Karate-Do: My Way of Life, by Gichin Funakoshi

f you are a martial artist, and you are considering reading or owning just one book (Considering what? Just one book, what a horrific thought! :), then the book here would be on th very top of the list for many. "Karate-Do, My Way of Life" by Gichin Funakoshi is a central piece of knowledge in order to understand the mindset, thoughts, ideas, history and philosophy - not just behind karate or karate-do as an art - but the martial arts all together.

Gichin Funakoshi is commonly referred to as the "Father of Japanese Karate". Few if any books are being sited and referred to as often as this self-biography. "Karate-Do, My Way of Life" is a book that touches the very core of the fighting arts as budo and art forms, and should be of interest to us all. The book was issued first in 1975, while the one here is 6th issue.

While other so-called celebrities and people of TV-fame today write about themselves (their "memoires") almost before they can speak properly (being good at sports, being rich or having good looks seems to be all that is required...), Funakoshi wrote his truly inspirational and wise reflections on life and karate when he was close to 90 years old - and still active, I might add.

By telling stories about his own roots and experiences from Okinawa, his own sensei (many of them famous masters), their methods and how they coped with the ebbs and flows of life, Funakoshi sensei shows us what true karate-do (the karate way) really is.

I really can't say it any clearer than this: Read this book! It really doesn't mind if you are into karate or any other form of budo or martial art - get the book and start reading! It is of interest on a technical level, it is historically valuable, and philosophically unbeatable. If nothing else you will understand that budo training and development is something that you can do all your life - age is of no hinderance... Did you say you're sixty? Puh, Funakoshi sensei would call you kid!

You should really start looking for this book (or any out-of-print book for that matter) here: Abebooks. They have contacts all over the world with small, independent antiquarians and booksellers.

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