Customer Reviews

Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts (Bushido--The Way of the Warrior)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The late Donn Draeger and Robert Smith produced a classic text on the Asian martial arts and the many cultural influences that have spawned a following all over the world. The book was written in 1969 and therefore, most of the history on the arts is pre-mid 20th century.

The different arts are catagorized by the countries from which they sprang. This approach is effective and enjoyed. Because of this approach, the reader enjoys the culture of the country and can betetr understand how the "arts" developed the way they did.

Further, this book is unquie in that smaller countries which have contributed greatly to these fighting systems have chapters devoted to them. Countries like Burma and India are not overlooked as what so often happens in martial arts books.

Passion and history are intertwined as we see the different forms of combat come alive on the written page and discover the unquie cultures in which they developed. A martial arts must.

Draeger is the quintessential chronicler of martial treatises. He lays it all out for you with detail and high vocabulary, yet rarely never reveals any of the emotion that obviously keeps him on the path. Long before Jane Hallander or Leung Ting, detailing the branches and often the techniques of other people's arts. He's good for learning the history and principles of an art. IN FACT, IN THAT REGARD HE'S BETTER THAN MOST INSTRUCTORS OF THEIR OWN ARTS. He's very meticulous about the reporting of each art's specific nature and characteristics, as well as the general tactic of the applications.

"~... everything about Martial Arts ! the local arts, their history, the local weapons (with drawings...). A must in your library.

Still a classic of martial arts literature after many decades. One reason the book has held up at all to time is simply that both authors are great writers and researchers as well as being accomplished martial artists. The writing has an academic quality not usually found in the martial arts books and magazines, which are often aimed at the lesser lights among us. In fact, I am too embarressed to be seen reading a copy of Black belt magazine nowadays, unless I have it hidden inside a copy of Hustler perhaps.

Yet the book has not held up in all aspects. Since it was written, there have been whole worlds of knowledge opened up to martial arts practitioners. This book was written in the dark ages, when real knowledge was kept hidden and what was taught openly was worse than garbage. Not only have many masters brought their arts into the open, but new trends have developed, new paradigms set, myths destroyed and more.

Something of this scope and quality is sorely needed today. Draeger is dead. Smith hasn't publshed anything recently that I am aware of. It may be up to someone else to do an updated survey of the martial arts.

Still a classic and a necessary part of any MA library.

This long standing classic should be required reading for anyone who practices the Asian Fighting Arts. Both Draeger and Smith do an outstanding job in describing the cultures and the fighting arts that evolved from them. Well written, educational, and very informative this book provides a sound foundation for the Asian Fighting Arts practitioner.

One of the best books on the fighting arts of Asia, and the world. I enjoyed this book very much. It gave me a real understanding about the different styles of the combat arts. A must for every martial artist!!!

It is not one of those book that you just read once and then it is not interesting anymore.No,it is the opposite.I must have read it more than 4x and I still enjoy it!It very detail. You will not be disappointed. Goes over many great, historical fighting arts. I also recommand THe Original Martial Arts Encyclopsdia.

A nice overview of various martial arts taught in obscure and less obscure places. I think I most enjoyed the accounts of Pakistani and Indian wrestlers like Gama. These seem to be forgotten martial artists. There was also some interesting information about the martial arts of Indochina.

I give it one less star than perfect, as these same authors have been known to at least tell some tall tales under a psuedonym ("John F. Gilbey" is one of the two). Since I am no scholar of the martial arts, but rather a sort of consumer of them, I can't really tell if they're pulling our legs anywhere in this book. Some of the Okinawan stuff (which I am actually familiar with the history and practise of) was a bit sketchy, or at least poorly explained. I suspect the farther afield these guys get with the arts covered, the more stuff you might find like that. Who is going to check?

this is an all around excellent book. it has summaries about the fighting arts, it has so many fighting arts it mentions and says a great deal about all of them. if you are interested in martial arts or take it and want to find out more about your style or just want to learn about all the combat styles of Asia this is a must,

I found this book through a memorial to Draeger printed on a martial arts group. I bought several of his books but I am the most impressed with this one. Draeger and Smith do a great job of tackling an intense project. There is an overview of martial arts from around the world. The research for this is amazing. One may have faults with some of their statements but this is still a book that I return to again and again. If you want the history of martial arts then this is perhaps the only real choice. A must for your martial arts library.