Chasing Dragonflies: An Activity Book for Young SKKAA Students. Volume 2. $9.95
I Remember When (124 pages). $12.95
I Remember When II (124 pages). $12.95
Climbing the Mountain - In Search of the Soul of Karate (42 pages). $7.50
(click on book title to read book excerpt on our Selected Writings page)
Climbing the Mountain includes a biographical sketch of the great Japanese karate master, Masutatsu Oyama and reproductions of four letters Oyama personally wrote to the author between 1966 and 1970. These have never before been published. The book contains dozens of haiku poems and illustrations linked to the kata practiced in the SKKAA, including a number of original Japanese brush drawings by the author. It has a beautiful full-color cover.
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Kamikaze! The Divine Wind and the Spirit of the Martial Arts (68 pages). $6.95
(click on book title to read book excerpt on our Selected Writings page)
Kamikaze is the story of two wars:
during the Mongol invasion of Japan in the late 1200's, the badly out-matched
Japanese were saved from defeat by a fortuitous typhoon which wrecked the Mongol
fleet and caused them to with draw. The grateful Japanese called this storm the
kamikaze, or divine wind. Japanese soldiers were to revive that name during
the waning days of World War II, when they embarked on a last-ditch effort to use
suicide attacks to stave off defeat. In addition to historical narratives of both
wars, Kamikaze includes rare Japanese woodblock prints of samurai, several
maps, and actual combat photos of American ships under attack by kamikaze
suicide pilots. It contains excerpts from letters sent home by kamikaze
pilots just before they embarked on their final missions and an extensive list for
further reading.
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Samurai, Scoundrels and Saints - Stories from the Martial Arts (165 pages) $19.95
(click on book title to read book excerpt on our Selected Writings page)
Asian history is replete with stories of combat, heroism,
self-sacrifice, valor, strategy, and compassion. This book includes more than three dozen
such stories, ranging from the famous woman warrior, Tomoe Gozen, to how the renowned samurai,
Miyamoto Musashi was almost killed in the bath tub, from the monk who defied the Mongols, to the
supernatural creatures that reputedly taught the famous warrior Yoshitsune how to fight.
It includes tales of daring rescues, narrow escapes, treachery, and Zen enlightenment.
The final tale tells the story of "The Last Samurai" who remained in the
jungle of Guam from the time of the Japanese surrender in 1945 until he was finally
convinced the war was over and he could surrender in 1972.
Samurai, Scoundrels and Saints is illustrated with a number of rare Japanese
woodblock prints and has a beautiful full-color cover.
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Warriors and Wisemen: More Stories from the Martial Arts (121 pages). $19.95
(click on book title to read book excerpt on our Selected Writings page)
A second volume of entertaining and inspirational
stories from the Asian martial arts, includes several dozen more stories of heroism and
cowardice, honor and treachery, victory and defeat, and the search for meaning in life.
It includes charts and a beautiful full-color cover.
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Honorary Samurai: Tales of Courage, Honor, Fortitude, and Strategy (216 pages). $12.95
(click on book title to read book excerpt on our Selected Writings page)
The Asians have no monopoly on either good stories or the characteristics of courage, fortitude, compassion, strategy, honor or the other traits that inspire us. After exploring "what is a samurai?" and why we would want to make someone an "honorary" one, Honorary Samurai tells 15 inspirational stories of such qualities from times and places as varied as ancient Rome, medieval Scotland, the US Civil War, Tibet's struggle for freedom in the 1950s, World War I, the American expansion westward, and World War II. The final chapter tells the story of a modern American hero, Lt. Cdr. Otis Kight, who during his three decades in the US Navy survived everything from his ship sinking to being shot down in an airplane, to fighting the two worst fires in modern US Navy history. His full story has never been told before. Honorary Samurai is chock full of photos and other illustrations and has a beautiful full-color cover.
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Monks, Madmen, and Martial Masters. $16.45
(click on book title to read book excerpt on our Selected Writings page)
More stories for the martial artist! Monks, Madmen, and Martial Masters is the third in the SKKAA's series of publications of inspiring stories of courage, strategy, honor, and resourcefulness in the long history of the warrior cultures of East Asia. In this book you will find:
In addition to the book's beautiful full-color front and back cover, Monks, Madmen, and Martial Masters is packed with hard-to-find illustrations that relate directly to the stories. As an added bonus, Monks, Madmen, and Martial Masters has two extra, full-color pages, beautiful plates of Japanese warrior art.
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Fledgling Sparrows: An Activity Book for Young SKKAA Students. Volume 1. $6.95
(click on book title to read book excerpt on our Selected Writings page)
This beautiful 8 1/2 x 11 activity book is chock full of such activities as coloring, matching, mazes, and other age-appropriate and fun activities for children 3 years old or older. The activities all relate to the martial arts and/or the Asian cultures from which they came. Full of karateka, samurai, sumo wrestlers, animals, and Asian art, the kids are sure to learn from as well as enjoy this book. It features both male and female figures, including karate students of both genders. Fledgling Sparrows has a beautiful, full-color front and back cover. The center pages, on extra-heavy stock, pull out. On one side is a mask that the children can cut out, color, and wear. On the other side are memory cards with the faces of many of the SKKAA's top instructors.
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(click on book title to read book excerpt on our Selected Writings page)
The is the second volume in Dr. Clarke's series of activity books for youth students. Between the beautiful full-color covers of Chasing Dragonflies are dozens of activities such as coloring, mazes, secret codes, word scrambles, word finds, matching, drawing, crossword puzzles, and other fun activities. It contains three hands-on projects and a large set of recognition and matching cards. The activities range from simple to more complex and are appropriate for boys or girls of all ageseven teens. Activities all relate to the martial arts and/or the Asian cultures from which the arts came. In addition to activities involving samurai and other Japanese and Chinese people of all sorts, animals, flowers, and Asian art, the book is packed with information on Asian culture packaged in ways sure to be fun as well as educational.
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(click on book title to read book excerpt on our Selected Writings page)
The SKKAA is proud to make available to its member this unique book of reminiscences by a number of the Association's most senior instructors on what training was like in the "old days." I Remember When includes Papa Chris Clarke's recollections of training with his brother before he ever entered a dojo. Shihan Dai Jim True's reminiscences. Dai Sempai Jayne Butram's account of what training was like for women in the 1970s. Sensei Jo McCulty's memories of training at Ohio State University. Accounts by Sensei Fran Heidlage and Sensei Sue Theise on why they left other styles to join the SKKAA. Dai Sempai Mike Pepe's story of his growing involvement in grappling. Papa Chris's recollections of his 1972 trip to Okinawa and his encounter with Hanshi Nakazato Shugoro, 10th dan. And much more, including numerous old and rare photographs of the authors and a full color cover.
Available to SKKAA Members Only!
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(click on book title to read book excerpt on our Selected Writings page)
We are pleased to offer this volume of reminiscences of training by
nearly 30 karateka of all ranks and ages. Stories range from
experiences at camps and clinics to preparing for and taking rank
evaluation tests, from the effects of karate training on the adjustment to
college life to returning to training after many years' absence.
Perspectives range from the recollections of what it was like to train
as a youngster of 6 or 7 to what it was like to begin training in middle age.
Don't miss stories about being mugged and mugging for the camera in a pink bikini.
I Remember II is generously illustrated with photos of your colleagues and maybe even you.
Available to SKKAA Members Only!
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