Sports and Recreation Books

There are so few books out there that give a realistic look at a professional groom's life. If you've ever considered becoming a groom or even going into the pro-horse world, this book is an amazing investment. Nusser gives almost every type of information you could want, including typical pay, benefits, housing, and insights into the personalities and habits of the grooms. It follows three pro grooms: a woman who just wants to learn everything she can, a woman who is wishes she was winning the medals, not grooming the horses, and a man who works for the money. Though it's non-fiction, it's written like a story and you can't help but be draw in. This is one of my top five favorite books - I can't impress on you how much you should buy it.

Follows the grooms in 3 areas of horse sport: eventing (grooms of the O'Connors), show jumping (of Anne Kursinski), and racing (of the breeding stallions at Lane's End). Very interesting, and for the most part not too dumbed down or inaccurate.

The stuff about Parelli got to be very annoying-this was back when the O'Connors were actually fans of him. The author seemed to be a bit too impressed with the man.

Some history of the horse was mixed in, as well as plenty of stuff about each discipline. It was very interesting to see how the horses were treated by each group of grooms. For example, the race horse grooms didn't seem to have a ton of affection for their charges and were very pragmatic. The O'Connor's grooms thought of "their" horses almost as if they were their pets or kids. Also enjoyed seeing the true lives of these people: long days, hard work, little pay, not much time for other people in your life.

Don't recommend this book for young kids: Some bad language, references to drugs and sex. Also some graphic scenes in the breeding shed of Lane's End. But for adults, this is an informative, entertaining read that doesn't make riding and horses out to be glamorous (unlike many horse books today). Nice book for the 99% of horse owners who do their own work, and for those that want to see what goes on in high-caliber equestrian operations. And it really makes you respect these incredibly hard-working people who get relatively little credit for any wins.

This book will certainly give you an appreciation for the hard work grooms put into caring for "their" horses, as well as the difficulty proffessionals have in finding and keeping gooms. Grooming is often a thankless job (more often than not, unfortunately!), with long hours and hard work, as well as little to no time off, but most people are unaware of this fact, even many horse enthusiasts. It's nice to see the grooms get the attention they deserve, as well as being an enlightening look into the world of professional riding.

My only qualm is that the book reads like a 200 page newspaper article, not like a novel. The writing (especially the tense of the writing), distances the reader from getting into the "story". Nonetheless, it's a worthwhile read for anyone interested in horse care or professional riding. Those with only a casual interest in horses or without any real experience in showing or stable management may want to look elsewhere for a book, but those with a working knowlegde of horse care and terminology will find this an interesting read.

This book left me thinking about grooming and a grooms life for days after I read it. Straight forward, with lovely descriptive passages about the things grooms do and are, it reads easily and quickly--and is over too soon. Nice too, that it parallels three types of grooms: racing, jumper, and three day. Well done.

What more can you ask of a book? When first I picked out this book, it was with the intention of learning about the world of a professional horse groom. What I did not count on was learning all about that and so very much more. I would not have given the equine sport called Three Day Eventing a second thought before reading this book. This author describes it so brilliantly & colorfully, I could not wait to turn each page to, as they say, "find out what happens next". It is the true account of this groom's daily life in the professional stables of World Olympic Champions David & Karen O'Conner. Many other well-recognized names at the top of the horse world are featured as well, as this skilled writer takes you on an intimate journey few spectators are ever privey to. This honest & intrigueing portrait of life at the top of the equine world is one that no horse enthusiast should miss. However you feel about the sport of Three Day Eventing, this honest & compassionate portrait will engross you page after page. The sheer strength & beauty of the writing made this book a joy to read.

