Wrestling Books

I loved this book because it covers all the basics of freestyle,greco-roman,and mma wrestling.The basics from each individual styles that combine to make up mma is all you really need to compete.Randy charges $700.00,hr to teach private lesson and you get a couple of months worth of that for only $35.00!

Wrestling for Fighting is an essential addition to anyone's MMA library.

The other reviews have already done a good job of describing the contents of this book but in brief:

The first section of the book covers basic wrestling.
The second section is Greco wrestling (upper body wrestling/throws).
The thrid section covers wrestling techniques used in MMA.

This is a very high quality book (as are all the books co-authored by Krauss and Cordoza). It is full of photos showing the techniques from mutliple angles. The written instruction is thorough and easy to understand.

Some things to keep in mind. As the title hints, this is a book about wrestling. What you're getting is a top notch instructional on all aspects of wrestling by one of the greatest wrestling based MMA fighters of all time. Do not buy it expecting to learn submissions (other than a few basic "wrestling" subs) or standup striking (though there is plenty of ground n' pound instruction). This of course does not detract from the book in any way. There are already excellent books that cover striking and submissions. And since wrestling is an important, if not arguably the most important aspect of MMA (deciding where the fight takes place), it deserves its own volume.

This is a super book and I've really enjoyed it! It's full of some great tips & tons of awesome instructional photos. If you love Randy Couture & are a big fan of his fighting style this book will be most helpful to you. It has helped me out tremendously and has improved my ground game by leaps & bounds! Randy Couture is such a hero to so many people - HE ROCKS! BUY THIS BOOK TODAY!!!!!!!!!!! I HIGHLY recommend it!

This book is awesome. The background on Randy is great and I found the fact he didn't start college until after being in the Army very fascinating. The best part about the book is the color photographs. It looks like they had 3 cameras all synced to the same "switch" so when one button was pushed all three cameras took a picture simultaneously from front, back and side positions.

This is very helpful in letting you see all angles of each move. While the book is called wrestling for fighting the majority of the book can be applied to folk style high school and collegiate wrestling. There is only one small section at the end which covers MMA specific technique. I highly recommend this for either wrestlers or coaches or anyone getting into mma from boxing or karate diciplines.

Randy Couture has been one of the poster boys for Mixed Martial Arts competition in recent years - and a good one at that. His words are well thought out, he's articulate, hard-working and talented. A lot is made of his age, as well. However, I don't think it means a great deal except to say he's an example of what hard work and good attitude can acheive.


Erich Krauss and Glen Cordoza do a great job of getting these qualities to shine through in this publication. The book's dedication speaks of work ethic and self-reliance, as well as the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people and influences. One can only say that this is as much a recipe for success as any. It's worked in Couture's case, anyway.


The book is - like most Victory Belt publications - a large format book. It's 11" x 9" and has 214 pages. It's a glossy book on high quality paper. It's also generous with photos and the photos are detailed and clearly show the techniques presented. I was critical of a couple of Victory Belt's publications in the past for proof-reading. This one does a lot better. It is very unfortunate that one of the very few errors that slipped through happened to be in a very noticeable place. Nonetheless, the writing is excellent and gets better with each publication. I'd be a real jerk if I said it took away from the book.


As seems to be the Victory Belt template, the book opens with an introduction which spends twelve pages chronicling Randy's career. Erich and Glen are getting better at this every time. It's the best written of the Victory Belt intros by far and the one I enjoyed the most, as well. Take note, though, it may be that I simply enjoyed Couture's story more than the others.


The technical portion of the book is broken up into three parts. The first talks wrestling, the second focusses on Greco-Roman wrestling and the third on adapting the wrestling game for Mixed Martial Arts. Each part is broken up into six to seven chapters concentrating on different aspects of Randy's game. As far as the techniques go, this is clearly the game of Randy Couture. The book also shares a lot of information with his earlier video series from Century. That makes this a great adjunct to the series, as well.


The wrestling section starts with a comprehensive chapter discussing wrestling basics. This is followed by a look at four basic takedowns. This is followed (quite naturally) by a chapter on finishing the single leg. Clearly this is and area Randy considers key. Following this is a long section on tie-ups. Here, you really start to make the connection between the Randy you see in the cage and the one n the book. There are two defensive chapters in the wrestling section - Sprawling and Defending the Single Leg.


The section on Greco is shorter, with a two page introduction followed by a chapter on pummelling and then basic takedowns. I enjoyed this section a lot as I picked up several of details that (as a Jiu Jitsu guy) I didn't know before. There are then chapters on armdrags and on more advanced takedowns. All are effective techniques, well photographed and captioned.


