Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts

This long standing classic should be required reading for anyone who practices the Asian Fighting Arts. Both Draeger and Smith do an outstanding job in describing the cultures and the fighting arts that evolved from them. Well written, educational, and very informative this book provides a sound foundation for the Asian Fighting Arts practitioner.

The late Donn Draeger and Robert Smith produced a classic text on the Asian martial arts and the many cultural influences that have spawned a following all over the world. The book was written in 1969 and therefore, most of the history on the arts is pre-mid 20th century.The different arts are catagorized by the countries from which they sprang. This approach is effective and enjoyed. Because of this approach, the reader enjoys the culture of the country and can betetr understand how the "arts" developed the way they did.Further, this book is unquie in that smaller countries which have contributed greatly to these fighting systems have chapters devoted to them. Countries like Burma and India are not overlooked as what so often happens in martial arts books.Passion and history are intertwined as we see the different forms of combat come alive on the written page and discover the unquie cultures in which they developed. A martial arts must.

"~... everything about Martial Arts ! the local arts, their history, the local weapons (with drawings...). A must in your library.

It is not one of those book that you just read once and then it is not interesting anymore.No,it is the opposite.I must have read it more than 4x and I still enjoy it!It very detail. You will not be disappointed. Goes over many great, historical fighting arts. I also recommand THe Original Martial Arts Encyclopsdia.

One of the best books on the fighting arts of Asia, and the world. I enjoyed this book very much. It gave me a real understanding about the different styles of the combat arts. A must for every martial artist!!!