The Overlook Martial Arts Reader-Classic Writings on Philosophy and Technique

from cover

'An extraoridinarily informative book. Thke Overloof Martial Arts reader is an excellent volume that belongs in the libraries of all serious students of the martial arts, regardless of their length of practice.'-Yoga Journal

Literature in the field of martial arts is both impressive and

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wide ranging, but until now has been largely unavailable to the general reader. This remarkable collection brings together historical and philosophical works which range from dynastic Japan to present day America.

The writings are organized in sections of history, training and discipline, philosophy, and other aspects. Together for the first time are selections from such works as Eugen Herrigels's Zen in the Art of Archery, Maxine Hong Kingston's The Woman Warrior, Miyamoto Musashi's classic A Book of Five Rings, and Entering the Way by the father of modern karate, Gichin Funakoshi.

Writing about subjects as diverse as the training of womem samurai and the contribution of jiujitsu to education in 19th centuy Japan, acknowledged experts address such disciplines as aikido, jiujitus, karate, kung-fu, sumo, tai chi chuan, tai kawndo, and weapons techniques. The Overlook Martial Arts Reader emphasises the many common elements of the Asian fighting arts: the development of moral character, the art of defensive victory, and above all the master of certain skills ands attitudes that allow one to achieve the transcendence accompanying all martial arts excellence.

Randy F. Nelson is a student of tae kwondo and has a strong interest in the literature of the martial arts. He is the author of numerous books, including The Martial Arts Index, and is currently Professor of English at Davidson College in North Carolina.

Contents

Preface
Acknowledgements
Part 1 Culture and Conflict: The Histories
Bruce A. Haines-China
Kurt Singer-The Samurai: Legend and Reality
Noel Perrin-from Giving Up the Gun
Francis L. Hawks-from Narraative of the Expedition of an American Squadron to the China Seas and Japan
E.J.Harrison-The Cult of Cold Steel
Lafcadio Hearn-Jiujutsu
John Stevens-The Founder: Ueshiba Morihei
Part II Masters and Students: The Philosophy
Herman Kauz-The Aim of Individual Form Practice
Carl B. Becker-Philosophical Perspectives on the Martial Arts in America
T.T.Liang-My Experience
Terry Dobson-A Soft Answer
Gichin Funakoshi-Win by Losing
C.W. Nicol-from Moving Zen
Eugen Herrigel-from Zen in the Art of Archery
Don Ethan Miller-a State of Grace: Understanding the Martial Arts
Carol R. Murphy-The Sound of Silence: Moving with the T'ai Chi
Part III Training and Discipline: The Way
Aikido
George Leonard-Aikido and the Mind of the West
Ira S. Lerner-Yamamoto
Juijutsu
Jigoro Kano-The Contribution of Jiudo to Education
Karate
C.W. Nicol-from Moving Zen
Gichin Funakoshi-Entering the Way
Kung Fu
Maxine Hong Kingston-from The Woman Warrior
T'ai Chi Ch'uan
Linda Atkinson-Pattie Dacanay
Weapons
Miyamoto Musashi-The Water Book
Peter Urban-The Three Sons
Michel Random-The Way of the Bow and the Horse
Dave Lowry-Matters of Concentration
Part IV Other Aspects
Donald N. Levine-The Liberal Arts and the Martial Arts
E.J. Harrison-Strangulation Extraordinary
Inazo Nitobe-The Training and Position of Woman
Bibliography
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