The last part of the book is called "Wrestling for Fighting" and is obviously the crux of the book as far as the authors are concerned. It starts with an introduction (as for all the book's parts) and then jumps into the relationship between strikes (especially the overhand) and the double-leg takedown. There is then a chapter on closing the distance. Following this, come the chapters on the most famous parts of Randy's game - The clinch and cage tactics.


The clinch chapter concentrates on Couture's much hallowed "Dirty Boxing" technique while the chapter on cage tactics provides invaluable pearls on how to use the fence to your advantage. I'm not sure Randy has given up all his secrets here, but the book certainly describes much of what I've seen the man do in the cage.


From here, there are chapters on ground tactics and submissions. The tactics here are simple. There is a good deal of time devoted to "Ground 'n' Pound" and two basic choke submissions. Both should be a big help for wrestlers looking to make the change.


All-in-all, I think there's something in here for everyone. Wrestlers making the jump to MMA will obviously benefit the most as it shows precisely how the wrestler's game translates. People like myself, who don't have a strong wrestling background will be able to add elements to their game they had previously not been exposed to. And, I don't think there's out there who couldn't benefit from the clinch and cage tactics chapters.


The book brings the good points of all Victory Belt's previous publications together. It's shorter, more basic and easier to navigate than the already excellent 'Book of Knowledge' from BJ Penn and more articulate and mature than 'Mastering the Rubber Guard'. This one takes pride of place on my bookshelf and will join the Best of the Best category on this site.

A bit cutesy, but covers all the details, including details other books don't deal with.

A fantastic and fun introduction to Sumo. I've already got my tickets for my second Basho next week and I'll have a lot better understanding of the sport because of this book.
However, its a bit out of date for current wrestlers and recent records. But that's all available online from the Sumo organization web site.
Also, its a good intro, but you'll have to look elsewhere for more detailed information and history.

I purchased this book a year ago. It is very easy to understand and has some realy fabulous pictures.

Mina Hall has done a great job in putting this together. I would recomend this to anyone who is interested in sumo.

I have been interested in Sumo, but was lost in understanding of the sport. Mina Hall not only knows her stuff, she is able to relay it in terms that are understandable. Now I have a new love for the sport from this easy book. The content of Hall's book is enough to make me feel like I know the sport. No longer will I wonder why they do those things before,during, and after the match. While I have read other books on the subject this is by far the best. Get it and learn Sumo.

As a begining Sumo wrestler, who trains with 2 time World Lightweight Sumo champ Svetoslav Binev, I really liked this book. I found "The Big Book of Sumo" to be an awesome little book on the history and tradition of Sumo.

Unfortunately, it has nothing on the actual techniques used from the standpoint of a competing wrestler. Only descriptions of some names of common techniques from a fan's perspective.

Never-the-less, it's a great little "Big Book of Sumo." Don't get this book if you are looking for more than a very general description of sumo technique. Do get this book if you want to understand the art, history and tradition of Sumo.

This is a marvelous book, the picture are clear and the moves easy to follow. Truely a must for anyone interested in high medieval martial arts.

This is an excellent book. Grzegorz and Bart are to be commended for their fine work translating this important medieval fechtbuch. The book contains some of the most important material on medieval unarmed combat and is an absolute must for anyone working in that area. It also contains many plates on longsword, messer and a range of other weapons.

What this book is: An excellent translation of a significant and well illustrated medieval fechtbuch.

What this book isn't: It isn't a guide to medieval fencing. Wallerstein is primarily illustrations. With minimal text and no interpretation, it's up to you to work out what's being done in the plates. If you're like me, this is great. If you're beginner, expecting a book teaching you medieval swordsmanship, this is not that book.

I have been involved in Chinese martial arts for close to 35 years. One day I received a book, in German; Talhoffers to be exact. Many things in their reminded me of things I saw in Chinese arts, and that to my purchase of Codex Wallerstein.
The methods shown in that book, as well as Arte Gladitoria Dimicandi, and Flos Duellatorum are just as effective as any other arts I have been exposed to over the decades.

So much was my interest in these books, that I decided to
write a few articles on the methods I had read about, and these were well received by the medieval martial arts community worldwide. I even got into contact with Grzegorz Zabinski, when I saw, and decoded several of the strange glyphs, or doodles; as I called them, that are shown in the Codex.

This book is for experienced people, and those with an explorer's
mind. If you have previous martial arts skill, you will no doubt
figure out many of the fine methods illustrated within this book.

Be warned however that the explanations accompanying some of the
drawings might be inaccurate, as I have some understanding of medieval German, and a great ability with modern Hoch Deutsch, I found a few gaffs in the manual. When in doubt, look to the pictures!!!!

I give this book a hearty and well deserved thumbs up!!

Cool book on medieval swordsmanship. Nicely translated from an actual historical document. This is an accurate source for enthusiasts of the high Middle Ages. Good illustrations. As the title indicates it covers longsword, falchion, dagger, and wrestling techniques as they were taught in the 14th and 15th centuries. Could have been significantly improved with some more commentary and/or explanation.

