Your Definitive Booklist

[everything]

Not sure how much I learned from it but B.K. Frantzis' Power of Internal Martial Arts is such an enjoyable read.

[DeusTrismegistus]

Hmm am I the only person who doesn't read hardly any MA books? I have Sun Lu Tangs Xingyi and Taiji books, a Shuai Jiao book, Tao of Jeet June Do (got it when I was about 7), and....a book on throwing knives. I also have the Art of War and Musashi. Otherwise most books I see in the store don't interest me.

[Waterway]

"The Art of Learning" by Josh Waitzkin. Story of a chess and Taiji master, but more importantly, about the art of learning. Must read for anyone who wants to learn anything.

"Daito-ryu Aikibudo" by Antonio Certa. Great book on the history of Daito Ryu, and a good selection of photographed techniques.

"Classical Fighting Arts of Japan: A Complete Guide to Koryu Jujutsu " by Fumon Tanaka (Foreword), Atsumi Nakashima (Foreword) and Serge Mol. Very interesting book that gives a lot of detail about Koryu arts of Japan, and also dispels much of the mystic around these arts e.g. all arts were soft "or yielding". There were some systems that valued strength and external force as a delivery method.

"Fujita Seiko: The Last Koga Ninja" by Philip Hevener. Good read about the last lineage of holder of a traditional system who ultimately decided it was better to let his system pass away with him.

[Andy_S]

Night of the Killer Crabs - Guy N Smith
Wheels of Terror - Sven Hassel
Nazi Bastard Murder Regiment - Leo Kessler
Ninja Death Blows - Ashida Kim
Son of Ninja Death Blows - Ashida Kim
Yet More Great Ninja Death Blows - Ashida Kim
Lesbian Lavatory Lust: The Making of the Film - Fanny Tart
Book of Five Rings - Some chap with a dodgy hairdo and fly threads
Book of Five Ringpieces - Some chap with a dodgy hairdo, fly threads and a toothbrush 'tache

[Andy_S]

Whoops, forgot to mention another classic:
Ninja Death Blows for Lusty Lesbians - Ashida Tart

[Chowfarn]

Not sure how much I learned from it but B.K. Frantzis' Power of Internal Martial Arts is such an enjoyable read.

I would say this is my number one.
I did not like the book when I first read it. The way it was written initially put me off.

What I'm finding over time is when I experience something new, I go back to the book & recall the authors experience.

I have yet to find another book on internal arts like this one.
All other books talk about basics &/or a specific technique - nothing on what you experience.

Bruce Lee's writings are also a good read - but as a useful reference to my own training - I feel it is not.
We are after different results
As the progress of internal training is slow & various techniques take time.
I feel it would be hard to fully endorse his theory of quick results.

[ShortFormMike]

for direction and motivation i like Robert Smith's "Chinese Boxing, Masters and Methods" and "Martial Musings".

[3 planes]

The Sword Polishers Record by Adam Hsu
A bit repetetive, but its all good

Toward a Psychology of Being by Abraham Maslow
An outstanding book that studies mastery and peak experience which can easily be applied to martial arts.

[yusuf]

i would suggest 'On war' by VOn Clausewitz

[Alexander]

The Sword Polishers Record by Adam Hsu
A bit repetetive, but its all good

Yeah, a great book. He's obviously a Kung Fu purist, but he definitely knows his stuff.

[bailu]

Single Perfect Note on a Bamboo Flute - Alex Kozma
Opening the Energy Gates of your Body - Bruce Frantzis
Mastering Yang style Taijiquan - Fu Zhongwen
Combat Techniques of Taiji, Xingyi & Bagua - Lu Shengli
Macbeth - William Shakespeare
Pride & Prejudice - Jane Austen

[Butterball]

Effortless combat throws by Tim Cartmell
Mastering Jujitsu by Renzo Gracie and John Danaher

[Chowfarn]

The Sword Polishers Record by Adam Hsu
A bit repetetive, but its all good

Yeah, a great book. He obviously a Kung Fu purist, but he obviously knows his stuff.

Is this just a sword book - or just its title ?

[Chowfarn]

When looking through Amazon - this one caught my eye:

Liu Bin's Zhuang Gong Bagua Zhang: Foundation Practices, Volume One
by Zhang Jie (Author), Richard Shapiro (Contributor)

Has anyone read/seen this book ?

How did you find it

[Alexander]

The Sword Polishers Record by Adam Hsu
A bit repetetive, but its all good

Yeah, a great book. He obviously a Kung Fu purist, but he obviously knows his stuff.

Is this just a sword book - or just its title ?

It's a book on Kung Fu - nothing to do with swordsmanship.