What are some essential KF books?

[Cimaroon]

History, philosophy, styles,training,etc. IVe read a few but always looking for other suggestions.

Peace.

[SouthernTiger]

Good Reading:

-Robert Smith "Masters and methods"

-Chow & Spangler "Kung Fu:history and philosophy"

-BK Frantzis "Combat techniques of the internal arts"

-Yang Jwing Ming "Longfist Kungfu"

-anything by Douglas Wong

-anything by Doc Fai Wong

Philosophy:

-Lao Tzu "Tao Te Ching"

-Chuang Tzu

-Analects of Confucius

I enjoyed, to some extent, all of these...

-Blake

[banditshaw]

''Sword Polishers Record'' by Adam Hsu is a good one.

[Seppukku]

An American's Journey to the Shaolin Temple, by Steve Demasco


This one is a real tear-jerker. Keep a hankie handy in case you cry. Although, I never cry. I'd rather die than cry. It almost makes me cry thinking about dying, but crying won't do anything to stop the dying.

[Oso]

these are the title's i recommend to new student's to sort of jump start them so I don't have to talk myself to death :D

Shaolin Fighting: Theories & Concepts (http://www.amazon.com/Shaolin-Fighting-Theories-Douglas-Wong/dp/086568006X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198886525&sr=8-1)

Shaolin Chin Na (http://www.amazon.com/Shaolin-Chin-Yang-Jwing-Ming/dp/0865680124/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198886584&sr=1-3)

Small Circle Jujitsu (http://www.amazon.com/Small-Circle-Jujitsu-Wally-Jay/dp/0897501225/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198886621&sr=1-1)

there are a lot of books out there...a rarish one with a good historical foreward is this one:

Hop Gar by David Chin (http://www.amazon.com/Hop-Gar-Kung-David-Chin/dp/0865680051/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198886968&sr=1-1)

[Three Harmonies]

Honestly most are garbage. But over the years I have made two books required reading of my students:
Hsu- "Sword Polishers Record"
Cartmell - "Effortless Combat Throws"

Nuff said IMO.
Jake :cool:

[BlueTravesty]

Ancient Chinese Martial Arts Training Manuals by Brian Kennedy and Elizabeth Guo

The title is a mouthful, but my second favorite kung fu book.

[ittokaos]

Anything by Adam Hsu.
Dr. Yang's books are always good.
Wong Kiew Kit's (Shaolin) books are always good(regardless if you agree with his POV on life)

[lkfmdc]

Ancient Chinese Martial Arts Training Manuals by Brian Kennedy and Elizabeth Guo

essential reading to anyone who wants to get a real understanding of CMA

[bodhitree]

link to above mentioned (http://www.amazon.com/Chinese-Martial-Arts-Training-Manuals/dp/1556435576/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198947137&sr=8-1)

[Cimaroon]

The style of Robert Smiths are ones Id like to find too. what do folks think about the
Kung Fu Elements book?

http://www.martialartsmart.net/bw005.html

[diego]

crying won't do anything to stop the dying.

but it would help us giggle during your exit...

[diego]

The style of Robert Smiths are ones Id like to find too. what do folks think about the
Kung Fu Elements book?

http://www.martialartsmart.net/bw005.html
needs more text for such an expensive book, but if i just got into martial arts and wanted to learn about chinese styles, this book woulda been awesome to read when i was a teen...now that i know something about the style i do...this book is invaluable to open your eyes to other ideas...really like some of the combo's he has in there...useless information but i'll mention it anyway...speaking of Mr. Liangw..I was watching his Tai Chi tv special this morning out of the blue...pretty sure they film it at sun yat sen gardens..i really gotta see if i can watch them train...dude got real good chi:)

[mickey]

Greetings,

Taikiken by Kenichi Sawaii

Wing Chun Kung Fu by James Yimm Lee

Phoenix Eye Fist (The one put out by Weatherhill Publications)

The Pa Kua Chang Journal (now available on CD Rom)

The Sixty Four Leg Attacks of Shaolin Kung fu

Others:

Awaken Healing Energy Throuugh The Tao

The Wandering Taoist

The Way of the Peaceful Warrior

[ngokfei]

Liang Shou You’s “ Kung Fu Elements” & “Chinese Fast Wrestling”

Any book by Yang Jwi Ming’s “
http://www.ymaa.com/publishing/books

these are great books where the authors have researched (actually read and copied) the material and put it in their books in English.

It really depends on what your trying to learn.

Liang Shou You is an Emei stylist which is a collection of the various arts primarily Northern based. Don't know how much southern material if any that he teaches.

yang Jwi Ming is mostly a blend of Long Fist, Southern Crane and Tai Chi Chuan.

[Ao Qin]

Excellent suggestions above! The book that got me into the martial-arts was "The Manual of the Martial Arts" (1981) - Ron Van Clief ( I was 11 at the time).

Plus;

One Encounter, One Chance (Karate - Webster-Doyle)

It's a Lot Like Dancing (Aikido - Dobson)

Zen and the Martial Arts (of course)

Lung Ying Mor-Kiew (Chow Fook & CS Tang) - only if you practice the art...

Iron and Silk (Wushu - Salzman)

Anything by Dave Lowry (Autumn Lighting / Moving Toward Stillness)

The Classical Man (Karate - Richard Kim - much like Adam Hsu - very inspiring)

Steal My Art (T.T. Liang - Tai Chi)

Chinese Boxing (Robert Smith)

There are no Secrets (Tai Chi - Lowenthal)

Chronicals of Tao (Deng Ming Dao - largely allegorial piece)

The Way of the Warrior (Reid & Croucher) - good overview

Fiction:

All martial-artists should have read all 140+ books by Warren Murphy & Richard Sapir - Destroyer series - Sinanju (Remo Williams). They were written in the early 1960's and pre-date James Bond et. al who borrowed heavily from their work.

All martial-artists should have read Clavell's work (especially Shogun)

All martial-artists have probably read Eric Van Lustbader's series (the Ninja, Miko, etc.). It was great when it came out!!!

So many great books have been written on the arts - haven't seen a good new book in quite some time though...(not that I've been looking very hard though!)