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

One of the great challenges of studying medieval forms of the martial arts is the fact that there is no school anywhere that preserves the actual fighting techniques of this era intact. While some of the techniques have survived, the decline of the necessity for a gentleman post Renaissance to be a man of arms as well as letters and learning has resulted in much knowledge being misplaced, lost and forgotten. As a result, modern schools of medieval martial arts can, and will, teach you basic techniques, but, as opposed to some of the better preserved Renaissance arts with the epée or rapier, most of the material tends to be appropriate for and focused on purely theatrical fighting. As such, this fighting manual of the late medieval period is invaluable, particularly due to the accessibility of the techniques contained therein.

While others may find this volume a bit advanced for the novice of medieval swordsmanship, I find the pictures and descriptions eminently understandable (and I'm certainly a novice). Frankly, learning any martial art through a book is a bit of a challenge, but, in this case, the manual is extremely easy to follow, which accounts in large part for its popularity in the 15th Century. The text focuses on the REAL art of the fighting man, centering on applications of the long sword, dagger, falchion and unarmed combat, and it's neither "chivalrous" in the modern sense of the word, nor pretty. The techniques within are designed for the professional fighting man, and the full emphasis is on surviving a fight, and not looking pretty while you do it. As such, in using the techniques, you will get cut, without a doubt - some of the holds, particularly in unarmed versus armed combat, and such put your bare skin on the edge of the opponents blade. However, they do increase the likelihood of being the one to walk (or stagger, or stumble) away from the encounter.

From the perspective of one only interested in the historical aspects, the book is fascinating in that it presents facsimiles of the original plates from the book, with a Latin alphabet version of the old German text on each plate, as well as modern German and English translations of the text. It's also fascinating, again, in that this was designed for the professional warrior, and the presumed context in which it would be read, and intent and value system of the reader of the day, is vastly different from what many hold as misconceptions of the period.

Highly recommended!

I read what the one person who said this book is dangerous had to say, and while I always take into consideration the asessments of other believers, I think that person missed the message of this book because he/she has never been through what Rick Diamond is talking about here. At the same time, I don't think an atheist could really understand the message either. Allow me to exemplify: I personally am a young "postmodern" believer, disciple, and follower of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For the past several years, God has had me in a time of wilderness, the proverbial desert. Only someone who has been through the wilderness time with God (as we all must go to follow our calling, but most are not willing enough to press through) will fully undertstand the concept of wrestling with God. Rick Diamond validates, through the testimony of his own (and others') struggles, that yes, there are Christians who doubt, there are Christians who respect other religions, there are Christians who ask the same questions that atheists do (part of letting go of trying to control who God is), there are Christians who see God as much larger, much more mysterious, much more diverse, than what the modern American church has taught us for the past hundreds of years. We as a modern church have lost sight of God's simultaneous magnitude and relevance, His mysteriousness and omnipotence, His Glory and His Omnipresence. This book is a must-read for anyone who knows there is more to the Kingdom than what our culture has pre-packaged for us and called God, and should be read with prayerful consideration, as Rick Diamond does mention other beliefs and ideas (which God knows we think about and I'm sure accepts as part of human reality, why not just be honest about it?). When Diamond mentions other religions and topics from popular culture, he is not suggesting that God condones those things, it is simply part of our reality that must be should be made relevant and useful, not ignored like it doesn't exist, that doesn't help anyone. This book (and I'm sure Waking the Dead, which I will read next as the other person suggested) is an answer to prayer for believers who are looking for MORE of our LIVING GOD.

I am an atheist. For the past year I have attended bible study at Journey, the church founded by Rick Diamond after he left Riverbend Church and after he wrote this book. One might think that I'm biased, and I am to a degree, pulled in one direction by my atheism and in the opposite direction by my respect and admiration for Rick, whose whole mission in life is Love. I'm not even sure what Love is, but I'm hanging out at bible study, listening attentively, hoping that I'll learn.

So it is with mixed feelings that I read this book, cover to cover in just a few short sittings. It's not a long book, 172 pages, easy and fun to read and sometimes funny. But there are plenty of passages that really make you question your life. As an atheist, one might rightly say that I have no purpose, or at least haven't discovered it yet. As an atheist, I'm not sure that "Purpose" really exists apart from the wishes of our own egos. And I'm not sure that Rick's book really answers the question of what our purpose should be. But, in fairness, that's not what Wrestling With God was trying to accomplish, in my opinion.

