Customer Reviews

The Warrior's Path: Wisdom from Contemporary Martial Arts Masters

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

 

 

As a coffee table book this one deserves 5 stars. Very nicely done, short stories, easy to read, arty photos, excellent lay-out, sure to impress someone who isn't even interested in martial arts. But, if you ARE interested in martial arts this book will probably disappoint you. The stories are too short and too shallow. The book is comprised of maybe 10 or so martial arts masters each telling a short autobiographical-type story. A few of the entries seem very pointless. Most of the masters tend to share the common theme of complaining that "things just aren't the same as they used to be". They complain that "attitudes are different", "students don't practice as hard as in the old days", "things are changing for the worst"... not much wisdom here. One laughable interview is with a Japanese woman who is a naginata expert. It is as if she says nothing at all. She explains some of her life story but there is no real opinion or wisdom offered at all. Like trying to learn something by watching a glass of water! Hmm... maybe that was her intention. Seriously, The problem with this book is that there is truly very little offered of any value or substance. The short stories presented by each expert were not very interesting even from a readability perspective, much less to be of any value for the serious martial artist. So, the question is: what was the point in making this book? The answer is that it is like a piece of art. Like an abstract painting one might hang on their wall to impress guests with. Looks beautiful. Creates a mood. I was hoping for some deep insights, mind-blowing philosophy, helpful tips, and maybe even a few interesting stories from all these masters, but instead, the author (translator, interviewer) serves up a bunch of fluff. I gave it 2 stars because this book is so lovely that even a nun wouldn't mind flipping through it. But, it reminds me of one of those fastfood hamburgers that is all bun, little meat and plenty of eye-dazzling condiments. I hope you find this review helpful because I really tried to be fair in my assessment of this book, and hope to forewarn anyone who might have the same initial hopes for this book that I once had before I stupidly wasted money on it.

This is an interesting book that takes you into the mind of some of the older martial arts masters. I believe that we can learn much from the elderly. They have lived many years and have gained a lot of wisdom from their journeys. This book contains some candid conversations with some elderly martial arts masters and they give you some valuable insight into the world of martial arts.

These masters actually guide you as to what true martial arts were meant to be. They discuss their lives, their journeys through the martial arts, how martial arts have changed, and what they think of modern martial arts. I found it interesting to see what these elders had to say on the subject. Although I didn't pull a ton of useful wisdom from this book, it was an interesting read.

Bohdi Sanders, author of Warrior Wisdom: Ageless Wisdom for the Modern Warrior

The Warriors's Path is a really extraordinary collection of interviews of practitioners of the modern "Martial Ways" ( Gendai budo )who have filled their lives with training, are nearing the end of their lives and are able to ruminate on the significance that training has held from a perspective that few practitioners can. It is, I think, a perspective of great value to those young and not so young practitioners of modern budo today.

The text deals exclusively with Japanese budo teachers living in Japan or abroad. The similarity in world views of the teachers interviewed here and the consistancy of their answers regarding the deeper meanings of budo practise is still very surprising even in such a homogeneous group. Proof positive that regardless of whether one is practising Atarashii Naginata or Shorinji Kenpo the path is one and the same.

Strangely the cover displayed on this page of a Shorinji Kenpo practitioner is different from the "Karate-ka" cover I have. I found the pictures sometimes to be a bit TOO abstract at times. I found myself wishing to see the practitioners in action at times. Also barring this book from receiving a 5 star rating was the fact that mine came with several pages of text missing. I'm sure that this can't be a problem with all the copies, though.

In terms of content I would say that this is one of the more important books on budo I've read in the last 10 years.

This is a treasure... a book that has captured the personalities of living masters of many different styles of martial arts from around the world. Great stories and very nice photo work.. anyone studying the martial arts should count this book as part of their library and on going research into their discipline.

The interviewees in this short book take a nostalgic walk down philosophical lane. Many of the insights were thought provoking and intriguing, sans the one individual who damns everyone for talking him into moving to Brazil to pursue teaching his chosen budo art.

I always enjoy reading about modern budo (post WWII) and the Japanese take on the "brutal training" of days past. While I don't doubt the severity of some of the training, as with our own parents "everything was tougher back then."

Still, the feeling that traditional budo may be fading into the past is a concern for each of these modern masters. Many tell of their wants and needs to train individuals steeped in the koryu of their respective art. This has been a concern for many of the post WWII era budoka, but the traditional arts manage to cling to life, and seem to share a growing cyclical resurgance of popularity.

This book is definately worth a read, as it will make many budoka nod their heads in agreement, and hopefully re-energize the slow modern budo perpetuation.