I received the first edition as a present at Christmas 1977 from my mother, a pioneering 1940's skier who hung up her skis long ago. I had just come from living 2 years in Grenoble and I was a pretty good "technique" skier. I looked at the title and cover, thought to myself "Oh great, more Zen mumbo jumbo from the 'hot tub - peacock feathers - I'm so into myself' set", thanked her politely, and shoved the book into my ski dufflebag and promptly forgot about it. A few weeks later, I was eating breakfast in my little Tahoe cabin, and I cracked the book open and read the first twenty pages. Those pages resonated with me all day on the slopes -- when I got home, I spent the entire evening and half the night with the book. As other reviewers have said, it forever changed my skiing life and even spilled over into my "real" world life as well. Since this book really is "Zen and the Art of Skiing", I'll stop here because the first rule of Zen is it cannot be explained in words, only in the doing. In the past 30 years, I have given this book as a gift several times, with always the same rather earth-shaking positive reaction. I'm here at Amazon to pick up a copy for my teenage son (can't find my old dog-eared copy, but it's around somewhere). I recommend this book for any age and any level of skiing, from beginner to "everyone watches when s/he comes down the hill". If you're a beginner, you'll avoid a lot of "noise" in getting to the pleasure of skiing. If you're an expert, you'll marvel at how much additional pleasure you can get from skiing just by eliminating some baggage. And, like me, you'll become an Inner Skiing evangelist, spreading this book around like Johnny Skiing-seed. Buy the book -- you're in for a real treat!

A selection of phrases that come to mind after reading this book - well written, insightful, down to earth, will definitely help my skiing. I will read this again and again. The light bulb above the head went on !

Have his original edition. Thought the new edition would contain new info. Does - but small print. All his books are excellent.

I can only recommend this book. I have been fighting fear on the slopes for three years. This book seems to have freed me of fear. Thanks a lot!

Unlike most of the ski books I read, this book helped me zero in on my attitudes-- all the little mental numbers I did on myself while trying to improve or just enjoy skiing. It helped me focus on areas I had problems with, without heaping criticism on myself. It changed the way I learned by teaching me constructive things to replace that inner critic with. "You look so loose and relaxed," an instructor who had worked with me before commented. This book shows you how to allow yourself to learn unencumbered by fears. Things I read here helped me when I learned to inline skate, and pavement is a lot rougher than snow.

The Inner Structure of Tai Chi: Mastering the Classic Forms of Tai Chi Chi Kung
By Mantak Chia and Juan Li

I highly recommend this book for any tai chi student. It is a great introduction to the inner workings of internal energy and gives plenty of practice for more advanced students. It presents understandings of how to cultivate chi and make it work for you. The diagrams are simple and as easy to understand as presentation of this material allows.

Pyramid Michael has been a tai chi instructor since 1985, student of tai chi chuan since 1981, and student of the "life force" since 1972.

THE LISTED PRICES FOR USED COPIES OF THIS BOOK ARE RIDICULOUS -- FROM $149! IT CAN BE BOUGHT FOR $15.95 AT http://www.universal-tao.com.

Mantak Chia's books are all detailed and well-organized. Although this book didn't teach me much, it did confirm
a vast amount of information that my Tai Chi instructor
has been trying to pass onto me. It's nice to get a second opinion!

For those who took a Tai Chi class at the YMCA or community
college and aren't sure whether you got legitimate instruction
in traditional Tai Chi concepts or not, this is a great book to
find out with! For beginners looking for a good teacher, this

is a good guide. For experienced practitioners, it seems more a review, but I picked up a pearl or two, and as we all know, sometimes you can attend a weekend seminar for just one new insight!

Looking at it scientifically, Chia very effectively describes
what I have been taught is the proper way to practice Tai Chi.
How to hold the various parts of your body, where force/qi
should be exerted, how to think about your internal structure or
posture when practicing Tai Chi. From what I can tell, many people who study Tai Chi do not learn these fundamental concepts (do not confuse fundamental with easy-- these concepts are easy to read, but are difficult to practice).

Chia gives general principles first. Body structure, breathing, meditation/qi circulation practices. This is the best part of the book. He then describes several different ways to practice Tai Chi, focusing on different elements each time. This is so true! There is so much to perfect in Tai Chi, it's almost impossible to work on all of them at the same time! You pick one element, practice it until you get it better, then pick another... and on and on. Then Chia gives specifics for individual postures. However...

Chia gives a very short sequence-- a Tai Chi Qigong form that is quite simple, so that you can concentrate more on structure, qi meditation, and less on memorizing the sequence of postures. The form is essentially Yang family style in terms of the postures/movements presented. Unfortunately, this cuts out many postures you might find even in the Yang Short (24 movement) Form, so you don't get Chia's interpretation for structure for a lot of the classic, well-known postures found in the short form. That's unfortunate, because reading his description of the individual movements was quite helpful, and reading his decription for all the movements would make this a better, more comprehensive book. Based on his catalog, it seems Chia practices the Yang long form or a variant thereof. How about a book, Mr. Chia?

