Product Description
Describes the history, rules, and great moments of the Olympic combat sports of boxing, fencing, judo, and wrestling. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Need to include more on women judoka
I am a novice female Judo competitor. I choose this book for inspiration. This book is well written in story telling form for inspiring the novice. There was some very well written stories about several male Judoka. However, there no stories about the women. The only mention of the women was a brief statement that the Women's competition was so intense when it was introduced in 1988. I can take inspiration from both the men and the women, however in the next edition, it might be nice if the author applied his excellent story telling ability to the women as well. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (6)

Fun to read
This book is fun to read, easy to understand for non-fencers, and full of both wit and emotion. As the self-described "bad-boy" of the fencing world, the author pulls no punches in describing his feelings at the time toward his adversaries. And he shares the emotional struggles of attempting to follow in his father's Olympian footsteps.

Very well written. As a US foil fencer in the 80's and 90's, I thoroughly enjoyed it, but it is written for non-fencers as well!

Captured an era
I was active in Metropolitan Division fencing during the time Jeff describes although I was a sabre fencer with Santelli New York but Jeff really captures fencing during that time and I knew many of the people he mentions in the book.Other reviewers have mentioned that he might have been unfair to some some of the fencers mentioned but people should remember that this is a product of Jeff's experience with them, primarily as a competitor.While he is brutally candid in his opinion of people such as Albie Axelrod, who was assistant coach at Hunter College while I fenced there, we have to remember that these are his experiences with Albie.Mine were somewhat different but given the fact that these are fiercely competitive people I can understand how they could have rubbed each other raw.

Jeff's descriptions of the Fencer's Club in the West 70s brought back many memories and I could see the old place in my mind clearly has he describes episodes in his book.It was also great that he remembers Csaba Eltes, one of the great sabre coaches in the history of American Fencing who was also a very good foil coach.All in all, Jeff's story was enlightening and has inspired me to get back into the sport.I highly recommend this book and hope people will be able to read it in the spirit it was written.I only regret I never got a chance to meet Danny Bukantz while I did get to meet Jeff in passing way back when.

Not even close...
As a former fencer of 25 years ago and a recent return to competitive fencing, I came across Jeff Bukantz's book by accident. Flipping through the pages, I was intrigued by his father's accomplishments. When I noticed that he was a CCNY alumnus, I definitely was hooked - being one myself from a later generation.
Mr. Bukantz's book for me is approached from two levels. First, his personal relations with his famous father and his attempt to deal with that give great insight into human nature. It transcends the world of fencing and applies to any profession. I would rate that part of this book 5 stars.

The second level of the book deals with competitive fencing from the inside. This part is not very appealing and is worthy of only 1 star. My average rating therefore is 3.

It seems that Mr. Bukantz decided to use this book to justify his bad behavior on the strip by attacking his opponents and naming names. In one instance, he cites how it is un-sportsman like to hit an opponent after "halt" is called in fencing. In this book however, he did exactly that in at least 3 instances where he denigrates his opponents and colleagues in a forum where the other person does not have a voice to respond. (in effect, he has committed the sin of attacking someone "after the halt".)
I don't know Mr. Bukantz personally and I have not cross sword with him since I fenced epee and in an earlier time than his active fencing days. However, I do know some of the other people he writes about personally. I must cite at least in one instance that he attacked my friend and teammate of 30 years and it is without merit. I was a team member at CCNY Varsity fencing and I can attest to the fact that his innuendo regarding my friend is false. He owes my friend Arnold Messing a public apology and the others as well.
It is also interesting as a reader the information that the author chooses to include to the minute detail and other information that is left out completely. It seems to be a case of selective memory recall.
The most destructive part of this book is that he presents a negative portrayal of competitive fencing to the outsider. Fencing is an honorable sport. In all my years of competitive fencing, I found it to be very satisfying. Most competitors are respectful of their opponents and never carry their competitiveness off the strip. If anything, Mr. Bukantz's experience is the exception rather than the rule.
The title "Closing the Distance" is well chosen, but by what was written, he did not even come close to his father's sportsmanship.

Fun and entertaining
As someone who didn't know a thing about fencing, I picked up this book on a whim and LOVED IT! Jeff's writing style is so fast-paced and entertaining that I finished the book in just a couple of days. Who knew fencing could be so interesting?! This memoir tracks Jeff's journey following in his father's rather large footsteps. (His father, Danny, was a 4-time Olympic fencer.) Closing the Distance charts Jeff's highs and lows and culminates in the 2004 Olympics where Jeff led his team to the first Olympic gold medal in fencing in over 100 years.

But, this book isn't just about fencing. It's about the relationships between fathers and sons. Anyone who is looking to find a good book that a dad can share with his son should look no further!

required reading at my fencing club
I especially enjoyed this book because Jeff Bukantz is my age, and I have met, and in some cases fenced, almost everyone mentioned in the book, including the author himself.

as a member of the Portland, Oregon, club Salle Auriol, I viewed Jeff's club, the New York Fencers Club, the same way a Los Angeles Laker would view the Boston Celtics.

until one of my former teammates writes his memoirs, "Closing the Distance" will be the best description of what it was like for me as a competitive fencer in the 80s.