The concept of "desert" is very big in this book. Wrestling With God uses the struggles of biblical characters (Jesus, Moses, Jacob, and others), characters from pop culture and literature (Luke Skywalker, Hamlet, etc), and real people, to teach us about how the desert can cleanse our spirit. The desert is a metaphor for struggle. It's a place where we are alone, where we don't want to be, but yet are there because of circumstance (foreclosure, cancer diagnosis, loss of a loved one). The desert is where Jesus fasts for 40 days and 40 nights, and where He is tempted. Luke Skywalker is tempted by the dark side of the force. Even though I am an atheist, I very much believe in the struggles of life. Maybe I'm missing something by not believing in God and the divinity of Jesus, and that's why I'm attending bible study and reading books such as this one.

The desert forces you to strip down to your bare nature, to find what is most important to you and to tear all the rest away. Your survival sometimes depends on it, both your physical and spiritual survival. I've been in the desert a couple of times in my life, and it is at those times that I turn to books such as Wrestling With God, and to people such as Rick Diamond, to help me survive. This book has helped me see that I need to start to focus on what's most important in my life and, most importantly, to find a purpose, a purpose that will help lead me out of the desert.

I recommend this book to believers and non-believers alike.

It's about time somebody took the ideas in the Matrix and ran with them. Kudos. There's an amazing wealth of metaphor in that movie.

I appreciated Diamond's honesty and openness, and I heartily resonanted with much he had to say.

What I was left with at the end of the book was, "Ok, I'm awake, I'm real, I'm alive. I have been for a while. Now what?" I suppose I was looking for something to take me beyond the "awakeness."

Overall, a good read. At times a little fast and loose with theology. But a good call to waking for those unawakened. I would like to see something now that addresses those who have been awakened, something that moves us to the next level. But I suppose that part is up to us. And God.

I find that "Wrestling with God" is a book that gets down to the nitty-gritty of religion and the damage it can do to the people who allow 'religion' to put them into a box. A box in which they cannot freely express their feelings on God. A box which in the long run will bind them into thinking they are not as good as the 'secure-safe-perfect Christian'.
They find themselves being stalemated into the 'frozen chosen', as most often alot of the church members do. They are afraid to speak up and ask questions. They cannot continue to go forward on their journey.
So, in Rick's book, he directs alot of his attention towards the church that trys to put the followers in a box, to mold them.
He is very inquistive with the followers who don't go to church and with the younger generation who have a bad taste in the mouths due to the restrictions laid upon the followers of the church.
He lend them and understanding ear, partly because he sees himself as one of them too.
A very good read.
I changed my outlook alot.

Bizarro was to Superman what Wrestling with God is to John Eldridge's Waking the Dead. Diamond takes a little bit of biblical truth and twists and perverts it to his own liking, mixing it in with liberal theology, classical mythology, New Age religions, and the "wisdom" of secular humanism and comes up with a god who is soft and squishy, sugar and spice, accepting of any lifestyle or way of thinking that he or his readers choose to embrace. There is no understanding of the holiness of God or the problem of sin, without which there is no real need for the love and grace that Diamond touts God as being all about and "that's all you need to know..."

I'm okay, you're okay.

If you are interested in finding the one true God, the God of the Universe, the God of true Christianity, stay away from this book. You will not find Him here, only a weak and ineffectual counterfeit. Instead, read Waking the Dead and encounter the full power, love and grace of a holy God.

Know the truth, and it will set you free- truly free.

I read the original paperback edition of 2004. The book contains some 260 regular text pages, plus 31 pages of footnotes (altogether 328 pages). The author, an openly homosexual orthodox rabbi, had appeared in the 1999 documentary Trembling Before G-D.

Speaking in the popular language of separation I am not an Orthodox Jew, but the "original" holy texts which often get interpreted homophobically most certainly are of relevance to me, as their (King James) Bible derivations are used within the RastafarI branch of religion for the downpression of the constructed minority of homosexuals. Theologically, the book is of interest for any branch of religion which knows certain common stories, such as the one of Sodom.

There are advantages and disadvantages of this book being written by an ordained religious official. However, the air of authority is irrelevant to me personally: As a RastafarI I do not know such officials. The advantage is that this book departs from similar ones (of any closely related religion) in that it is less argumentative in a general sense, but is open to reassessing theological concepts. The disadvantage is, that the reasoning of the book has to be restricted to the parameters of (orthodox) Jewish theology. Which of course is again an advantage for the Jewish orthodox reader, but not necessarily on all issues to the reader who seeks more universal answers. I was also looking for some specifics of elsewhere averred alterations/mistranslations of early Jewish texts (e.g. at the time of the Egyptian diaspora), but of course a rabbi can't go into such a notion and I am not complaining as I respect other people's concepts of belief/knowledge.

