Recommended Reading
This list is broken down into sections, but there is a lot of overlapping. All of the books on it have merit on your road to Martial Excellence. Books with adult language, etc are denoted with the  (Not Recommended for those under 17 years old).
If you are having trouble finding a listed book, ask Mr James or follow one of the Suppliers links at the bottom.
If you have a book you would like to recommend, email the title and author to us, and we'll review it.
Kenpo
Personal Protection
Psychology & Philosophy
Science, and other stuff I didn't know where to put
Self Defense
Strategy & Tactics
Weapons
Where to buy
- Infinite Insights into Kenpo (Vols 1-5)
- by Ed Parker
Written before his death, these books present Kenpo in depth. Each volume focuses on a different aspect of the art.
|
- Kenpo Karate
- Law of the fist and the empty hand
by Ed Parker
Mr Parker's first book, it is a primer of sorts on Kenpo karate.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
top of page
- Tom Patire’s
Personal Protection Handbook
- Absolutely EVERYTHING you need to know to keep yourself, your family and your assets SAFE.
A National bestseller and definitive reference guide to personal and family safety, Tom Patire’s Personal Protection Handbook covers everything you need to know to keep you and your family safe.
You will get commonsense advice on dozen’s of topics ranging from physical confrontations, preventing identity theft, child safety, home security, staying safe outside the home, general awareness and more.
Whether you’re a single woman, a parent of young children, or just a concerned citizen at a time when everyday safety has become a necessity, this book is a vital reference from a trusted expert that will empower, educate and inform you!
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
top of page
- CHEAP SHOTS, AMBUSHES, AND OTHER LESSONS
- A Down and Dirty Book on Streetfighting and Survival
by Marc "Animal" MacYoung
Streetfighting is a down and dirty topic, and the author, an ex-streetfighter, shares his hard-learned lessons here. Want to know how to recognize a mugging setup? How to avoid getting sucker punched? It's all here, as well as tips on bullies, weapons, martial arts vs. streetfighting and more.
|
- FISTS, WITS, AND A WICKED RIGHT
- Surviving on the Wild Side of the Street
by Marc "Animal" MacYoung
"It's awareness, wits and fists that will keep you safe out there, not some fancy Oriental fighting form," says Animal. Here, he gets down to the fine points and brutal technicalities of blows and targeting - the critical stuff that will keep you from becoming dead meat.
|
- FLOOR FIGHTING
- Stompings, Maimings, and Other Things to Avoid When a Fight Goes to the Ground
by Marc "Animal" MacYoung
Real fights almost always end up on the ground, where there's the ever-present danger of getting stomped, stabbed or worse. Animal shows you the necessary jerking, jabbing, gouging and biting nastiness you need to know to fight effectively once you're onthe floor.
|
- STREET E & E
- Evading, Escaping, and Other Ways to Save Your Ass When Things Get Ugly
by Marc "Animal" MacYoung
Here Animal tells you how to survive when you're outflanked and outgunned. Rather than clashing head-on with every problem that comes along, you need to learn to apply hit-and-run tactics, utilize the environment and use your enemies' weaknesses against them.
|
- PROFESSIONAL'S GUIDE TO ENDING VIOLENCE QUICKLY
- How Bouncers, Bodyguards, and Other Security Professionals Handle Ugly Situations
by Marc "Animal" MacYoung
People who deal with violence on a daily basis know that the best way to avoid getting injured or sued by the jerk who started the trouble is to defuse the situation or put him down fast and hard. Here Animal shows you how to do both.
|
- SAFE IN THE CITY
- A Streetwise Guide to Avoid Being Robbed, Raped, Ripped-Off, or Run Over
by Chris Pfouts and Marc "Animal" MacYoung
This is an entertaining street-level look at how crimes are really committed in America's cities. Chris and Animal use their NY-L.A. experience to help you learn the games carjackers, muggers, "gangstas," rapists, junkies and conmen play-and how to avoid them.