Overall, a nice book that I will re-read and refer to as I continue to progress in my practice. Highly recommended!

A Taoist master reveals the deep internal practices needed to become one with the Tao through movement exercises practiced by millions. Tai Chi was originally less a martial arts form and more an expression of spirituality: THE INNER STRUCTURE OF TAI CHI: MASTERING THE CLASSIC FORMS OF TAI CHI CHI KUNG covers both movements and their links to the spiritual forces in life, covering both physical and psychological aspects of tai chi in a revealing manual.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Over the last 25 years of so, my students and I have derived a great deal from a careful study of Mantak Chia's written works, and have had the great good fortune to work with several of his senior students.

Not only do most of his methods work very well, but much of his material has not been published elsewhere, except in some works in Chinese. I learned a few of the same exercises while studying in China and I was told that they came from oral traditions. That tends to give more credence to Mantak Chia's teachings. For example, one of the things that he emphasizes is the use of spiral "energy," that is not much mentioned in many books on Tai Chi and Qigong.

Tai chi was developed as both a martial art and a way to cultivate the physical body, subtle systems and spirit. People are often incredulous when they see the slow movements and hear that it is the basis of a martial art. But I have seen experts do some quite extraordinary things with Tai Chi: the key is the development and retention of internal "energy." I put quotes around the word energy, because it isn't really an accurate translation of the word "qi." Which is better translated as "influence." I have commented elsewhere that it's a bit of a misnomer to talk about "energy." This is not a semantic point, but rather something that can be very helpful in practice, particularly when using tai Chi for health and healing.

I prefer to use the term subtle "systems," to be a little more precise than saying "energies," for these subtle systems are composed of the inseparable twins:
1. Subtle energies and
2. The subtle fields that carry them.
Without energy the fields could not actualize, and without the fields, there would be nothing to carry the energy.

This book is full of excellent examples of how to stimulate and strengthen these subtle systems. Some other meditative practices, like kundalini, are not good at retaining the forces that you generate with these practices. Mantak Chia once said that kundalini yoga was a great way to heat a room!

There is a limit to how far you can go in Tai Chi and Qigong without a teacher, but this book will take you much further than most, and if you are already engaged in either type of practice, the book will give you a lot of helpful pointers.

This allowed me to do my own cursory review to determine if a boat warranted further consideration. Getting an inspection is costly. This books allows you to rule some boats out on your own.

Don Casey writes in a very understandable style and the text is full of helpful illustrations. This book gives you a lot of ideas of what to look for when you're first starting to shop. A survey is expensive, and if you can identify a lemon before you get to that point, you'll save yourself 10 times the cost of this book in time, heartache and money. And if you're not getting a survey, it may save you even more.

I'm in the market for an older sailboat. I'm not interested in spending the kind of money that many spend on their sailboats. This necessitates buying an older boat. This book is full of just the kinds of information that someone needs to make that purchase without regretting it. It covers everything you need to understand before making the purchase of an aging sailboat. I'm looking forward to using the information herein very soon. It is full of diagrams and illustrations that really provide an insight into what the book is saying.

I highly recommend this book to anyone in the market for a used fiberglass sailboat.

A great little, well illustrated book that will aid any prospective buyer of an old or even new yacht. If you're thinking about buying a yacht it can be too easy to fall in love and see straight through some rather serious faults. This book will guide you through all the obvious and not so obvious signs of use and abuse, poor workmanship and design, giving you an informed opinion as to whether or not to call a proffesional serveyor or forget it and keep saving for a new boat - I think I'll keep saving. Maybe they should retitle it 'Inspecting the hole in the sea you throw money into' - Jokes aside, highly recommended.

This book is very easy to read and understand. When I wanted a book about surveying fiberglass boats, I was intimidated by the thought of 100s of pages of technical text. Luckily I bought this book. It includes many illustrations which added greatly. As informative as it is, it is also very quick to read. I found it a great coach to help me do my own non-professional survey.