I am also a mystic and appreciated the few references to the Jewish light on mysticism. In addition, the Ham story is of involuntary importance to RastafarI, as it was used to justify slavery, and I am always all ears of how this story gets interpreted in different ways. I am thankful for the author's elaborations on the Sodom story, as many other non-homophobic interpreters remain rather superficial when it comes to the anti-greed part. (Another advantage of the book having been written by a theologian instead of a scientist- or activist-only.) It was refreshing to read the "anecdote" suggesting that God has given the Torah to the humans and now it is their business to interpret it. In general books about the European Middle Ages, it gets usually forgotten how non-Christian homosexuals were treated. So it was interesting to learn that Jews weren't delivered to Christian courts and their corresponding (capital) punishments.

The theological differentiation between willful transgressors (not for pleasure, but rebellion) and indulgent transgressors (who can't resist temptation) is more for the specifically Jewish reader.

Not all of the author's reasoning I have to agree with. To begin with, it's a persistent myth that women can't get pregnant while nursing. As the opposite is the reality, intercourse by nursing women can't get used as another example of theologically allowed non-procreative sexuality. I agree (of course, what else?!) that holy texts (not only the Torah, but also e.g. the derived Bible) got freely reinterpreted to re-allow money lending with interest. In fact, banking was once termed another example of sodomy (unnatural reproduction of money) by the Church. I even do like the theology better which is against exploitation and classism as put forward in this book. However, I don't agree that it was such a good idea to radically change that prohibition or even to change it at all, taking a look a the local and global system, which is basically an extension of that downturned (overturned) ancient holy law. Ok, it DOES show a precedent for humans freely changing interpretations of holy texts. All I am saying is that it is a bad choice of example. Actually the worst, considering that it is about the original meaning of the Sodom story about greed and pitilessness.

I am flabbergasted to read from THIS author that the Jonathan-and-David-story would make most sense if Jonathan were homosexual, but David not: Though Jonathan "manages in battle, we find him not very aggressive or interested in military prowess. He doesn't think strategically." As a pacifist and draft dodger I would applaud, if being homosexual would automatically equal the same attitude. But isn't talk like that supposed to be foolish prejudice? In any case, in the ancient world, the opposite of that was at least one of the realities. In fact, some Greek city states especially employed and encouraged homosexual warrior couples. Hawaiian warriors bonded sexually before battle. (Make love, then war.) Fascinating concept, even if not my cup of tea, so I just ordered Gay Warriors: A Documentary History from the Ancient World to the Present.

All of that said, the upper line is: This is a great book. Challenging in different ways for both sides of the issue. For that what it is, this book succeeds. It clearly shows that where there's a will there's a way. This book has a heart. Which seems to be the diametrical opposite of the hatemongers - of any branch of religion. And I am not sure wether religion is supposed to be engaged in without a heart.

You may also be interested in Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality: Gay People in Western Europe from the Beginning of the Christian Era to the Fourteenth Century and Islamic Homosexualities: Culture, History, and Literature.

If you are a Christian, you may think that an Orthodox Jewish rabbi comes from such a different way of approaching our shared Scripture
that little would result from a lot of effort. Think again! This remarkable book is captivating from beginning to end and filled with
innumberable insights that grace virtually every page. Along the way, you may, as I discovered, come away with a whole new appreciation for Orthodox Judaism.
It s one thing to find a helpful book. It s quite another to find one helpful and delightful to read. Here are a couple of sentences worth mulling over: "Gayness is no more an automatic intentional rejection of procreation than is straightness a sworn promise of it." And, "Nature is a text that can say almost anything we want it to say while appearing to have said nothing but what is evident." Both of these statements
are found on the same page. This man can turn a phrase.
After quoting from a letter from a near-suicidal gay Orthodox Jew, (a feature familiar to many pastors and their gay parishioners) Rabbi Greenberg states his purpose for writing the book. "For the sake of this young man and many men and women very much like him, the first goal of this book is to demonstrate that, contrary to the
assumptions of many liberal and traditional Jews, an argument can be made in defense of gay relatioships from within the canon of traditional Jewish textual resources. What this man needs is not permission to have sex with men. That is hardly enough. What he needs is a way to envision a life of love, intimacy, and commitment with a man in the context of a religiously alive Orthodox community. The task of writing on this topic is to make a path that is responsible to these human realities and deeply
commit to God and Torah."
To reach his goal, Rabbi Greenberg divided his book into four sections. In Sacred Texts, he explores the biblical stories of Adam and Eve, Sodom and Gomorrah, and Leviticus that continue to shape Westen civilization s sexual ethics and gender identities. His discussion of the first not good of creation, Adams lonliness, and how God went about overcoming it, is worth the price of the book.
In Evidence, our rabbi surveys the positive ways in which the stories of Jonathan and David, Ruth and Naomi, and rabinnical stories
associated with gay themes have been treated up through the Middle Ages. He finds within the Jewish conversation what many Christian observers also found in this period, a lack of horror regarding same-sex love that we moderns are so possessed by.
The concluding chapter of this section involves the very unJewish notion that asking Why? is forbidden regarding Leviticus 18 and 20.
To ask is to open up the necessity for justifying one's answer, a slippery slope, indeed.
In Rationales, he returns to the fundamental prohibition posed in Leviticus, and asks the forbidden question, Why? What is
particularly problematic, immoral, or offensive about male-male intercourse in the first place? And why is female-female sex not a
concern? His critiques of arguments based on reproduction, social disruption, category confusion, and humiliation and violence, are
among the best, with original thinking in each case. This slope may be slippery, but it is ultimately freeing; and we are all the better for
sliding down it with him.
The concluding section, Conversations, offers a model for synagogues to welcome gay and lesbian people that is consistent with Orthodoxy and considerate of all concerned. It can almost be taken whole into Christian congregations seeking to find their way into inclusiveness, as well.
Conventional wisdom says that each of us has a book in us. In Rabbi Greenberg s case, I hope there is a library-full to come.

