IAI: The Art Of Drawing The Sword [Paperback]

Darrell Max Craig (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 1991

To the Japanese, the sword is a spiritual weapon, possessed of a kind of divinity, a self reflective of the soul of its maker, owner, and user. Around its mystical powers has grown a centuries-old ritual and a fascinating, intricate discipline. This unique guide unlocks the mysteries of this ancient ritual practice, explaining the history and significance of swords in the samurai culture, and documenting the the techniques of swordsmanship, as no other book in English does. Black and white line drawings and photographs enliven the narrative; a glossary of sword terminology closes the text.

Editorial Reviews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Charles E. Tuttle Company; 3 edition (June 15, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804870233
• ISBN-13: 978-0804870238
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #206,065 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #10 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Individual Sports > Fencing

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good guide to understanding Iaido, June 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: IAI: The Art Of Drawing The Sword (Paperback)

This book covers a lot of ground! It includes everything from every part of a Japanese sword, seppuku, how the blades were tested (and includes more humane tests one can do at home in this modern age), along with taking care of the blade, dos and don'ts as well as some great history. Great book, I highly recommend it!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good history of the Japanese sword!, August 9, 2000

By 

D. Hunter - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: IAI: The Art Of Drawing The Sword (Paperback)

This book offers a lot of great information. It starts with care of the blade, and a little history. It then progresses into several basic techniques, a history of ritual suicide, the 47 ronin and how the old blades were tested on prisoners, their results printed on the tang (I have actually found blades with such ratings on them). It also covers identifying marks on blades, what to look for when looking at a historic sword and more.

Worth every penny I spent for it.

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars More than a little disappointed...., July 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: IAI: The Art Of Drawing The Sword (Paperback)

Sorry to say that Craig's coverage of Mugai-ryu Iaido, as taught by Shogo Kuniba, is less than accurate. Having also been a student of Kuniba, I see a large number of inconsistencies in the text and illustrations.

Craig's general info is very good regarding sword nomenclature and philosophy, however, so I consider it a decent addition to any library concerning Japanese Swordsmanship, as long as the reader is aware of some of the drawbacks regarding Mugai-ryu.