I also have Mustin's book about surveying. Also good but it is more laborious to get through. I read both books a good 3 times each before I survey about 4 different boats, and I really felt confident that I knew what I was doing.

I am a fan of Don Casey's books. They are informative and easy to understand for the DIY person with limited experience.

Great book. A must for anyone interested in Japanese Sword Fighting, Ninjutsu, or Budo Taijutsu.

This book is awsome!!! it not only shows you how to do difforent moves in japenes sword fighting but it also teaches you the backround or history of the sword style what the difforent swords are called and it teaches you at least 5 moves for each difforent one. All around this was a very good book and i'm glad i found it.

One of the reviewers of this book used the fact that Soke's creative use of the Japanese language was the source of much of his wisdom. For those interested in language then this description would seem sufficient.

I would suggest to the would-be reader however, that Hatsumi-sensei is first and foremost a budoka and the source of his 'wisdom' stems from his martial art. Soke himself has written that it is his understanding of martial arts that allows him to successfully perform other arts. It is encumbent on the reader, certainly for those who are students of the Bujinkan, to see this book from the perspective of the martial arts.

This book is another testament to the persistance and creativity of Hatsumi-sensei. Forever finding the next step, Soke is always able to continue and, in his own words, 'keep going'. This book is a MUST for any student of Hatsumi-sensei's Bujinkan art.

Informatively written by renowned Budo and Ninja grandmaster Masaaki Hatsumi and ably translated into English by Bruce Appleby and Doug Wilson, Japanese Sword Fighting: Secrets Of The Samurai is an in-depth manual about the skill and art of traditional Japanese sword fighting. Black-and-white photographs by Minoru Hirata and Kyuzo Akashi copiously illustrate methods of drawing and resheathing swords, and sword strikes and cuts, while the skillfully translated text delves into the philosophical and spiritual aspects of swordsmanship as surely as the martial arts and physical aspects. Illustrations of traditional samurai dress and full armor, and an appendix of the original Japanese text round out Masaaki Hatsumi's Japanese Sword Fighting, a truly "must-have" manual for Japanese swordsmanship enthusiasts.

Relatively little has been written covering Samurai sword fighting techniques: here ninja grandmaster provides both a history of the art of Japanese swordplay, rich in biographical surveys and cultural insight, and a survey of classical techniques used in two-sword fighting. Vintage and modern black and white photos and illustrations pack an account that blends step-by-step how-to photos with calligraphy, description, biographies, and background history. A 'must' for any serious not just about Japanese sword fighting, but Japanese culture and history as a whole.

I would rekemand this book to ennyone who loves football. Esspeshly the raiders. I love al davis and Jim otto and this book tells a tale of both. Kudos to the author. Wow!

THIS BOOK IS ABOUT ONE OF THE TOUGHEST PLAYERS OF ALL TIME. JIM OTTO WAS TRULY A MAN DEDICATED TO HIS PASSION. HE PLAYED THRU SO MANY INJURIES THAT WOULD HAVE KILLED MANY CAREERS. HIS DESCRIPTION OF HIS MANY KNEE INJURIES HAD ME WINCING AND MY KNEES WERE HURTING JUST READING ABOUT THE PAIN HE ENDURED THRU OUT HIS CAREER. AN AMAZING MAN WITH SUCH A TOLERANCE FOR PAIN. HIS RETELLING OF EARLY RAIDER DAYS WAS VERY NOSTALGIC. I ENJOYED HIS COMMENTS ABOUT LYNN SWANN AND VARIOUS OTHER FORMER PLAYERS AND OWNERS. A MUST READ FOR ALL RAIDER FANS AND FOR FANS WHO LIKED PLAYERS WHO WERE AS TOUGH AS NAILS.

Jim Otto's injuries have left him a pitiful cripple, in constant pain, who can't do even the simplest physical tasks that normal people take for granted. He will probably die soon from their aftereffects, in fact should have died from them several times already. We know this because he says so, while matter-of-factly stating that, if he had it to do over again, he would do things exactly the same?! I don't get it, and even if I did get it I wouldn't approve of it--if there is anything worth putting yourself through this kind of hell for, it is surely not the fleeting "glory" of the football field. In spite of, or maybe because of, all this, the book is endlessly readable and interesting--his hardcore masochism holds the same kind of strange fascination that makes people watch car wrecks (and football games, I suppose). It helps that Otto comes across as very likable, even admirable in his way--honest, conscientious, and of course dependable. Even if at times he seems to be rather, um, stupid.

