Recommended reading for the martial arts. This is my personal library list. I practice Okinawan Te or "Ryukyu Ti." My system is derived from two others, one being the main influence of Shorin-ryu and the second Goju-ryu. The branch under Shorin-ryu is Isshin-ryu as developed by Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei.

I wanted to create a library reference blog where I can provide a listing of the books I have in my library, present and past (past in that some have been lost in transit over the years). I will provide a graphic, if available, a short description, if available, and the bibliography. When possible a link to Amazon will be provided.

"Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider..." - Francis Bacon


Reader's of this Blog

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

My eBooks - Status

Just wanted to get it in that I have not forgotten about publishing my eBooks on the gokui and the terminologies. I work and I write all the time. One book is still being edited by a very good friend and I didn’t give them a deadline simply because I appreciate their efforts and the time it takes them to do this - for free. 

In addition, my time has been full and the books have taken a second place in my goals to mean my every day work along with my family and finally my desire to get my retirement in order for next year or the year after latest. You all know how scheduling and coordination of many things goes. I am working on the terminology book for publishing but editing as others know far better than I ii is a process, an important process. 

Ok, so I am making excuses but know this, I am serious and will publish eBooks in the next couple of years. I also believe it will be worth the wait. I have a solid plan to write often and publish faster when I retire either next year or the year after because I have come to really enjoy writing. I will admit that the other stuff necessary to write and publish are not high on my list because they can be tedious and boring but alas I also know, from my new study and understanding of self-defense thank you very much Mr. MacYoung and Mr. Miller, is similar where SD has a lot more than just the physical, i.e. writing has a lot more than just scribbling my thoughts and ideas on paper -so to speak. 


I am getting there, really, I am :-)

Taming Your Gremlin

Bibliography:
Carson, Rick. “Taming Your Gremlin.” Harper Collins. New York, 2003, 2014.

Review: You might be wondering why this book made it into a martial arts library. Once you get a few chapters under your belt you may begin to wonder why it rings so many bells with you and then you will realize that this author has stepped into the realm of the “monkey.” The Monkey is the Gremlin but in a distinct manner relevant to the world of humans as well as martial arts and in particular self-defense.

You will find this short tome on the Gremlin/Monkey as a guide and a workbook to train your mind in every day activities to see and combat the Gremlin/Monkey. I find this a training book for the awareness we need to be martial artists especially when we study and practice with self-defense in mind. 

This book is well written, short and terse but not lacking and it is excellent for everyone but including the MA and SD practitioners. This book will go a long way to teaching and training about combating the monkey or rather the Monkey and Gremlin. For the Monkey and Gremlin both live inside of each and every one of us and usually without our control. They tend to control us most of the time and that is part and parcel to how we end up in conflicts. This book will help you to achieve control over the Gremlin/Monkey and it is relevant to everyday practice. 


A highly recommended book for everyone but with emphasis on MA and SD.