Religion and Gays

Literary Pride--Amos Lassen



Greenberg, Rabbi Steven, Wrestling with God and Men: Homosexuality in the Jewish Tradition. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 2004.

Being a Jewish gay man, I wanted to know where I stood in terms of my religion--although to be quite honest, it didn't really matter. I had already formulated my dealings with religion and I had chosen the road that having been born a Jew, I would also die one and that was that. If any of you read my thoughts on the matter in my essay, A Piercing Thought then you know what I am talking about.



`Rabbi Steven Greenberg is an orthodox American rabbi who also happens to be gay. His book, Wrestling with God and Man: Homosexuality in the Jewish Tradition, is a result of his ten year struggle to reconcile self and religion. Greenberg's approach is Biblical in nature and he presents interpretations of the creation, of David and Jonathan, of the tale of Sodom and Gommorah and a new way of looking at the so-called taboos of Leviticus. His way of dealing with the issues is relationship centered and in doing this he draws on other texts to enhance the writings of the holy books. He reaches a conclusion similar to that of Rapoport--that a dialogue must be opened to be followed by debate and discussion, the same type of foundation upon which Judaic law is based.

This is not a book for Jews only. This is a book to be cherished by all who are interested in the topic of faith. What I loved was that it was written together with the author's own personal journey, Greenberg does not hold back--he says it as it is.

This is a valuable book for anyone who wants to attempt an understanding of the nature of God and man. I, personally, feel stronger in my faith for having read it. I believe you will also.

another account of one person's struggle - the problem is that he attempts to justify homosexual acts by ridiculously warping clear verses and traditions.

after first 15 pages, book is BORING and my 6 year old could present a counter-case much more appealing

This book, while it may not be perfect or without some hesitencies and perhaps weaknesses, breaks important ground and is a work of courage. It should be read for that reason alone. It is a start that others can build on.

Just recently, I heard a prominent New Testment scholar speak in a seminar at a church on the vital, indeed pressing need for Christians to revist the entire question of the claimed biblical condemation of same-sex relationships. His arguments were very much anchored - not on theology - but on mistakes in interpretation of biblical words and phrases, based ultimately on flawed linguistic and (a)cultural misinterpretations. The parallels with Rabbi Greenberg's stuggle struck me; and all the more more so, when I saw the host Baptist church has a seminar WITH Rabbi Greenberg scheduled for November!

We must openly and honestly reconsider religious positions on the topic of homsexuality, and never has the time been more ripe for doing so. This is very appropriate to consider from several viewpoints, and yet another fruitful area for open and honest sharing of insights between Jewish and Christian communities. I believe OUR God - our common, one God - is first and foremost a God of infinite love, and that human love, betweeen two people, goes beyond mere or simple sexual orientation, that it is precious (as all love is) to our God.

Read the book; review the questions; and God bless all who do so with honesty and caring.

Here's another book about pro-wrestling. This time "written" by two fans of the business, so much that they have their own radio show regarding wrestling. All in all, this was a fun book to read, maybe not overly informative but certainly enjoyable. It's pretty much a book filled with interview clips relating to a variety of topics the authors had with the pros. Topics include outlandish gimmicks, who's the toughest guy in wrestling, the Kliq's reign over wrestling, wrestlings families, Austin's hatred of Jarrett, was ECW the best federation, has the internet ruined wrestling, the untrue death rumors of many wrestlers, referees' importance, having Hogan as a friend in the business, the ever present "Is it Fake" question, and is there such a thing as retirement from wrestling?

There's a very good selection of interview quotes coming from a wide range of personalities. While it's not really late-breaking information, it was certainly fun to read. Goes well with Between the Ropes: Wrestling's Greatest Triumphs and Failures by Brian Fritz & Chruistopher Murray, another pair of radio host-wrestling fans.