Reviewer: Bisoneyes from Redditch, Worcestershire United Kingdom
Jim Otto. The Pain of Glory is a book that covers Otto's life to date, but pays particular attention to the early years of the storied NFL club the Oakland Raiders.

Beginning with his poor childhood in rural Wisconsin, the book tracks Otto's progression to college, and on to the NFL. It outlines Otto's determination to succeed when all about him were telling him he was too small to play college football at the centre position, let alone go on to the Pro game.

Once at the Raiders the book highlights the painful beginnings for the club, and the struggles Otto overcame to become an All Pro centre. Otto's obvious love for the club and for its owner Al Davis shine through the pages. Along with this Otto highlights the key players with whom he played football with and tells some great stories about the likes of Ben Davidson, Kenny Stabler and other Raider greats.

He speaks out in the book against the modern NFL and the attitude of the player and their agents. He rages against the inclusion of players he consider unworthy of selection to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but whose busts stand side by side with his. Finally he lambasts the NFL who called him a liar.

Most movingly though Otto speaks of the 'Pain of Glory'. About the untold operations he has had on his once primed body, which is now giving up on him as he pays for the success he enjoyed in ways he probably never thought of. This section is an emotional, insightful and tragic commentary on professional football.

In summary 'The Pain of Glory' is a superb reflection on an exemplorary career. Its a must read for all Raiders fans, and those interested in the NFL.

A very straight forward book by Jim Otto. There is a price when one wants to achieve or aspire to achieve glory on the gridiron. Jim Otto is that person and he candidly tells us what he was willing to sacrifice to reach that plateau. For the Raider fan at heart, or a football fan in general, this is the book to read.

I have owned this book since it came off of the presses and thoroughly enjoy the collection of stories as told by the 24 featured Kenpoists.

Kenpo Karate is a longer and harder Journey, I think, for a martial artist. There is a head-ful (and a half) of information you must learn in order to get through the belt ranking system. What it inevitably teaches you, though, is that you do what it takes to perfect each step you're learning. THAT is the true Journey.

This attitude applies to your own every day life, also. It makes for a more open minded person in the end. A lifetime scholar.

These Masters (all of them, regardless of their rank) share their personal Journey. It is NOT a learning manual.

The true-to-life portraits by Ed Parker, Jr. are beautifully drawn. The personal photos give us insight into days gone by.

I have used it as an autograph book and have most of the pictures signed, and all other spaces signed by other Martial Artists.

Only so many of this book was printed, and from what I've heard, that's it. If you are balking at the price here, you will soon be left out of owning a great book!

The usual trip to a marital arts book section reveals an overabundance of books on how to disarm a knife attacker, how to punch a board in two, how to throw a two hundred pound attacker, how to immobilize an opponent, but seldom, except for the life and times of Bruce Lee, do we find stories on the experts themselves. Tom Bleecker and Joe Hyams have collected the stories of twenty-four prominent kenpoists, two of whom are female, and all of whom are in some way connected to Ed Parker, the founder of American Kenpo. Hyams has interviewed each of the featured black belts, allowed them the opportunity to redline but not to add to their stories before including the material, rewritten in an easy-to-read narrative style, to the book.

What emerges from reading this book are personal statements of each individual's journey toward his or her individual enlightenment. These are strongly narrative and autobiographical, with pauses to discuss issues important to each of the martial artists. What also emerges is a broad, general understanding of the kenpo/karate movement in America. We see the growth of kenpo from its earliest Asian and Hawaiian beginnings and Parker's introduction to it. The first chapter is historically interesting, for most of us prior to 1960 had little or no knowledge of martial arts beyond the existence of judo in the Japanese American communities and some quiet suspicions of secret Chinese boxing societies deep in Chinatown.

The late fifties and early sixties were years when esoteric arts like aikido were introduced into Hawaii, kendo reappeared in Seattle and Los Angeles, and in Seattle Bruce Lee moved into Ruby Chow's and one day appeared on the University of Washington campus, to give the first of several kung-fu demonstrations after having spent several years teaching the art to a small group of Seattle students circa 1961. Ten years before Bruce surfaced in Seattle, Parker was already studying and planning to open American Kenpo schools.

