Laura Scandiffio

'The author eloquently surveys a variety of martial arts to help the reader gain a general overview. What is judo, jujitsu, karate, kung fu, tai chi, aikido, and kendo? The answers are found in this book. I highly recommend this title to any young reader interested in martial arts, and equally recommend it to parents and teachers.'-S. Dan Hausel Soke (Grandmster) (9th dan black belt) Seiyo no shorin-ryu karate kobudo kai, University of Wyoming

Self-knowledge and awareness are at the core of the martial arts. Though this ancient discipline embraces many different styles, they share a common origin and an emphasis on both a strong body and character.

Through riveting stories, learn about the samurai who preferred to use strategy over violence, and were trained to pay attention to the sound of breathing to tell if someone was really sleeping or just pretending.

Meet the female ninjas known as 'Deadly Flowers' and the last ninja, Seiko Fujita, who went to extraordinary lengths to leaern to withstand pain and poison! This engrossing book presents an overview of the fascinating philosophy and history of martial arts from their beginning in AD 500 China to the present day.

Laura Scandiffio has worked as an editor for both children's and adult trade books. The Martial Arts Book is the first of many books she will write for young people. She lives in Toronto with her husband and two children.

Nicolas Debon has illsustrated several other historical children's books set in Asia, including The Warlord's series by Virginia Walton Pilegard. In everything he illustrates, Nicolas pays special attention to historical accuracy. He presently lives in Toronto.

Contents

What are the martial arts?
1 Beginnings: Where and how did the martial arts start?
The story of Bodhidharma
The five animals: Learning from nature
The art of self-defense
2 The spiritual side of the martial arts
Zen Buddhism: the here and now
Taoism: the way and its power
Healing arts: The hand that takes life also gives it
3 Many branches, one tree: The different styles of martial art
Shaolin Temple boxing: The original kung fu
Tai chi chuan: The soft art of Taoism
Karate: The empty hand
Tae Kwon Do: Korea's martial art
4 Weapons in martial arts
The samurai: The way of the warrior
Ninjas: Teh art of being invisible
Kendo: The way of the sword
5 From Temple to training hall: The martial arts move into the mdern age
Master and disciple
The founder of modern karate
The birth of judo: From combat to co-operation
Aikido: In search of harmony
From monks to movie stars: The martial arts come to the West
Martial arts enter the world of sports
That was Zen, this is now: How the West changed martial arts
6 Martial arts today
Kids in martial arts
Today's dojos
Starting out
Glossary
Index… (más)

This book is about how contemporary science and new discoveries have altered our beliefs about the past in several distinct and significant cases. It's a good theme. I picked up this book because it offered an update about the 5000 year old mummy found in the Alps in the 1990s and also about the recent discovery of what is probably the skeleton of Richard III. The presentation was a little off, but I was happy to have had a chance to check in with these two subjects. I'll probably enjoy reading the chapters on the other topics, even though I know less about these.

I read about the lost Franklin expedition to the Arctic, looking for the Northwest passage in the1800s. I wasn't aware of this expedition at all, and ultimately, the story of the discovery of the missing ships was only moderately interesting.

It seems to me that this author is one of those who knows how to pick a good subject, but not how to write well about that subject. Still a good book, but the inadequate writing and random assemblage of cheaply obtained images, so common for a contemporary book, does bring it down.… (más)