The Secret History of the Sword: Adventures in Ancient Martial Arts (Paperback)

by J Christopher Amberger (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 281 pages
• Publisher: Multi-Media Books (March 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1892515040
• ISBN-13: 978-1892515049
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #616,389 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

72 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What's up with the negative reviews?, January 19, 2003

By	"reinierd" (Tokyo Japan) - See all my reviews

This book appears to have been targeted by at least one "assassination review" which almost stopped me from buying it. I am not a fencer and couldn't care less about fencing politics but the criticisms about The Secret History of the Sword are so misplaced and egregious that they must not go unanswered.

The assassins claim this books is: 1) dull, 2) not about the sword or European martial arts, 3) over intellectual and condescending, 4) so one-sided it "brooks no dissent", 5) for people who believe sword fighting began with the foil and rapier. Dullness is mostly a matter of personal taste, but since this book arrived at my doorstep I have barely been able to put it down. It is full of thought provoking facts and analysis fascinating to students of the combat arts. Is it about the sword or European combat arts? Well, I think the ambush-reviewer would be hard-put to find a page that doesn't mention the word "sword" at least once, and most of the essays refer to European (as opposed to, say, Asian) history. However, it is mostly about the use of the sword; if you want a 200 page book on metallurgy, this is not it.

Is The Secret History of the Sword over intellectual and condescending? Well, it does make readers work. The arguments and the humor are often subtle and ironic, so the essays may at first appear disjointed. It is a book that speaks on many levels, and is as much about the mental attitudes that make great martial artists as about the use of the sword per se. As such, it also makes a self-referential argument about how we might think about history and swordsmanship. Is this over intellectual? For some people, sure. But given how few martial arts books are written this way, Amberger's work is a breath of fresh air. As for whether it is condescending, the author's subtlety and ironic humor are if anything a mark of his respect for his readers. He does not browbeat us with repeated statements of his position, and provides us with richly textured arguments that reward many rereadings.

Finally, Amberger not only goes out of his way to show many sides of the key debates he addresses (e.g., the issue of whether horses and legs were legitimate targets), but he also shows how the evidence for any argument is ultimately less than 100% convincing - and therefore that there is room for fruitful debate. This hardly strikes me as brooking "no dissent" or favoring the foil and rapier.

This is one of the best, most thoughtful martial arts books I have read, and I have only scratched the surface. It may not suit everyone, but it does not deserve to be dismissed as "dull" or "condescending".

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Odd people write odd reviews, April 30, 2003

By A Customer

People practicing historical martial arts come in two varieties. One group can read. The other not. The amazon collection of reviews of Amberger's Secret History makes my case. I bought Amberger's book two years ago and I still find new things in it I didn't know. Okay, I grant you that Amberger's choice of format is not easy to follow. His style is eclectic and his writing distinctive. (On the other hand he's a native German writing in English but he does that better than most native English speakers I've known.) And I find that the lack of an index puts undue stress on someone looking for particular information on a particular subject. But only a person with blinders (or someone with a personal agenda or feelings of personal iniquity?) could call his writing bad. In fact, it is better than most other martial arts books. Only a complete dolt would not be able to see the incredible amount of information spread out. And I'm not talking anecdotes here but hundreds and hundreds of first-hand sources - French, German, English, Latin, Greek - which are quoted in the original, translated into understandable English and brought into proper context. I looked for published reviews of the book and found very positive ones, one even by Robert W Smith (known to most martial artists as John Glibey) and Diane Skoss. Believe me, you're better off taking their word regarding Amberger's book.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Much to learn from this book, September 4, 2005

By	isala "Isabel and Lars" (Fairbanks, Alaska,, US) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Mr. Amberger did not set out to write a complete history of the sword and fighting techniques. He is an enthusiast writing for other enthusiasts, some previous knowledge and experience, which I lacked, is required. However, the book is mostly fascinating and well-written. His main themes seems to be that sword fighting techniques are much more ancient than commonly believed. He also writes much about the German mensur fighting, which actually is quite interesting. Another theme is he really wants to distuinguish between competitive fencing, which has little to do with real fencing, and duelling and combative fencing: one is a game and one is as serious as it can get.
I liked his writing style and his erudition. This book would be a serious addition to the library of any fencer with an interest in there sport/hobby.