Fighting with Sticks [Paperback]

Nick Evangelista (Author), Holly Tuttle (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Errol Flynn, Bruce Lee and Sean Connery did it. So did Medieval swordsmen and African warriors who wielded their oars as weapons. It's the ancient art of stick fighting, revered and explained in the pages of this book.

Author Nick Evangelista shows readers how to use stick fighting for fun and self-defense. It doesn't matter if you're flaunting a foil or gripping a dowel from the hardware store - the techniques in this book will teach you how to wield the stick with grace, power and optimum effectiveness.

You'll learn the comprehensive history of the stick and all its forms: shepherd's crook, wooden swords, cranes and foils are just a few. Detailed lists provide places where you can find special equipment and organizations. The step-by-step approach makes stick fighting safe and fun. In this book you'll find:

* How to play variations of the singlestick game * The proper way to hold your body and your stick for games and real-life combat situations * How to make canes, walking sticks and single sticks * Sportsmanship and attire for the stickfighting realm

Why sticks? Because they're handy, easy to operate and don't require ammunition or a license. And in the event of a societal breakdown or nuclear holocaust, you'd still be able to find a stick - and use it.

Product Details

• Paperback: 158 pages
• Publisher: Loompanics Unlimited (March 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1559501766
• ISBN-13: 978-1559501767
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,745,534 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, October 20, 1999

By 

Walter Stockwell ([e-mail]) (Redwood City, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fighting with Sticks (Paperback)

I was disappointed in this book. Most of the chapters were extremely short; it seemed like it had been thrown together and padded out to "book" length. This would have been much better as a pamphlet. Most of what should have been the interesting chapters actually tell you to look at some other book, or join a dojo!

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars VERY INTERESTING!, October 9, 2000

By 

John Stevens (St. Louis, MO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fighting with Sticks (Paperback)

If you are heavily into martial arts, this book may not be your cup of tea, but for a beginner to the subject of wooden weapons, this book will have much value. "Fighting with Sticks" covers a lot of material with regard to all kinds of wooden combat items, especially wooden swords, so, at the very least, it is a valuable reference resource. The book also highlights singlestick combat techniques, a subject that hasn't been covered in any detail in books for about seventy years. Negative comments on this book seem to revolve around an elitist martial mindset, rather than addressing the true nature of this volume. Consider this review a recommendation.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars very basic, repetitive, summary of weapon use., December 30, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Fighting with Sticks (Paperback)

As a long time student and coach of Fencing, I have found this book to be a disappointment. It seemed that regard for law suites in today's society forced omission of more instruction in actual weapon use. The historical sections were interesting and worth reading.