Through this book, we understand and appreciate Parker's role in the growth of martial arts in the late 50's and early 60's, before he founded the first Long Beach International Tournament. We see the positive influence of Parker on his many students, now elders of the school themselves, whose stories verify the notion that being involved in the martial arts is a life changing experience.

These elder statesmen candidly describe themselves as troubled, angry, or confused youths in search of the men they would grow to be. In the background we see how the American style of martial arts has been a fluid, growing, dynamic system that grew complex, and has been simplified to its basics, depending upon the individual stylist and his approach to the art. We understand that these are men and women searching for a way to contribute their knowledge and skill to improve kenpo and its teaching, and who have found ways to contribute to the society with which they were at odds during their youth. The women discuss how Kenpo has challenged them and given them confidence. Doreen Cogliandro quotes the other woman, Dian Tanaka, " Wouldn't you rather be considered the 99th best black belt on the mat than have someone say you're the best female out there?"

Some are teachers like Bob White, who has a reputation for creating martial artists who win tournaments, or Chuck Sullivan and others who worked with Parker to create new ways to teach the art. Others, like Frank Trejo, have used their art in helping the less successful and the disabled. Trejo worked with the Lincoln School for disabled Children. He says, "I've seen Kenpo change their lives-physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, and spiritually -- Kenpo has made a difference." Sean Kelly has worked with the Guardian Angels, a work which has "taken on a sense of civil and moral responsibility that goes beyond my immediate family." Bryan Hawkins co-founded Martial Arts for Peace, and Dennis Conatser has been involved with the Boy Scouts.

Others have earned their living from Kenpo. Jeff Speakman has been the most successful of the kenpoists in films, but others have had brief celluloid moments, including Parker, Dian Tanaka, Chuck Sullivan, and Stephen LaBounty. I think I saw Steve Muhammad briefly in the opening sequences of Enter the Dragon. Muhammad, and Sullivan have done police work, and Dave Hebler worked as Elvis Presley's bodyguard. And, of course, all have earned food, room, board and income from teaching the art.
While there is little discussion of techniques, there are interesting discussions about the yin/yang of martial arts, of developing speed as described by both Paul Mills (as a fast draw specialist) and Larry Tatum. Dian Tanaka talks about forms competitions and what competitors can do to draw the eye of the judges.

The book's appetizer and dessert feature an early recollection of Bruce Lee by Hyams and concludes with a segment on Elvis Presley. Bruce Lee met Parker shortly after leaving Seattle, and Joe Hyams' personal experiences in training with Bruce are vividly described in the foreword We are reminded in the final chapter that Presley was thoroughly fascinated with karate and ended up training with Parker privately.

For those who know these men and women, the book is well worth reading. The general reader and neophyte kenpoist may well find inspiration in the words of those portrayed in the book's pages. I found it fascinating to read about the changes and development of the art, seeing it as an organic, growing, changing body of knowledge.

Whether you are a kenpoist, a martial artist of another style, or someone just looking for an inspirational story, this book is for you. Many of the masters from this book came from troubled childhoods. Others needed a push in the right direction in their lives. All at one time or another, they all found Ed Parker and discovered that kenpo isn't just about self defense, but its about the journey of life as well. An outstanding read for all.

Whenever I am feeling unmotivated to train I read a chapter or two of this book. Its like travelling back in time and being a fly on the wall in Ed Parkers dojo's. The most inspiring and motivating martial arts book I have ever read. You do not need to be a Kenpo stylist to enjoy it.

It doesn't make a difference if you practice Kenpo, the honest insights from these individuals are worth their weight in...platinum. This is not a hit here; strike this way book; however it is as bold and direct as a strike. You may not like all of the people in the book, their way of looking at the world, or you may just think Kenpo is not worth your time. However if you are a martial artist, this is a must read and a must have. If you don't have a profound respect for what Ed Parker has done, you will once you have read this book.

Excellent book for those that are intrested in the Historical development of Modern Karate and its evolution. This book has some of the orriginal katas and ideas that Funakoshi Sensei brought from Okanawa.

