Fall Hard

Book Review: Falling Hard

July 3, 2020 Richard Bejtlich 2

Title: Falling Hard: A Journey into the World of Judo Author: Mark Law Publisher: Trumpeter Publication Date: July 14, 2009 Format: Paperback Pages: 288, 5.5 in x 8.5 in Cover Price: $24.95 ISBN: 978-1590307151 Note: Falling Hard was originally published in 2007 in the United Kingdom as “The Pyjama Game,” not to be confused with the 1997 book “Angry [Read More]

The Way of Judo

Book Review: The Way of Judo

July 2, 2020 Richard Bejtlich 1

Title: The Way of Judo: A Portrait of Jigoro Kano and His Students Author: John Stevens Publisher: Shambhala Publication Date: August 13, 2013 Format: Paperback / Kindle Pages: 240, 5.5 in x 8.5 in Cover Price: $22.95 ($16.95) / $17.99 ISBN: 9781590309162 Content According to his profile at Amazon.com, “John [Read More]

Three Budo Masters

Book Review: Three Budo Masters

June 30, 2020 Richard Bejtlich 0

Title: Three Budo Masters Author: John Stevens Publisher: Kodansha International Publication Date: May 1, 1995 Format: Paperback Pages: 144, 4.5 x 7.5 in Cover Price: $12 ISBN: 4770018525 Content According to his profile at Amazon.com, “John Stevens lived in Japan for thirty-five years, where he was a professor of Buddhist [Read More]

Ippon The Fight for Judos Soul

Book Review: Ippon! The Fight for Judo’s Soul

June 29, 2020 Richard Bejtlich 0

Title: Ippon! The Fight for Judo’s Soul Author: Dave Hammond Publisher: London League Publications Ltd Publication Date: May 5, 2008 Format: Kindle Pages: 96  Cover Price: $5.80 ISBN: (Amazon ASIN) B00IHPQ0R2 Content Author Dave Hammond began practicing judo in 1982, and has competed at the national level for several British judo associations. He is ranked in Tomiki Aikido, [Read More]

The Father of Judo

Book Review: The Father of Judo

June 26, 2020 Richard Bejtlich 0

Title: The Father of Judo: A Biography of Jigoro Kano Author: Brian N. Watson Publisher: Kodansha International Publication Date: October 16, 2000 Format: Hardcover Pages: 212, 6.2 in x 8.8 in Cover Price: $28 ISBN: 4770025300 Content Brian Watson is a long time judo practitioner, ranked as a 4th dan at the time of writing The Father [Read More]

Judo Memoirs of Jigoro Kano

Book Review: Judo Memoirs of Jigoro Kano

June 25, 2020 Richard Bejtlich 0

Title: Judo Memoirs of Jigoro Kano Author: Brian N. Watson Publisher: Trafford Publication Date: October 3, 2008 Format: Hardcover / Paperback / Kindle Pages: 218, 6 in x 9 in Cover Price: $29 / $26 / $8.99 ISBN: 978-1425163495 Content Brian Watson is a long time judo practitioner, ranked as [Read More]

Saving Japans Martial Arts

Book Review: Saving Japan’s Martial Arts

June 24, 2020 Richard Bejtlich 0

Title: Saving Japan’s Martial Arts Author: Christopher M. Clarke Publisher: Clarke’s Canyon Press Publication Date: 2011 Format: Hardcover Pages: 284, 5 ½ in by 8 ½ in Cover Price: print-on-demand for $16.95 ISBN: 9781466211728 Content Dr. Christopher M. Clarke is a prolific author, having written or edited three dozen books on the martial arts — some of which [Read More]

Mind Over Muscle

Book Review: Mind Over Muscle

June 23, 2020 Richard Bejtlich 0

Title: Mind Over Muscle: Writings from the Founder of Judo Author: Jigoro Kano; Compiled by Naoki Murata; Translated by Nancy H. Ross Publisher: Kodansha International Publication Date: May 6 2013; First edition 2005 Format: Hardcover Pages: 160, 5.5 in x 7.7 in Cover Price: $19.95 ISBN: 978-1568364971 Content Professor Jigoro [Read More]

A History of Judo

Book Review: A History of Judo

June 22, 2020 Richard Bejtlich 1

Title: A History of Judo Author: Syd Hoare Publisher: Yamagi Books Publication Date: 2009 Format: Paperback Pages: 208, 6 in x 9 in Cover Price: none ISBN: 9780956049803 Content The late Sydney (Syd) Hoare was a British judoka who competed for Great Britain in the 1964 Summer Olympics. He was [Read More]

No Image

Follow Your Martial Art Heart

June 13, 2020 Andrea Harkins 0

Positivity In a Pandemic There is no better time than today to use martial arts to make a difference in this Covid-19 defined world. People face a slowed economy, orders to wear masks, or stay clear of strangers, friends, and loved ones. In these trying times, martial arts provide refuge [Read More]

Fifty-Five and Still Kicking

June 3, 2020 David Ianetta 0

Fifty-five and This Happened Now at fifty-five, I was going to test for my Second Dan. I came down with bronchitis just as my 2nd Dan test was supposed to occur.  My masters rescheduled a makeup exam and once I was feeling better I took advantage of the extra weeks [Read More]

Combat Sports in the Ancient World

Book Review: Combat Sports in the Ancient World

June 2, 2020 Richard Bejtlich 0

Title: Combat Sports in the Ancient World: Competition, Violence, and Culture Author: Michael B. Poliakoff Publisher: Yale University Press Publication Date: 1987 Format: Paperback Pages: 202, 6 in x 9 in Cover Price: $24 ISBN: 9780300063127 Content In an earlier review I described a book titled The Martial Arts of [Read More]

Jet Li’s Unleashed Movie Review

May 29, 2020 Tristan Glover 1

How to watch: Hulu (with Starz add-on), $3.99 on iTunes, Amazon Prime, and Youtube. Starring: Jet Li, Morgan Freeman, Bob Hoskins, Kerry Condon Director: Louis Leterrier Writer: Luc Besson Run time: 1 hour 43 minutes Rating: R Release date: May 13, 2005 Style: Kung Fu, Crime, Violent More information on this film can be found on [Read More]

Cover of The Martial Arts of Ancient Greece

Book Review: The Martial Arts of Ancient Greece

May 20, 2020 Richard Bejtlich 0

Title: The Martial Arts of Ancient Greece: Modern Fighting Techniques from the Age of Alexander Author: Kostas Dervenis and Nektarios Lykiardopoulos Publisher: Destiny Books, an imprint of Inner Traditions • Bear & Company Publication Date: October 22, 2007 Format: Paperback Pages: 8 in x 10 in Cover Price: $19.95 ISBN: [Read More]

Book Cover

Book Review: The Legacy of Kano Jigoro

May 18, 2020 Richard Bejtlich 1

Note: I would like to thank the publisher, and their point of contact Adam, for sending me a review copy from Japan. Title: The Legacy of Kano Jigoro: Judo and Education Author: The Committee for the Commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the Birth of Jigoro Kano; Translated by Tom [Read More]

Ninja: Unmasking the Myth

Book Review: Ninja: Unmasking the Myth

May 12, 2020 Richard Bejtlich 1

  Title: Ninja: Unmasking the Myth Author: Stephen Turnbull Publisher: Frontline Books Publication Date: 02/26/2018 Format: Hardcover Pages: 230, 6.1″ x 9.8″ Cover Price: £25.00   Content Author Dr. Stephen Turnbull took his first degree at Cambridge and has two MAs (in Theology and Military History) from Leeds University. In [Read More]