Favorite Martial Arts Books

Perpetual Beginner gave me the idea of posting a list of books I have read. (She does it periodically on her blog. BTW, go visit her blog - http://perpetualbeginner.blogspot.com/ - very insightful and well written.) If you read my previous post about running into the "psychotic professor" at the book sale - http://martialartsmom.blogspot.com/2008/07/beware-of-man-of-one-book.html - then you already know how avid a reader I am. (Side note: The "psychotic professor" is kind of like my own personal fish story. He gains momentum in each subsequent retelling. In my post, he started out as "a bookish little man", moved on to "the nutty professor" and in my current rendition, is "the psychotic professor". Who knows - next version may have him as "Dr. Dimented"!) Anyway…

Since I'm so effective at staying on subject (NOT!), I decided to narrow my book lists down for my blog, only listing martial arts related books which I enjoyed because if I didn't enjoy them, I'd have stopped reading mid-book or sooner, and also books that are on my wish list to read. I figured since this is a martial arts blog, you probably did not want to know that "sTori Telling" by Tori Spelling is on my full, all-subject-encompassing "want-to-read" list. (See, there I go again - admitting to watching those awful, exploitative reality shows like "Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood" - Do you still respect me?)

Without further ado, my lists:

M.A. Related Books I Read and Loved:
*Living the Martial Way by Forrest E. Morgan
*The Making of a Butterfly by Pete Starr
*American Shaolin by Matthew Polly (E-mailed him and he e-mailed back - supposedly making a movie of this book! That would be a great movie!)
*Solo Training by Loren Christensen
*The Way Alone by Loren Christensen
*Martial Arts after Forty by Sang H. Kim Ph.D
*Dojo Wisdom for Mothers by Jennifer Lawler
*Dojo Wisdom:100 Simple Ways to Become a Stronger, Calmer, More Courageous Person by Jennifer Lawler
*Be Like Water by Joseph Cardillo (This is more a devotional type book for martial artists - haven't read entire book but like what I've read so far.)
*Bow to Life by Joseph Cardillo (Again, more of a daily m.a. motivational book - haven't read it all, but what I have read, I like.)

M.A. Books I Want to Read and Love:
*Gravity Never Stops: The Life & Training of a Martial Artist by Ron Sreh
*Mastery by George Leonard
*The Art of Balance by Ambrose Loughlin
*Steal My Art by Stuart Alve Olson
*Quotations for Martial Artists: Hundreds of Inspirational Quotes to Motivate and Enlighten the Modern Warrior by John D. Moore
*Persimmon Wind: A Martial Artist's Journey in Japan by Dave Lowry
*The Monk from Brooklyn by Lang Reid
*The Dance of Becoming: Living Life as a Martial Art by Stuart Heller with Marilyn Ferguson
*Meditation and the Martial Arts by Michael L. Raposa
*Easy Meditation for Martial Artists by Robert Morgan
*The Fighter's Body by Loren Christensen
*Extreme Joint Locking and Breaking by Loren Christensen
*Winning with American Kata by Loren Christensen
*And a ton and half of other books…these are just the ones that come to mind…

I am a huge fan of the St. Louis County Library - the ultimate resource for someone in St. Louis. Most of the books on my wish list must be purchased because they are not available from the library (even via inter-library loan) and I am not in a financial position to be buying books, so I will probably not have the opportunity to read the books on my wish list for quite some time.

I have also found that with my interest in martial arts, I have also acquired a curiosity about eastern culture and history. I have read a few books by Adeline Yen Mah, which were great and have heard of a few more I'd like to look into about the foot-binding custom (how barbaric!) Another favorite subject stemming from my study of martial arts is energy work, pressure points, meridians, etc. Upon the recommendation of one of our teachers, I am reading, or rather studying, a book on pranic energy, "Your Hands Can Heal You" by Stephen Co & Eric B. Robins, M.D. Very interesting. We did one of the energy experiments in class last session and I inquired as to its origins and was referred to this book. As I said, I'm reading it very slowly, highlighting key points and doing the exercises as I go along. I consider it my own, private pranic energy course at the University of MAM (Martial Arts Mom). So, while not technically martial arts related, and therefore not on my official "lists", these books/subjects are related, and important, in my martial arts journey.

What are you favorite martial arts related books? Do you have any recommendations of additions to my wish list? I'd love to hear your thoughts or lists on the subject!