I'm back home in Hawaii now but in my heart I will always be a member of Salle Auriol (now the Northwest Fencing Center). because of this, Jeff and his New York Fencers Club will always be my natural enemies, but only in a sports/nostalgic way. not true enemies. and anyway, we're all retired now.

Jeff's book is required reading at my current club, Salle Honolulu, and whether you "hate" the New York Fencers Club or not, it should be required reading at every fencing club. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Parks & Recreation, published by National Recreation and Park Association on October 1, 2004. The length of the article is 708 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Fencing charisma: Olympic bronze medalist Peter Westbrook is shaping the future of fencing.(Power Play)
Publication: Parks & Recreation (Magazine/Journal)
Date: October 1, 2004
Publisher: National Recreation and Park Association
Volume: 39Issue: 10Page: 104(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: List of Olympic Medalists in Fencing, List of Fencers, List of Maccabiah Medalists in Fencing, List of American Sabre Fencers, List of American Foil Fencers, List of American Épée Fencers. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 48. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: This is a list of American Sabreurs. (Only noted and contemporary American sabreurs are included): ...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=6213743 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Technique and Discipline of Fencing
Author Joseph Vince offers fundamental insights into all three weapons along with interesting illustrations by actor Cornel Wilde. From a literary point of view, the text flows smoothly, indicating that the author is well-versed in foil, epee, and sabre fencing; his fencing backgound progressed from student to competitor to instructor, notwithstanding his title as maestro di scherma. I recommend this opus on fencing; the reader will appreciate the clarity of exposition and personal insights at a time when fencing is moving through weighty technical issues and rule changes. All fencers would do well to re-read this opus; however, one will be advised that the author presents the Italian style on fencing with some Hungarian influence. Perhaps the salient feature is the collection of illustrations by actor Cornel Wilde visually depicting all eight parries from independent (dual) views. And there are a few exercises at the end of each chapter on the three weapons. All in all, a marvelously clean and direct explanation on the fundamentals of fencing. ... Read more

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Johan Harmenberg had left his native Sweden because he had "given up" on serious competitive fencing. But when he came to MIT, he met an innovative coach - the late Eric Sollee. Scribbling on a napkin in a Cambridge bar, Eric, Johan, and the other MIT fencers sketched the "Three Conjectures" of a new fencing paradigm" - a way to force a more skillful opponent to play your game. On his return to Sweden, Johan developed it into an art and a science, then put it into effect with a vengeance.Despite being snubbed by the Swedish authorities because of his unorthodox style, he won the World Championship in 1977 and the Olympic Gold Medal in 1980. In this groundbreaking book, Johan reveals his methods, showing how to can neutralize the superior technique of even the best classical fencers.Plus Olympic Silver Medalist Bjorne Vaggoe adds his personal application of the new paradigm and Geoff Pingree tells how it was applied with stunning success at MIT. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Fantastic Book!
Johan Harmenberg has done for fencing what Pablo Picasso did for figurative painting: he has made the conventional abstract. He has turned fencing upside down. As an example, Harmenberg says that fencers should not ask themselves "how can I hit my opponent," but rather, "how can I avoid being hit." This book is THE seminal work on epee tactics and strategy. My only regret is that it was not written 30 years ago. I was a top ranked US fencer who lived in Paris in the early 80's and trained at the Racing Club of France then later at the New York Athletic Club.I was/am a "classical" fencer to use Harmenberg's terminology. I relied on technique to beat an opponent. "Epee 2.0" simplifies the complexity of a fencing bout. I admire Harmenberg's genius.

Harmenberg dominated world class fencing. He won Heidenheim a few times, the World Championships and the Olympics. Best yet, for someone like myself who worked, struggled and dreamt of achieving Harmenberg's fencing success, is that he tells us how he did it. He describes his strategies in explicit detail. He deconstructs every aspect of the epee match and identifies weaknesses that classical training imparts.For example, fencers are taught to advance by lifting their front toe and landing on their heal. Harmenberg points out that this makes a fencer vulnerable to a counter-attack because his back foot must be planted to lift the front foot. Harmenberg's strategy is to bounce forward and backwards to eliminate his own vulnerability and to exploit his opponent's weakness.

In addition to Harmenberg's scientific analysis of fencing, the book includes the personal stories of how he beat Alexander Pusch and Philippe Riboud. These men are legends in the sport.Reading about his winning strategies against these giants of the sword, was a thrill. Equally thrilling and enlightening is when Harmenberg describes what it is like to fence in an Olympic final. Few have that experience. Candidly he reveals his nervousness. Insightfully, he describes "Olympic touches," which is his strategy for dealing with the nervousness associated with important bouts.

Equally engaging and illuminating was the chapter by Bjorne Vaggo who describes his tactics for winning the silver medal at the Los Angeles Olympic Games. At those Games, Vaggo beat Olivier Lenglet and Elmar Bormann, two of the world's most dominate epee fencers of their time. In "Epee 2.0" Vaggo tells us how he did it.The chapters by Geoff Pingree and Ruggero Ceci added balance and perspective.The publisher's forward was profound.

