Books & Videos

Recommended reading and viewing to learn more about martial arts

SENSEI’S TOP RECOMMENDATIONS

HISTORY, THEORY AND PHILOSOPHY

• The Fighting Spirit of Japan : The Esoteric Study of the Martial Arts and Way of Life in Japan by EJ Harrison
• Budo Secrets : Teachings of the Martial Arts Masters by John Stevens
• The Warrior’s Path : Wisdom from Contemporary Martial Arts Masters by James Sidney
• Martial Musings : A Portrayal of Martial Arts in the 20th Century by Robert W. Smith
• Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts by Donn F. Draeger & Robert W. Smith
• Classical Bujutsu, Classical Budo, and Modern Bujutsu & Budo by Donn F. Draeger
• Koryu Bujutsu: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan and Sword & Spirit: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan, Vol. 2 by Diane Skoss (Editor)
• The Bodhisattva Warriors: The Origin, Inner Philosophy, History and Symbolism of the Buddhist Martial Art Within India and China by Shifu Tomio Nagaboshi
• Flashing Steel : Mastering Eishin-Ryu Swordsmanship by Masayuki Shimabukuro, Shihan M. Shimabukuro, Leonard Pellman
• The Bible of Karate : Bubishi by Patrick McCarthy(Editor)
• Moving Toward Stillness by Dave Lowry
• Way and the Power : Secrets of Japanese Strategy by Fredrick J. Lovret
• Empty Force : The Ultimate Martial Art: The Power of Chi for Self-Defense and Energy Healing by Paul Dong, Thomas Raffill (Contributor)
• Warriors of Stillness : Meditative Traditions in the Chinese Martial Arts by Jan Diepersloot
• Persimmon Wind by Dave Lowry
• Living the Martial Way : A Manual for the Way a Modern Warrior Should Think by Forrest E. Morgan
• Autumn Lightning: The Education of an American Samurai by Dave Lowry
• Karate-Do : My Way of Life by Gichin Funakoshi
• T’ai Chi Classics by Waysun Liao
• Karate Dojo : Traditions and Tales of a Martial Art by Peter Urba
• The Sword of No-Sword : Life of the Master Warrior Tesshu by John Stevens
• The Dao of Taijiquan : Way to Rejuvenation by Tsung Hwa Jou, Haw Jou Tsung
• Hagakure : The Book of the Samurai by Yamamoto Tsunetomo, William Scott Wilson
• Kodo Ancient Ways : Lessons in the Spiritual Life of the Warrior/Martial Artist (Literary Links to the Orient) by Kensho Furuya

TERMINOLOGY

• Japanese Martial Arts Character Dictionary by Prof. Tom R. Jenkins
• Sword and Brush : The Spirit of the Martial Arts by Dave Lowry
• Dictionary of the Martial Arts by Louis-Frederic, Paul Crompton (Editor)

TECHNIQUES

• Tessenjutsu: The Art of the Iron Fan by Hillary Kaplowitz
• Self-Defense for Girls & Women by H.S. Okazaki
• JuJitsu Techniques & Tactics by Doug Musser and Tom Lang
• Small Circle JuJitsu by Wally Jay
• Kodokan Judo by Jigaro Kano
• The Secrets of Judo by Jiichi Watanabe and Lindy Avakian
• Judo Formal Techniques : A Complete Guide to Kodokan Randori No Kata by Tadao Otaki, Donn F. Draeger, Tabao Orako, Tabao Otako
• Japan’s Ultimate Martial Art : Jujitsu Before 1882 the Classical Japanese Art of Self-Defense by Darrell Max Craig
• Jiu Jitsu Complete by K. Nakae
• Jo, the Japanese Short Staff by Don Zier, Tom Lang
• Stick Fighting by Masaaki Atsumi, et al

MARTIAL ARTS VIDEOS

• Yawara by Prof. Robert Hudson (produced by Pacific JuJitsu Kai)
• Nage Te by Prof. Robert Hudson (produced by Pacific JuJitsu Kai)
• Shime Te by Prof. Robert Hudson (produced by Pacific JuJitsu Kai)
• Transitions: Complete Set by Prof. Robert Hudson (produced by Pacific JuJitsu Kai)
• JuJitsu Video Series by Prof. Don Cross

CLASSICS

• The Art of War by Sun Tzu
• A Book of Five Rings by Mushashi Miyamoto
• Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu
• The Analects of Confucious
• I Ching

ILLUSTRATED CLASSICS

• The Tao Speaks : Lao-Tzu’s Whispers of Wisdom by Chih-Chung Tsai, et al
• Confucius Speaks : Words to Live by by Tsai Chih Chung, Brian Bruya (Translator), Chih-Chung Ts’ai
• Sunzi Speaks : The Art of War by Tsai Chih Chung, et al
• Zen Speaks : Shouts of Nothingness by Tsai Chih Chung, Brian Bruya (Translator), Zhizhong Cai
• Wisdom of the Zen Masters : The Quest for Enlightenment by Chih-Chung Tsai, et al
• The Dao of Zhuangzi : The Harmony of Nature by Tsai Chih Chung, et al

ZEN

• The Zen Way to the Martial Arts by Taisen Deshimaru, Nancy Amphoux (Translator)
• The Unfettered Mind : Writings of the Zen Master to the Sword Master by Takuan Soho, William Scott Wilson (Translator)
• Zen and the Ways by Trevor P. Leggett
• Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryu Suzuki, Trudy Dixon (Editor)
• Zen and Japanese Culture by Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki
• Zen Flesh, Zen Bones : A Collection of Zen and Pre-Zen Writings by Paul Reps, Nyogen Senzaki(Compiler)
• Zen in the Martial Arts by Joe Hyams

FICTION AND BIOGRAPHY

• Shibumi by Trevanian
• Iron and Silk by Mark Salzman
• Lost in Place : Growing Up Absurd in Suburbia by Mark Salzman
• The Laughing Sutra : A Novel by Mark Salzman
• Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa, Charles S. Terry (Translator)
• Angry White Pyjamas : A Scrawny Oxford Poet Takes Lessons from the Tokyo Riot Police by Robert Twigger
• The Father of Judo : A Biography of Jigoro Kano by Brian N. Watson
• Three Budo Masters by John Stevens

CHINESE MEDICINE AND THEORY

• The Complete Illustrated Guide to Chinese Medicine: A Comprehensive System for Health and Fitness by Tom Williams Ph.D
• Chinese Herbal Patent Formulas by Jake Fratkin
• Foundations of Chinese Medicine : A Comprehensive Text for Acupuncturists and Herbalists Giovanni Maciocia
• The Warrior As Healer:A Martial Arts Herbal for Power, Fitness, and Focus by Thomas Richard Joiner
• Essential Anatomy : For the Healing and Martial Arts by Marc Tedeschi
• The Web That Has No Weaver: Understanding Chinese Medicine by Ted J. Kaptchuk

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

• Anatomy For Martial Artists by Jane Carr, Geri Copitch, Robert Sedillos RN, and Philip Copitch Ph.D.
• The Anatomy Coloring Book, 2nd Edition by Wynn Kapit and Lawrence M. Elson
• Albinus on Anatomy by Rober Beverly Hale and Terence Coyle
• Illustrated Essentials of Musculoskeletal Anatomy by Kay W. Sieg, Sandra P. Adams
• Tabers Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary by Clayton L. Thomas
• Flash Anatomy: The Bones
• Flash Anatomy: The Muscles