Multiple Attackers

MacYoung, Marc. “Multiple Attackers: Your Guide to Recognition, Avoidance, and Survival.” Carry On Publishing. August 25, 2020.

Multiple Attackers by Marc MacYoung is a must read for anyone who studies, practices and requires self-protection for self-defense. In these troubled times, especially with the volatility of some protest efforts, we need to truly understand how group violence occurs and how best to protect ourselves if we are present when the trigger is pulled. Add in the benefit of his comparison to how it all works with one-on-one vs. group attacks because the differences matter - a whole hell of a lot. 

This book has now become my go to reference just after his book “In The Name of Self-Defense,” simply because he covers the necessary material is such a way it becomes fun to read and to read again. I especially appreciate how he lets you know how to battle the predatory prosecutors as well as the predatory legal system. Use the reference below linked to Amazon Kindle where you can get your copy. 

The Chrysanthemum and the Sword

Benedict, Ruth. "The Chrysanthemum and the Sword." Mariner Books. 2005.

Review: This most excellent material was written in a time of war and its influence in all probability provided the path taken at war's end that General McArthur took that gave us modern Japan with all that it has to offer. This includes the martial arts and karate. 

There are many books on Japanese culture but this one stands out because of its ability to add to those presentations thus cultivating and conditioning the soil they already grow from and that makes for some enhancements toward a better understanding of those who have come before. 

I have read the first round of reading and found a plethora of things, feelings and understandings that simply make my philosophical and psychological understanding of that which I have studied and trained for going on over forty-plus years. You can say, although I had my doubts when I first thought to read this book, that the surprise as to its value and contribution to my understanding of those who created and passed on to us karate and other martial disciplines as a great wonderful boon to that study and understanding. 

It explains many facets to their cultural philosophical belief system and still I cannot fully fathom the depth and breadth of how well they achieved the achievements they did even in the face of utter defeat in WWII. YOU WILL NOT be disappointed, especially if you have a deep interest in what makes the Japanese/Okinawan mind think, act and believe. You will NOT fully and completely and comprehensively understand that simplistically complex process but you WILL BENEFIT and so will your efforts in the martial arts and karate. 

When Deadly Force is Involved

Lawlor, Bruce M. “When Deadly Force is Involved.” Rowman & Littlefeild. 2017

Review: let me begin by offering a word on this book, “ Awesome!” We have already covered other awesome books by the likes of Marc MacYoung and Rory Miller concerning self-defense, violence and the use of force. This one provides a method to communicate that seemed to work well for me and I feel it will do the same for you. 

Let me begin by saying, it does NOT provide you with either legal advice nor legal references other than semantic references to give you “A FEELING” for a general understanding necessary to talk the talk with an attorney should you find yourself facing the legal system in a self-defense case. The way this book tells the story then covers the subject of each chapter gives one the “Sense and Sensibility” of the self-defense defense if you apply your self-protection skills. 

It helps to understand in a general way what you are up against when you face-off with the legal system. In my past meanderings of the written word I have mentioned that you don’t just face the conflict and battle of an aggressor, you don’t just face the repercussions such as grave harm and you do FACE another conflict and battle from those in the legal system who will scrutinize your skills, past, present perceptions, and more to filter out what you did according to their perceptions, beliefs and rules/law never before experienced by you as a non-professional in self-protection. 

This book provides you with a plathora of data, concepts and possibilities toward creating a self-protection program that goes far and beyond mere physical skills and techniques. It provides data to build a holistic wholehearted comprehensive program that covers the full spectrum of not just martial disciplines but those concepts necessary to prepare, train, practice and experience those things that will matter should you face-off with the legal system. 

After all, the battle for self-protection never ends when the attacker stops his attack because your adversary will shift from him to, “first responders, their leadership, those who lead the charge in the prosecutor office, all the way to the court staff and those unpredictable folks who will sit and judge what you did, how you did it and all the other stuff discussed in this book to make a decision on your future. 

You can suffer damage far beyond that heaped on you from an attacker and long after leaving the ER because the legal system holds just as many dangers over the many months to years that will follow in the meat grinder called the legal system. 

Get the book! Study, read, study some more then seek out legal advice from someone in the legal system who has the experience and understanding of self-defense law and legal system.