at the detail in each work of art, examining each one and identifying the people and elements within. Also present are excerpts from her personal journal and poetry, many filled with sadness and poignancy reflecting Kris's struggles throughout her life. This book is largely a celebration, however, of the life of a very gifted artist. I hope Kris writes another book one day.

After watching a presentation about Rick Nelson's career on VH1, I was uncomfortable with the portrayal of Kristin Nelson. Curious about her, I purchased a copy of, "Our Of My Mind." What an interesting book! Through the use of her paintings, poems, photographs, and diary entries, she recalls her life.
A victor over her personal struggles, a successful single mother, and a talented artist, one can only admire her.

Even though I use oil and acrylics I can use a lot of the techniques in this book. A awesome reading.

I have started back into drawing since I have retired and have been working in pen and ink and have discovered this book. It is a great aid in my work. I review it all the time and have used it to help me get back into the swing of things. Great book!!!!

Excellent book with clear instructions,many illustrations to follow and am looking forward to a trip to the countryside to draw some old buildings.I am sure all art studentts will find this book extremely helpful.

I really love this one.It has helped me understand alot about drawing and painting in watercolor.

I am a budding watercolorist and this is a great reference book on technique and application. I find inspiration in the illustrations and cannot wait to apply them to my next drawing/painting.
Full of step-by-step illustrations and explanations. Love it.

The main feature of this book is its 150 photographs taken by photographer Evelyn Cameron in eastern Montana during the years of its earliest settlement, first by ranchers in the late 19th century and then by streams of homesteaders in the early decades of the 20th century. In the latter regard, it is an excellent companion to Jonathan Raban's "Bad Land." Most amazing is the vast range of photographs, including family portraits, group shots of cowboys, threshers, and sheep shearers, ranch buildings, open prairie, wild life, store fronts, wild horses, herds of sheep and cattle, badlands, social gatherings, and farm equipment.

We get glimpses into the lives of the wealthy and the dirt poor. None of the photographs were shot in a studio, and taken together they represent a broad sweep of frontier life across a handful of decades. The text provides a detailed life of the photographer herself, a remarkably spirited and self-sufficient English woman who has left us this marvelous and revealing record of a time long passed.

This work is a treasure. Evelyn Cameron and her husband, born into English society, established a ranch in eastern Montana early in the development of that part of the west. A need for additional income and a love of photography lead Evelyn to produce a large number of high quality photographs. Those photographs represent a historical archive of enormous value. The photos show the people of the time, how they made a living, and the tools that they used. My personal favorite is a photo Evelyn took of herself in her kitchen; she sent it to relatives in England to show them her life on the Montana frontier. It was a life of hardship, but also of achievement. The quality of Cameron's work is the equal of other great western photographers of the era, such as Jackson or Huffman, and it records a side of life not represented by anyone else. There is a balance in this book between text and reproduced photographs. It is a biography of Evelyn Cameron, including excerpts from her journals, as well as an exhibition of her photographs. A museum and gallery in Terry, Montana, is a repository of Evelyn Cameron's work and the total number of photographs is several times what this book is able to present. One hopes that other volumes of Cameron's photos will be published in the near future.

I live in the area of the photographer's subjects, and totally enjoyed the book and its' subject. The photographs, along with Evelyn Cameron's diary accounts of daily happenings, gave a captivating decription of what many of our homesteading ancestors endured. This is very enjoyable reading for anyone.

Evelyn Cameron left her English home to become a rancher in Montana in the late 1800s: she used her photography skills to help support her family, and captured Montana life in the process. Photographing Montana gathers photos which portray early Montana life and deserves a spot in any Montana history collection as well as in art libraries seeking examples of regional photographic talent. Excerpts from her diaries and letters include plenty of autobiographical insights.

This book, by Time-Life books editor Donna Lucey, has some very interesting photographs of Montana, taken about halfway between the Lewis and Clark expedition of two hundred years ago and today. Yes, the early 1900s were right in the middle of Evelyn Cameron's career.

Cameron, nee Flower, was one tough and talented lady. She moved to Montana with her husband Ewen, going there initially in 1889, on a hunting trip for their honeymoon. I found the stories and pictures of life in Montana fascinating. Much of the book deals with the growth of Terry, a town in the eastern part of the state, on the Yellowstone river.

At the time, the Kodak camera was the instrument of choice for most American photographers, however Cameron did much of her work with a 5x7 Graflex. There are dozens of her photos in this book.

Although Cameron died in 1928, Lucey was lucky enough to obtain many of Cameron's photos from one of Cameron's friends, Janet Williams, who was 95 years old by the time Lucey met her in August of 1979.

