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

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Okinawa

Bibliography:
Kerr, George. "Okinawa: The History of an Island People." Tuttle. New York. 2000.

Review: This is the only book I have found that speaks to the history of the Okinawan people. Many martial arts endeavors attempt, without exacting historical documentation, to speak to the history as it relates to the martial arts or the Okinawan Karate system but this is the only one that appears to be complete.

There are others the write about more modern customs, the culture and tourism type materials but this is the one, in English, that has a more in-depth historical look. I would say read this one first to get a foundation, read the others to see Okinawa today and recent past then finally read the martial art books and piece it all together. Cool.
Posted by at
Labels: , ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)