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.