September 2022 Book Survey Part 3
Welcome to the September 2022 book survey, part three. I decided to break this month's survey into three posts.
Introduction
In September 2022, I (Richard) continued my reading plan. This post describes the last 8 books that I surveyed in September. Previous posts described the first two batches of 8 books each from September. Read on to separate the wheat from the chaff.
Decisive Judo: Step by Step Introduction, Des Marwood, 1998
Decisive Judo is a unique book because the author is both the artist and a judoka. My copy is a used black and white paperback measuring 6 3/4 inches by 10 inches. It was originally published in 1992 as Critical Judo.
This is a short 128 page book, but I really like the presentation. Each technique features many line figures with arrows to show directions of motion. Each also includes variations based on uke reactions. The term "critical path analysis style" is appropriate for this sort of presentation.
Page 18 is also pretty cool, as it shows overhead line drawings for 14 different types of grips. Each has a Japanese name assigned.
Overall, this is one of my favorite judo books. I would like to see new digital and print on demand editions available for those who prefer avoiding the secondary market.
The Judo Handbook, Brian Caffary, 1989
The Judo Handbook is a black and white hardcover with 144 pages, measuring 7 inches by 10 1/2 inches. It's a straightforward overview of the standard execution of judo techniques. There are multiple clear photos for each technique.
The book is available to borrow for free from the Internet Archive.
The Fighting Spirit of Judo, Yasuhiro Yamashita, 1993
The Fighting Spirit of Judo is similar to the books by Dave Starbrook and Jimmy Pedro, profiled in the last post. My copy is a 7 1/2 inches by 10 inches black and white paperback with 208 pages. The focus is on Yamashita's judo style, rather than trying to cover all Kodokan techniques.
The first section features big text on mostly empty pages, which is a shame given the use of space in later sections. Some photos appear quite small. They combine staged and competition imagery.
Given the high price of this book on the used market, I recommend it only for those who are fans of the author.
Textbook of Judo, Nagayasu Ogasawara, 1988
The Textbook of Judo is special to me (Richard) because I acquired it directly from the author. As I noted in February 2020 in a Facebook post, I saw this book was selling for $80 in like new condition on Amazon. I searched a bit and found the author selling new copies for $34 (including shipping) via mail order through his site "www.judobookdvd.com".
I texted the phone number on the site. The author, Sensei Ogasawara Nagayasu, answered my questions and mailed the book. I was pleased to see he signed it, and added a message for me in Japanese, with a pointer to check page 31.
Thanks to MHT friend Eric Shahan (whose most recent work appeared in the last post), I was able to find the Japanese text in a form I could copy and paste into the MHT logo: 精進
More information on those words appear here.
Sensei Ogasawara's web site doesn't appear to be active anymore. A squatter has taken it over.
As far as the book goes, it is a large 8 3/4 inches by 10 1/4 inches black and white hardcover with 274 pages. It includes a bibliography, which is rare for a technique book. It offers great photos showing progression of technique, with lots of combinations and Japanese terms.
Thankfully this book is still available on the secondary market for decent prices.
Kodokan Judo Throwing Techniques, Toshiro Daigo and Francoise White, 2005/2016
Kodokan Judo Throwing Techniques appears to be the current standard Kodokan English reference manual. At the time of writing, the author was chief instructor at the Kodokan. My copy is a heavy 8 inches by 10 1/2 inches black and white hardcover with 285 pages.
This book claims to feature over 1800 photographs! They are clear and show progression, as depicted below:
One of my favorite aspects of the book is the inclusion of line drawings from old jujutsu books, as seen here:
This could be the definitive modern judo textbook, at least as far as Kodokan judo goes.
Judo Unleashed, Neil Ohlenkamp, 2006
Judo Unleashed is a large 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches color paperback, with 160 pages and 350 photos. The book offers a solid modern look at judo in a somewhat artistic format. I liked appendix three, which features a combination (kaeshi) and counter techniques (renraku waza) table.
This book is available at reasonable used prices on the secondary market.
Komlock: Judo Newaza of Koji Komuro, Koji Komuro, 2011/2015
I bought my copy of Komlock directly from the author in Japan via eBay. I sought it out because he is an expert in judo newaza. He was kind enough to autograph it.
The book is a black and white paperback measuring 8 1/4 inches by 10 1/4 inches. It offers 176 pages. The English is rough in some places, and my copy had an odd paper printing error on page 70.
The book provides a ton of photos but they are too small to really convey what is happening. I'm still happy I got this book, though, as I consider it cool to have interacted with the author in a small way. It doesn't look like he is active on eBay, although copies are there and at Amazon.
Judo for Mixed Martial Arts, Karo Parisyan, Erich Krauss, Glen Cardoza, 2008
I bought Judo for Mixed Martial Arts because I remember watching the author, Karo Parisyan, compete in MMA. This book is one of the many produced by Victory in the 2000s. It is a large 284 page color paperback measuring 9 inches by 11 inches.
One of the best aspects of this book is the depiction of techniques from two simultaneous angles. This is a great choice for technical photographs. The content includes throws, takedowns, and ground fighting, all in no-gi. The biography at the beginning, explaining the author's challenges as an Armenian immigrating to the U.S., is a great read.
This book is fairly expensive on the secondary market. I would like to see titles like this republished via print on demand and digital format.
Conclusion
This book has something for everyone interested in judo. Kodokan Judo Throwing Techniques would make a nice holiday gift for the judoka in your life.
You may know about our Amazon Wish List. If you would like to help us get books to read and review from that list, then please consider supporting us via Buy Me a Coffee.
If you like this article, check out our Facebook page, Instagram account, Twitter feed, and Amazon Wish List. Be devoted!
Comments
Post a Comment