In the interests of full disclosure, I received this book for review purposes
The author of this book is also a contributor at Martial Journal
Title: From the Desk to the Dojang; A 50-year-old’s Taekwondo Journey
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform;
Author: David Ianetta
Publish Date: 2018
Format: Paperback
Pages: 154
Price: $7.00 Paperback or $3.49 Kindle
I’m getting older. I hate to admit it, but it’s true. I can see its effects on me every day. My injuries don’t heal as quick as they used to, and I get sore BECAUSE I DO NOTHING! That’s part of the reason I keep doing martial arts. I have to keep moving. Even if it’s just a small amount every day. So when I found out about David Ianetta’s book about reconquering martial arts after he’d moved on in years, I became interested.
Content
The author starts the book by telling his story of his time as a youth in martial arts (Tang Soo Do), and how he quit. Right before achieving his black belt. There’s a whole chapter on how this one unfinished act haunted him throughout his adult life. He then flash-forwards to age 50 when he decides enough is enough, and he’s going to complete that adventure, and get the coveted black belt. The book is then a collection of blog-post style stories about Mr. Ianetta’s trials, tribulations, and overall victories in this journey.
Pros
The writing style is one of the best parts of this book. I read a lot of books by people who are either trying to make a point or are trying to demonstrate their knowledge. This author’s style doesn’t fall into either of those categories. With a sense of humorous humility, he talks just as much about his own faults and mistakes as he does his victories. By the end of the book, you are kind of rooting for him. Its a sort of underdog story, and who doesn’t root for the underdog?
Cons
Although this book is specifically about Taekwondo, I don’t think the message is style specific. The only downside of this book is that all those young pups who are still immortal (in their own heads) may not appreciate the book as much as all of us seasoned veterans. That’s no fault of the book, only in that the message is meant for a more specific audience. Younger martial artists could read it and still enjoy it, but when I read it, my joints started hurting in sympathy with Mr. Ianetta’s experiences. My only complaint would be the length. I wanted more. It might have been put together in more of a story format, but that’s just my preference.
Conclusion
There are two ways to interpret this book. The first is as someone who has an unfinished goal, and after working on other things throughout his life decides to complete that goal. The other is as someone who learns the true meaning of martial arts later in life and now has the ability to fully appreciate the blood, sweat, tears (and knees) that we all enjoy as part of our art. Both levels of his tale compound to make this a compelling story. I honestly read it in a couple of nights. With only the need for sleep requiring that I put it down. Overall, I’m going to give this book four out of five Ninja Stars. I really like the message of the book and I enjoyed the writing style. I just wanted to savor the story longer. In a good way, there should have been more. If you are getting past the prime of your martial arts life, and starting to work harder to get the same physical results, then this book is definitely for you.
If you are interested in hearing more about From the Desk to the Dojang, and its Author David Ianetta, here is a link to an interview conducted by Jaredd Wilson on Martial Thoughts Podcast. Here is direct iTunes link to the podcast.
If you have already read the book, let me know what you thought of it in the comments below. You can also leave comments about aging, and how it has affected you in your training.
- Review of The Ankō Itosu Biography - September 13, 2021
- Suparinpei-The Last Kata of Goju-Ryu Karate - July 12, 2021
- Swords Are Cool…That’s All I’ve Got - March 4, 2021
I am just about finished with this book and I have to say I really enjoyed it. As another older martial artist, I happened to restart my martial journey around the same time as the author, and actually followed his blog as we both steadily (and sometimes not so steadily in my case) worked our way up the ladder. I would recommend this book for anyone who likes to read about people overcoming struggles via hard work and dedication – even young people who have yet to experience physical decline can apply the author’s lessons to other parts of their life.
Awesome! I really enjoyed it too, and talking to David Ianetta was a really interesting conversation.
I bet! I really enjoyed listening to it as well.