Book Review: Martial Arts in the Modern World

Title: Martial Arts in the Modern World

Author: Thomas A. Green and Joseph R. Svinth, editors

Publisher: Praeger Publishers

Publication Date: 2003

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 322, 9.5 in x 6.5 in

Cover Price: None; out-of-print, but available on the secondary market 

ISBN: 0275981533

Content

Joseph R. Svinth is editor of the Electronic Journals of Martial Arts and Sciences, a publication he started in 1999. He served in both the United States Marine Corps and Army National Guard. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Western Washington University, and a master’s degree in history from the University of Washington. Then Dr. Thomas A. Green earned his PhD in anthropology at the University of Texas, and served on the faculty of the department of anthropology at Texas A&M University. His most recent research focused on African and African-descended martial culture in the Americas.

Martial Arts in the Modern World is a collection of almost twenty essays on various martial arts topics by 11 different authors. The editors wrote about half of the articles. This is a scholarly book, meaning the authors cite sound evidence and sourced research. Topics include folk history, Chinese physical culture, Japanese boxing, “Zen in archery”, Indian wrestlers, Roosevelt and judo, Mitsuyo Maeda, Bruce Lee, historical African martial arts, kendo, Japan and the Olympic Games, judo organizations, Tae Kwon Do’s true origins, women’s boxing, fight choreography, and military combatives.

Pros

This is one of my favorite resources for reliable martial arts history across a wide set of topics. The authors know their material and provide citations. This book would probably surprise those who cling to certain myths in the martial arts world. For example, Eric Madis’ article explains that TKD is based largely on Japan’s version of karate. Yamada Shoji’s article demonstrates that Eugen Herrigel’s book Zen in the Art of Archery essentially manufactured a role for Zen in kyudo. The editors’ introduction to professor Kano’s article on Japan and the Olympic Games quotes the judo founder’s words saying that he was not a proponent of including judo as an Olympic sport. All of the articles are clearly written and do not waste the reader’s time. 

Cons

I have very few concerns with this book. It is a sort of appendix or sequel to Dr. Green’s 2001 two-volume set titled Martial Arts of the World: An Encyclopedia. (I do not plan to read or review that title, but I will shortly review the “second edition” of this work, published in 2010.) Some of the material has been superseded by more recent scholarship. 

For example, the chapter on Mitsuyo Maeda claims professor Maeda taught Carlos Gracie, and cites an interview with Helio Gracie — not the most reliable of sources. (He has presented three different versions of the family’s Brazilian jiu-jitsu “origin story” over the years.) The article also cites 1925 as the date that “Carlos Gracie established his own school in Rio.” There is no historical evidence for this claim, although the Gracie family stamps that date on its clothing. More recent evidence from the now-digitized Brazilian archives tell the true story.  There was no Gracie Academy in 1925. Donato Pires dos Reis founded his Academia de Jiu-Jitsu in Rio on rua Marques de Abrantes 106. A 7 September 1930 story shows him with Carlos and George, who worked as his assistants. When dos Reis left the school in 1930, Carlos stayed and renamed it.

These are small items compared to the overall content of the book, however.

Conclusion

I give this book 5 out of 5 ninja stars.

I greatly enjoyed reading Martial Arts in the Modern World. Subsequently, I believe it belongs on the book shelf of anyone interested in authentic martial arts history. While it is out-of-print, buyers can still find reasonably priced copies on the secondary market.

Tell me what you think of Martial Arts in the Modern World in the comments. Then check out my other reviews here on Martial Journal.

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Richard Bejtlich

Richard took his first martial arts classes in judo, karate, boxing, and combatives as a cadet at the US Air Force Academy in 1990, and continued practicing several styles until 2001. He resumed training in 2016 by practicing within the Krav Maga Global system, earning Graduate 1 rank. Richard now studies Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with Team Pedro Sauer. Richard is married and has two daughters, and as a cybersecurity professional he helps organizations find and remove computer hackers. Richard is co-author, with Anna Wonsley, of the book Reach Your Goal: Stretching and Mobility Exercises for Fitness, Personal Training, and Martial Arts.

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