In 2002, PBS began shooting a documentary about Cameron, and it was released last year. It includes over 200 of Cameron's photos (over 100 of which are not in this book), and it won four regional Emmy awards. It was the first high-definition documentary for Montana PBS.

I recommend this book.

Among the lighter and more overlooked sorrows of living in a post-terroristic era of conflict is all of the fun that could once be had, but no more, like - arguably - everything that takes place in this engrossing and extremely, extremely funny book, but one in particular: cleaning out one's refrigerator by mailing everything rotten (there's a way to do this with no postage, though you'll have to read this book to find out, and if you were to try it now, you'd have 10 SWAT teams on your doorstep in 36 hours or less) to everyone who might have ever annoyed you in some way.

Sigh...

Read this book, and I promise you'll never forget it.

-David Alston

This is the ultimate prankster handbook, an inspirational guide to mischief and mayhem. It is one of those books you can read bit by bit as there is a lot of material to absorb (not that you couldn't read it all at once, but it's like a rich cheesecake, you will want to savour each bite instead of gorging). The interviews are of varied allurement, some yielding more elation than others, but then you can't please everyone all of the time. Some of the stories told seem almost too wild to be real, until you see the accompanying photographs or news clippings and realize that some people have far better stories to tell than you or I ever will. And they aren't kidding, either.
Definitely makes my top 5 must-have "non-fiction or reference" books.

I lost my first copy of this in Nags Head in 1993. That's OK, it should be shared with as many people as possible because the pages are filled with shocking, playful, silly pranks from a host of prank 'generes.' A guy blows himself up at a high school reunion, another paints american flags on snails and on and on and. The books seems to capture a pre-PC time also: the 1980s.

What fun! This book is packed with great interviews with people who like to make trouble. All are amusing and all are inspiring. My personal favorites are the Henry Rollins and the Earth First! interviews. The Rollins interview makes me laugh just thinking about it, and the Earth First! interview is exciting to read. It makes me itch to go out and prank away. An excellent and informative read.

I love this book. I thought I was the only weirdo out there, but this book inspires me to be weirder. Great interviews with Dead Kennedy singer Jello Biafra, Abbie Hoffman and Henry Rollins. One of the few books I pick up weekly, even though I've read it from cover to cover many times. Still cracks me up.

This book is a must for all people of all ages. Whether your a Chuck Norris fan or not. As one review put it, he lays his emotions and home life on the table. I found it so intriguing that I couldn't put the book down for long periods of time, because I wanted to know more. This book has begun to open my eyes to look inside myself. I'm so motivated that I am going to get his second inner strength book about ZEN! This book is easy to read and he is an inspiring teacher. It's so good that I don't want to give the book up!

I have seen Chuck Norris interviewed on several TV shows and he comes across as a very soft spoken shy man, yet you can tell he has a very powerful inner strength. In his career he has helped countless young people who doubted themselves to pick themselves up from despair and a feeling of uselessness and to believe in themselves and to do something great with their lives. He cares for his fellow man and has given of himself when he didn't have to. This book allows you to see inside his heart and to see and feel the struggles he has gone through and conquered. Chuck Norris is a Winner and so is this book. It is definitely a must read. Someone should do a movie on his life! He started at the bottom (he failed his first black belt test) and came out on top.

I like action movies, and TV. Chuck Norris is reliable and delivers in his films. But this book reveals a depth of character that seems to be depressiongly rare in the entertainment business.

In the end, Mr. Norris is an optimist.

He thinks that things will eventually work out OK.
He thinks that people can overcome adversity.
H thinks that people can succeed if they really apply thmeselves.

But he notes that success is rarely easy. Persistence and attitude are everything, and that strong character is essential. What are the elements of a strong character? According to Chuck Norris, they include the same qualities that The Boy Scouts and other institutions which claim to build character stress: Honesty, bravery, humility, humor, loyalty, commitment to truth, learning, duty, assissting others, etc.

If this book has a cental falw, it is the long (and often tedious) sections detailing some of Mr. Norris' films. But woven in wiht the narratives are some excellent insights into the value of strong character.

In the value free world of entertainment and media, Chuck Norris is not afraid or ashamed to state that "right" and "wrong" are valid and applicable concepts. He gives several concreate examples to express his life philosophy and the validity thereof. Being didactic and judgemental are often frowned upon in media, entertainment, and publishing. But Norris makes a case 9with anecdotes and examples) that sound judgements premised or rooted upon well-formed values, are a positive thing.

In the end, a portrait emerges of a man shaped by his values, not his past. And Chuck Norris had a very hard start in life. But he decided that he would not fall into despair; instead, he would rise above expectations, and succeed.