This is one of the best books for teaching martial arts the correct way. What you learn is realistically how to defend yourself from an attacker or a group of thugs. I studied it nearly ten years ago. Thanks to black belt karate I have not had anyone attack me since I was gang beatin in 1989. This book is the real way to learn the sport or art. WHAT A GREAT BOOK!

If you want to see the evolution of Okinawan Karate from Shuri-te into Shorin-Ryu, Shoto-Kan , and eventually Korean Tang Soo DO you need to have this book and also Karate-DO Kyohan. Then study Hwang Kees Two texts on Tang Soo Do vol 1 and 2 and you'll see Tang Soo Do is the Korean version of Shoto-Kan (which is nothing to be ashamed of). Even though the Koreans don't like to admit it, there's no question where Tang Soo Do's roots lie and it's not in a 2000 year old Korean art, or anything Mstr. Kee learned in China! You will also see the changes that evolved, from the High original stances of Okinawan karate (that Funakoshi was taught by Itosu), to the deeper and longer stances that later developed in shoto-kan (Karate-Do Kyohan), as well as many Shoto-isms particular to both styles such as Pinan 1 and 2 being reversed from Itosu's original order. You'll notice the single index finger knife hand blocks in Seishan Kata (which modern Shoto-kan no longer uses but Tang Soo Do still does, the commonality of the total kata and the overall simularity which is remarkable especially when Tang Soo Do's leaders and most Koreans refuse to admit it.

The above reviewer is correct. I bought Karate Jutsu and was not sure if it was the same as To-te Jutsu, so I went to the martial arts store and looked inside To-te Jutsu. The names are different because of the timing of when the book came out, I think? I think the name of Karate changed from Ryu Kyu Kempo, to To-te Jutsu, to Karate Jutsu? Although Karate Jutsu has fewer pages, it is because they fit 2 photos on one page instead of just one. If you are wondering if all 10 Katas from the To-te Jutsu are in Karate Jutsu, they are. In both books, the first 3 katas are fully illustrated and the other 7 are accompanied with 2-3 photos and the rest of the Kata described in detail. Although I liked To-te Jutsu's cover, I am very happy I bought Karate Jutsu. The binding is better and so is the wording. Please look at the reviews for Karate Jutsu, some of those reviews were very good.

In reading the book you learn that the first book published was only done so in a very limited number and that drawings were used to illustrate the techniques within the book. When the later version in 1925 was published, Master Funakoshi himself posed for photographs which were used in place of the original drawings, allowing a much more detailed look at the techniques. The version I have, the modern English version, still has these same photos of Funakoshi performing the techniques. It was from Rentan Goshin Karate Jutsu that Funakoshi much later expanded into the Karate Do Kyohan and his students were photographed performing the techniques. However, if you want to see karate as it looked when men such as Won Kuk Lee and others were learning it in Japan, you must see the book Rentan Goshin Karate Jutsu. I can't begin to emphasize enough the importance of this work to the historical understanding of the development of Tang Soo Do. I personally believe this book was one of those that Hwang Kee found to study in the 1930's in Seoul. While the original Ryukyu Kempo Karate was not widely disseminated (if you can find a copy it will be in Japanese and will be worth a fortune), the Rentan Goshin Karate Jutsu was widely disseminated through many printings and could readily have been available even in Korea during the time period. For those of us who have seen and had a chance to work with some older members of the Moo Duk Kwan, a glance at Funakoshi in these photos immediately impacts upon you the closeness with our style and what karate was like when Funakoshi was teaching in Japan in the late 1920's. Keeping in mind that only a decade before the Japanese had no knowledge of Karate and that it is considered that Funakoshi demonstrated the populace style of karate extant on Okinawa at the turn of the last century, and you can see the root of Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan as far back as the late 1800's. For this reason alone if no other I can't imagine a Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan decendant NOT having Karate Jutsu in their library. It should be kept right alongside "Tang Soo Do/Soo Bahk Do, Vol. 1".

John Hancock
President
International Tangsoodo Alliance

I was 16 when the Browns marched through the 1980 season as the Kardiac kids and I followed every game. Knights book brings back memories, many good and one bad.