I've been picking up a lot of wrestling books lately and I figured I'd give this one a try out. I'm not much of a reader but some of the books I've been reading in this category like Wrestlecrap, the death of WCW, and most recently Chris Jericho's book. In comparison I have to say this book does not stack up to any of those.
The book takes a somewhat humorous look into some questions, questions like "Did the Kliq control wrestling" or "Who was the toughest guy" and they never seem to answer any questions. Most of the content comes from radio interviews of older wrestlers a lot of younger fans aren't going to remember or even know, the book kind of dates itself almost to a standard that anything after 2000 doesn't really matter, like they are almost bitter at Today's version.
I didn't really find the book that informative although some of the stories in the chapters, or questions do give you nice little tidbits(especially chapter 2), although it will leave you chronologically confused in the end.

This is the only way to describe this book. I had no expectations going into it, because I've never heard of their show before, but they managed to write a funny book utilizing interviews with the sports biggest names. The best discovery of the book, is how open Matt Borne is, I have no idea where he's been, but what he says in the book is really fascinating. He lends expert "witness" to the Klique chapter as well as the "Cannibal" chapter. The only thing I didn't like was names of chapter's like "Are there Cannibals in Wrestling", "Is Paul Orndorff Dead", which I found very disrespectful to Mr. Wonderful who is alive and well. But even though I have to give it 5 stars because of the quality and their unique approach.

Overall not a bad book but I felt that they jumped around too much in their stories. Most of the info in this book is already well known by most wrestling fans. If you must read all wrestling books that come out then go ahead and purchase it. If not just read the websites to get your inside info.

I have read more than my fair share of wrestling books, and this rates among the best (Dusty's among the worst). It is written in an innovative approach with commentary going back and forth between the two authors along with relevant excerpts from the wrestlers themselves. I think it worked pretty well, and the authors were successful in getting the truth behind the kayfabe in a humorous way. To be honest, I bought the book because I like their internet radio show, but I did not expect anything special. The quality was a pleasant surprise.

Another great MMA fighter autobiography!

First off the book has a very funny, short (foreword) written by comedian/actor Kevin James!

"Becoming the Natural" is right up there with Chuck Liddell's book "Iceman / My Fighting Life", which I consider to be the best MMA/UFC book out there.

Randy tells his childhood story and how he got into wrestling and MMA. He had a very sordid childhood as far as his parents were concerned. Randy talks about alot of very personal issues in the book, that he didn't have to tell us the readers. He really lays it all out there! He goes into detail about his ex-wives, cheating and being a parent.

Randy goes into detail about the UFC, Dana White and his current legal battle with the UFC. Couture's 16-8 record doesn't stand out like that of a champion, but read the book and you'll see just where that record comes from. Randy was fighting heavyweights with 40-50 pds. over him, in many fights once they got on top, he was simply pinned beneath them.

Randy is one of my favorite fighters simply because he seems to be a genuinely good guy and this book gave me that same feeling about him! Randy has beaten the best and been beaten by the best.

Throughout the book, even when describing his losses, he never bad mouths his opponents, in one fight he loses, he later learns the other fighter failed a steroid test, Randy is given the chance to have the fight changed from a (loss) to a (no contest), he refuses, saying a loss is a loss!

As a fan, I hope to see Randy get his chance to fight Fedor. As Randy says in his book, it's about taking on the best possible opponent and that man is Fedor!

Randy is still training, but not currently fighting, he is pursuing his acting career, with his first leading role movie, "Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior" due on DVD this Tuesday!

The book also provides alot of nice pictures to give you a better sense of his past and family!

Another good MMA bio. for fans collections!

I've been a big fan of Randy Couture since I first saw him compete at UFC 13 in Georgia back in 1993.

In Becoming the Natural, Randy Couture and mixed martial arts journalist Loretta Hunt delve into the mind of "The Natural," and what fueled a small-town Washington kid to the greatest heights an MMA athlete has ever achieved.

My favorite thing about this book is the depth that Couture and Hunt explore about the life of a true living legend. From humble beginnings to superstardom, seemingly every aspect of Couture's life is covered. His youth, memories, friendships and relationships are just the tip of the cosmos. Did I mention his quest for Olympic dreams?

If you're a fan of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, this book is for you. The Octagon and beyond is touched on. Vivid are the memories of UFC triumphs and failures alike. Photos from Couture's family album and early career are fantastic.

Without a doubt, Randy Couture's Becoming the Natural: My life In and Out of the Cage is easily the best MMA-related book ever penned.

Whether you're a fan of combat sports or an admirer of true-life literature, this is sure to be the best book you'll read all year!

overall,i would give this 5 stars.it gives you an insight into the man who became what many would be considered an over-the-hill ufc heavyweight champ.the book is well written,and it is easy to follow.it isn't overly pretentious which is nice.i would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of MMA in general.

