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Kendo
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Complete Kendo
One of the great things about the martial arts is that
they're so complex you can never really say (or read)
enough about them. So . . ..given that I practice kendo
with my son Owen, and that rising in rank means that
you've got to give some serious thought to how you'll
train other people, I wrote this book. My wife Kitty did the
drawings. My brother Matt took the pictures.
There have been a few good books published recently on
kendo, and I'm glad to see it. I wanted my book to make a
contribution to this trend. Pay no attention to the
"Complete" title-the publishers insisted even though
everyone knows that there is no such thing as a complete
book on a martial art. I take some good natured ribbing
about it, but I also hear from kendo students all over the
country who tell me that the book helps them understand
more about their art. And that, of course, is the point.
Here's what the publisher says about the book:
The book is a thorough introduction to the Japanese
martial way of the sword and is a guided tour of the
principles and philosophy upon which the art is founded.
The author covers everything from the care and handling
of the uniform to the methods of cultivating the meditative
state of mushin (no mind), all in an easy conversational
dialogue that is a great pleasure to read.
Structured to echo the organization of the Book of Five
Rings by Miyamoto Musashi, Complete Kendo is a
modern version of the swordsman's primer by a martial
artist skilled not only in the art of kendo but, like Musashi,
in many traditional Japanese arts, and with a superb
understanding of the martial tradition and culture of
Japan. The author uses lessons learned from a long
career of teaching martial arts and academic subjects to
impart clearly and concisely the fundamental tools of
kendo and the martial way.
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