I can recommend this book for many reasons. THe two main reasons I do so are that it dispels the cyncial belief that honesty and good values are no longer worth anything. And in the end, Chuck Norris' life story serves as an inspirational motivator; to go out and make something of oneself.

This is a very positive book, and one I highly recommend.

I thought I knew Chuck Norris before buying this book. But what I found was nothing that I ever expected. Chuck had a hard life and had health problems that he had to over come, talk about bad luck, nothing came easy for him, not even being born! If you are into self improvement or want a really inspiring story, buy this book and read it over and over again, the knowledge contained is great. It has a whole system of self development contained within, I have so much to say on this book, but read it for yourself, it's worth every penny!

Martial arts and film buffs will enjoy this book, which is a straightforward autobiography (written with the assistance of Joe Hyams). Be forwarned that this book was published in 1988 (at least my hardcover version), so the filmography doesn't cover his more recent works.

Norris describes his experiences from childhood, to the time spent in the armed forces, where he originally took up the matrial art of Tang Soo Do under Jae-chul Shin (who today runs the World Tang Soo Do Association).

This volume describes Norris's tournament days, including quite a bit about his competition experiences. There is also information about his family life, his entry into film making during his time as a karate (Tang Soo Do) instructor, and his experiences as a self-made actor in Hollywood. Throughout, he is honest as he describes his triumphs and mistakes.

Chuck Norris is the quintessential all-American guy who worked his tail off, took a big gamble, and came out on top. This book describes his journey from average joe, to martial arts instructor, to professional film star. This book includes two sections of photographs which show Norris from childhood, with family, in the services, in karate competition, and during the filming of his movies.

Books with serious data on old Karate-do Masters' biography are not common, unfortunately. This one comes right to hit this spot. Learning Karate-do is far from being only punching and kicking. We need to learn and exercise other aspects, as already said by the Masters Nagamine presents in this book: philosophical, moral and historical aspects. Knowing the history, you know better your Karate-do. In addition, this book presents some peculiar aspects of Okinawan history and tradition (dance, Tegumi wrestling, etc.) and Nagamine's view of "Karate and Zen as one", presenting Zazen theory and exercises to complete the book in great style.

This book is a great read.

Valuable information on the early pioneers of karate, and important insights into their lives. This book is well written and exciting to read. I would say it is like reading fiction, but that belittles the historical accuracy of many of the accounts.

This book written by one of Okinawas legendary Masters and translated by one of Karate's leading authors is simply a masterpiece of writing. It gives detailed accounts of Okinawas early Te-Tode-Tuite Masters many of whom have never been written about before. It's a much more indepth account than Richard Kims Weaponless Warriors, not to knock Kim, and well worth the price. Lots of pictures and lots of info.

I highly recommend this book to all practioners of the Martial Art of Karate. Exploring not only his personal lineage but that of all the original styles of karate founded and developed on Okinawa, Shoshin Nagamine provides a great work and a first hand account of many of the mentioned Masters.
It is nice to know that historically correct information is starting to come out about the true origins of karate and of its' founders. It is also nice that a little bit of myth also surrounds those same founders. Shoshin Nagamine does well to dispell those myths.
By knowing and understanding truth from the past we grow today and prepare for the future. This reviewer is glad that Patrick McCarthy translated this work for the world to read.
Buy the book.

Shoshin Nagamine (1907 - 1997) was the founder of Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do. He wrote The Essence of Okinawan Karate-Do, another valuable tome, in addition to this book. Practicing his art for more than 70 years, he achieved the rank of Hanshi (10th dan black belt) in karate and also earned black belts in judo, kendo, and sumo. He was president of the Okinawan Police Station, served as police chief of Naha City, and as an instructor of police judo teams in Okinawa, Japan. The guy not only knew his stuff, but was one heck of a good researcher. His insight into the titans of Okinawan martial arts is fascinating, a "must read" for any serious martial artist. Patrick McCarthy's translations are extraordinary. The book is a quick, easy read, coming across as if it had been written by a native English speaker. McCarthy even translates haiku into poetic, user-friendly English.

Nagamine Sensei spent a lifetime researching the budoka covered in his book. He trained and/or talked with some of them personally, interviewing the relatives and students of those who have passed on. He artfully portrays the exploits of Tode Sakugawa, Sokon Matsumura, Kosaku Matsumora, Anko Itosu, Gichin Funakoshi, Chotoku Kyan, Choki Motobu, Kanryo Higaonna and Ankichi Arakaki, to name a few, cutting through the fables and exaggerated legends to get to the truth.

The only drawback is that it does not include a glossary or index, so you will probably want to take notes as you peruse it. My copy is battered, dog-eared, and covered with sticky notes. An extraordinary tome, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.


Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, The Way of Kata, and Martial Arts Instruction