History has put the season in perspective. Rutigliano recognized a bit faster than most in the NFL how the rules changes around the passing game meant the game itself was changing. Luckily he had Brian Sipe and a great group of receivers, including running backs like Calvin Hill who could catch. On offense the Browns had the right group to capitalize on the rules changes and on defense they really were quite average but made the best of what they had.

The book really sums up the season really well. Also for die hard 1980 fans, there is now a DVD available with one game from that season, (Greatest Games Series). It's the Green Bay game that Sipe hit Logan late for the game winner. I am not sure why they choose that game other than legal reasons, but watching the full game from beginning to end is a real pleasure and it does put into perspective that the 1980s team really was mediocre in many ways, but won because they were ahead of their times, and the credit for that season really lies squarely in the hands of Rutigliano.

I may have been born in 1979 but this book is a must-read for all Cleveland Browns fans. It is nearing the end of the 2004 season and things are not looking well but reading this book will help you get through tough times like these.

The author provides an accurate description of each and every 1980 game along with a nice prologue, epilogue and "Where are they now?" type information.

I will buy every book by Jonathan Knight!

I have to be truthful here. I really didn't like the book after reading it once. When I went back through it for a second time, I began to understand Knight's thought process when he put the book together, and even though some parts were tough to get through, I was glad I re-read it by the time I finished. If you don't know much about the famous Kardiac Kids, I'd recommend that you give it a thorough read. If you're a self-proclaimed Browns expert, check it out from a library somewhere.

THIS IS A VERY GOOD READ CONCERNING THE 1980 CLEVELAND BROWNS ON A ROLLER COASTER RIDE ON THEIR WAY TO THE PLAYOFFS. THE AUTHOR DOES A GOOD JOB RECALLING ALL THE EXCITING, FRUSTRATING AND DISAPPOINTING MOMENTS OF THIS MEMORABLE SEASON FOR THE BROWNS. HE COVERS HOW THE TEAM WAS PUT TOGETHER, INTERVIEWS FROM PLAYERS AND COACHES FROM THAT TEAM, AND GAME BY GAME REVIEW. ALSO COVERS DRUG ABUSE, TEAM COVERAGE OF PREVIOUS AND NEXT SEASONS. JONATHAN KNIGHT CERTAINLY DID A LOT OF RESEARCH AND RESULTS ARE A GREAT JOB. VERY RECOMMENDED.

i am 15 years old, and a browns fanatic. i am unfortunate enough to have not experienced the 1980 season firsthand. however, this book makes me feel as if i had. i picked it up because my dad would always tell me stories of how good they were and it made me want to be a part of it. it is very well written, blending accounts of the PD (clevelanders know what that is) with insights from the players and coaches. this is the best book about the brwns i have ever read, and aside from friday night lights, this is my favorite book of all time.

I'm 17 years old, but I remember having this book when I was little. This was my favorite book. It showed me how to sneak around and how to leave a glass of water upsidedown on a kitchen counter. These are still skills that I use in my everyday life. I highly reccomend it.

Well, I haven,t actually bought this book but I am planning 2. I think this is a great book 4 girls who R going to start babysitting cause it teaches U great tricks and activities 4 the kids U R going 2 babysit.

I loved every part to this book. It is a great thing to read, it has how to sneak around, pig latin, questions that adults should know, tennis ball launchers, kid facts(one of my favorites) and so much other cool stuff. When I bought it the whoopie cushion didn't work at all, so don't get all excited about that part.

It is great for boredom in the summer, and might drive your parents crazy, in a not so bad way.

Yep, I am 23, and still do the fake sneeze, the fake belt loop snap, the sneaking is alright. Some of the facts in there still impress people. As a result of the book, I learned and often utilize little known facts about the postal service. Genius from cover to cover.

Now, I do not actually own this book. My friend Rebecca does though. No, Im not actually Mary Lee, but her "little girl" (well, if 11 is little) Now, I highly recommend this to all kids who really love to annoy/trick their parents, like me. It has a very good trick called the Egg Trick, youll have to buy the book to see what it is. It also had tips for sneaking around (as I've been sneaking around for a good 9 years, I knew all of these but their good for inexperienced sneakers). It has a TON of fun things to do in it, this is really worth the cash. If youre a parent looking for a good Christmas gift, this is perfect! Dont worry, like it says on the cover, you will NOT disapprove of anything in this.