|
- BOUNCER'S GUIDE TO BARROOM BRAWLING
- Dealing with the Sucker Puncher, Streetfighter, and Ambusher
by Peyton Quinn
As a bouncer in a biker bar and a participant in dozens of fights, Peyton Quinn knows the difference between fighting fact and fantasy. The result is a unique guide to self-defense that can save your ass in places where brawling is quick, dirty and very violent.
|
- REAL FIGHTING
- Adrenaline Stress Conditioning through Scenario-Based Training
by Peyton Quinn
Techniques learned in the dojo rarely work in a real fight. Here the author of A Bouncer's Guide to Barroom Brawling offers a practical solution. Learn how to control the rush of adrenaline into your system and harness it effectively to shut down the bully's antics or pound him into the pavement when all else fails.
|
- How to Fight Tough
- by Jack Dempsey
The originator of the straight lead concept.
|
|
|
top of page
- KNIVES, KNIFE FIGHTING, AND RELATED HASSLES
- How to Survive a Real Knife Fight
by Marc "Animal" MacYoung
Knife fighting is ugly business, so you'd better know what you're doing if you ever find yourself in one. This book will show you the down-and-dirty reality of knife fighting, from choosing the best knife to devious street tricks commonly used to get in the first strike.
|
- POOL CUES, BEER BOTTLES, AND BASEBALL BATS
- Animal's Guide to Improvised Weapons for Self-Defense and Survival
by Marc "Animal" MacYoung
Would you admit to getting your ass kicked with a hairbrush? Animal would, because as a seasoned veteran of streetfighting, he knows it can happen. Learn to pick up damn near anything and use it to survive.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
top of page
- Book of Five Rings
- by Miyamoto Musashi
An exellent book on strategy and tactics, there are many levels of meaning to this text. Find a translation that you like, as there are probably a dozen or so available. To me, this book covers the man-to-man fighting science; to Peyton Quinn it is about Adrenal Stress fighting.
|
- Art of War
- by Sun Tzu
Another exellent book on strategy and tactics, this is a military classic and often required reading for the military. Again, there are many translations available, and sometimes comparing the differences will reveal something you would otherwise miss. To me, this book covers squad to army fighting science.
|
- The Prince
- by Machiavelli
The political classic. Once you have used the Book of Five rings to become a general, and the Art of War to take over the country, The Prince will show you how to rule and stay in power. Priceless for any time you need to understand manipulation.
|
|
|
|
|
top of page
- VIOLENCE, BLUNDERS, AND FRACTURED JAWS
- Advanced Awareness Techniques and Street Etiquette
by Marc "Animal" MacYoung
When you walk into a place, you have to be able to instantly identify the fighters, hustlers, workers, spectators and troublemakers. Find out how Animal and other professionals do this, based on their experiences as bouncers, drug dealers, bikers, prisonofficials and street people.
|
- Tao of Jeet Kune Do
- by Bruce Lee, Gilbert Johnson
Notes and thoughts on the principals and concepts of JKD.
|
- The Gift of Fear
- by Gavin DeBecker
Each hour, 75 women are raped in the United States, and every few seconds, a woman is beaten. Each day, 400 Americans suffer shooting injuries, and another 1,100 face criminals armed with guns. Author Gavin de Becker says victims of violent behavior usually feel a sense of fear before any threat or violence takes place. They may distrust the fear, or it may impel them to some action that saves their lives. A leading expert on predicting violent behavior, de Becker believes we can all learn to recognize these signals of the "universal code of violence," and use them as tools to help us survive. The book teaches how to identify the warning signals of a potential attacker and recommends strategies for dealing with the problem before it becomes life threatening. The case studies are gripping and suspenseful, and include tactics for dealing with similar situations.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
top of page
- Karate Breaking Techniques:
- With Practical Applications for Self-Defense
by Jack Hibbard
A great book on learning how to break, and how not to get hurt in the process.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
top of page
top of page
|