'Becoming The Natural' is an engrossing read, one that shows you the inner thoughts and workings of one of mixed martial arts' greatest icons. It's a must-read for anyone even slightly interested in the fastest growing sport in the world.

Becoming the Natural is the sort of book that is a must-read for not just a fan who has just got interested in mixed martial arts, but a fan who has watched it since its inception and thinks they know all there is to know about Randy Couture. The book is made all the more timely and relevant by the former champ's recent controversies with Zuffa and the UFC which are major issues in the sport.

Dan Gable is the man, there can be no doubt. But I was a little disappointed with this book. I was expecting more of an instruction manual, but this is more about the philosophies of coaching. It's not a bad book and I don't regret getting it, but it wasn't what I was expecting. It is about coaching from a mostly theoretical standpoint. I think I was expecting a book more like the book "Winning Wrestling Moves" and this led to my slight disappointment.

This is a great book for any coach or wrestler,It is a must for anyone involved in the sport.

Many wrestlers and coaches may base their reviews of a coaching book on the quantity or quality of moves found within. I do believe that the book does well in this area. However, its true success is in its discussion and advice on communication, motivation, planning and developing a philosophy. It is what separates it from other "how to wrestle" books. It is a book for coaches. The basics are the most important part of wrestling, not any special tricks or throws. The edge over other teams is found in the little extras a coach can do to make sure his wrestlers are motivated to learn and to win. This book is exactly what I was looking for. I purchased this book just after the 1998-99 season, my fourth as a head high school coach. My credentials include winning Conference Titles in each of those years, coaching the first Team State qualifier from the conference in '98 and '99 and earning various state coaching awards. I am pleased I have done some of the things Gable suggests, but I believe this book can make things even better next season. Also, I haven't ever been any kind of Dan Gable die-hard, although now I understand why people are.

A good mix of stories, technique, and coaching philosopy. Not everyone will be able to get away with having the coaching style Dan Gable does but he shows how he has made it successful. I would recommend this book to any coach interested in learning and touching the souls of thier athletes.

Certainly not all coaches will agree with all of Gable's philosophies and methods. However there is so much quality insight into this legendary winner's approach that it can only make the reader improve. Take from the book what you like, ignore the rest. Every aspect of wrestling is covered, by the most successful American wrestler/coach EVER!

Low quality photos and short descriptions in the book are not good source for study. I think that vcds or dvds are better source for study of chinese wrestling. Nevertheless, the book has some historical value. Price is pleasant.

I rated this book middle of the road. It's got some good history, and some interesting material on building various training apparatus, but if you are looking for books that clearly explain techniques, this book is not the one.

I will keep it a reference book for my martial arts library, but it will not be a top shelfer.

Tim who very well may be the most complete martial artist living in North America has done an excellent job on this "project". That said. if you haven't read some of his other works(ie:"Effortless Combat Throws....") and more importantly had "mat time" your probably aren't going to get a great deal from this read.

I recently picked up this book and basically agree with the other reviewers in that it is a quality book. The presentation is clear and pretty easy to follow. It's the kind of book that really gives you a place to start, but of course you've got to do the work. Isn't that always the way?

One caution though, there is not much in the way of commentary on the history of philosophy of Chinese Wrestling in this book, it's more manual than text book.

A lot of historical background.

For me, the main benefit were the training methods and their similarities and differences from those used in tai chi chuan. 2 kinds of bang, rope.

I thought this book was great. It had trivia that was easy, and some trivia that was rather difficult. It is worth the price paid. I recommend this to any wrestling fan if they wish to increase their knowledge of the sport

I have not read it.But I am shere it is a great book

I originally picked up this book at the library along with a large stack of other books on professional wrestling in order to help me write a research paper. My biggest complaint was that most sections were so obscure that even the biggest wrestling fans would have trouble answering the questions. Other sections, however, were so ridiculously easy that my dad, who is a casual fan at best, was able to answer every one of them. It could have used another level of difficulty between the super easy and the super hard.

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How much does Haystacks Calhoun weigh? Who defeated Buddy Rogers to win his first WWF Title? What caused Superstar Billy Graham to retire for good? Don't know - Then it time to read this book and find the answers.

Every sport, every subject in fact has some sort of trivia book and each is design to stump you. This book does that but at the same time it entertains, just like the Professional Wrestling entertains.

This book is written for a specific genre of people, as are most books we read. While Professional Wrestling maybe considered fake, there is no doubt as to the reality of the people include in this book.

I have been a fan of Professional Wrestling for over 25 years, and yes it is fake, it's still very entertaining. The price tag won't put your wallet in a full nelson and this book makes a great gift.