This book is heaven sent for advanced fencers. Any US epee fencer spending money to compete in NAC and World Cup events MUST read this book. God Bless Johan Harmenberg for writing it and God Bless SKA Sword Play Books for publishing it. My only wish is that SKA Sword Play Books could convince Pavel Kolobkov and other world class epee fencers to write books on strategy and tactics. It is interesting that fencing is often compared to chess, which has thousands of books written on strategy. Yet, fencing, with "Epee 2.0" has only one. This book sets a very high bar for all others to reach. Perhaps other world class fencers will see this book as a challenge and compete with their words.Were this to happen, all in the world of fencing would benefit. (FULL DISCLOSURE: I have never met Harmenberg, nor the publisher. I just loved this book.)

Shorten, AOE and Bounce!
Bad Boy! An elegant and personal book that is likely to send fencers of a more classical bent foaming at the mouth. Is he single headedly responsible for the decline in artistry in modern Olympic fencing? Probably not...it would have occurred regardless with the rise of the electronic scoring box. He does however blow open the misconception that Olympic fencing has tactically staid static, like figure from a quadrille.

While I have some criticism about some of the tactical points of his new paradigm in fencing and its applicability as a panacea against every opponent who is tactically better than you are there is something endearing about the frankness in his writing, namely the self confession about his own shortcomings as a fencer and what it took to reach the top - a critical reassessment of some eternal technical truths that we drill into the kids about fencing and the sheer effort and sacrifice it take to reach the top

I personally have used some of his conjectures in my own fencing life with varying degrees of success, sometimes delivering me that needed `Olympic hit', sometimes it backfiring completely, especially as I've had to modify it for foil fencing which is different.

While the book can be simplified as "Bounce, close the distance and steer your opponent into what you do best" it is a deceptively tricky book to understand

- THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR BEGGINERS;

It is perhaps a book for a intermediate to Advanced fencer who has found is own technical level and style and needs a second string to their bow when they come up against an opponent whose skill level is much greater. In short its about dragging him down to your level to win. Some may decry this as destroying the artistry of fencing, but I think that those kind of individuals need to grow up. The sport is a competition and short of cheating you do you and your opponent a disservice if you don't try and beat him with every arsenal at your disposal. Reassure yourself on the fact that to even attempt to use Harmenbergs conjectures on a regular basis you need to be fantastically fit(as I found out to my distress), so if you want to give yourself a fighting chance you need to train.

They Prose is light and crisp and his anecdotes are perfectly chosen to demonstrate the techno/tactical essay he is trying to explain to the reader, though as always you have to wonder how much of the history has been pruned to shed a better light on his endeavours, though I think these are entirely forgivable considering his own personal achievements are indisputable. A kind of hubris tends to drift at the end of the book about the efficacy of his conjectures. A more balanced point of view detailing the pros and cons from the current national coaches of fencing power houses like Italy or France would have been more rewarding.

Though it deserves 4 stars I will give it 5. As a book it is eminently readable and useful as a insight into fencing for experienced fencers. Beginners should steer clear and develop a good level of technique and style before attempting to apply Harmen berg's conjectures as it may lead to just sloppy fencing: `It's necessary to master the form before dissolving it so they saying goes'. Classical fencers will self combust on reading it with rage.

In short a gem a must for any serious competitive fencer's library.

Excellent insight into epee fencing
This book chronicles the author's development of strategies and tactics that changed the way epee is fenced and that also earned him an Olympic gold medal.The book does not deal with basic techniques and assumes that the reader has some fencing experience.The author explains in depth the development of new strategies that for him were very successful.Anyone interested in improving their tactical and strategic thinking as a fencer and perhaps in other sports as well should read this. ... Read more

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A manuel of the movements necessary to master the art of fencing. ... Read more

Product Description
Describes the combat events of the Olympic Games and previews the athletic competition at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Pocket Guide that doesn't live up to its name
This book is for kids, little kids. The volume is too short to support more than a cursory amount of information on the many martial and combative arts that are Olympic events. Not to say it isn't a nice volume to carry around if you happen to attend one of these Olympic events and have no idea what's going on, but then again, why would you go to an event you know nothing about? Sure, it is a good little book to give to the kids while they are watching some Olympic event, but you can find better guides online. Save your money for something else. ... Read more

Product Description
A compelling adventure of a very poor, gawky girl whochooses an after school activity that leads her to theOlympics. Sharon grew up in the South Bronx and learned the sport offencing in high school to avoid the terror of her neighborhood streetlife. The book describes her transformation from a young, lonely girlinto a powerful champion through hard training and determination. As afencing champion, Sharon combines the reflexes of a boxer, the legs ofa high-jumper and the concentration of a chess player. Destined to begreat, her natural talent and hard work led her to National and Worldchampionships and three Olympic teams. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

An inspiring little book.
With all the awful stories surfacing today dealing with modern athletes, we finally have a sports story to inspire youngsters --especially girls. Sharon Monplaisir is a true role model for our times. Kids should read this book. As the author of "The Art and Science of Fencing" and "The Inner Game of Fencing," and the editor-in-chief of FENCERS QUARTERLY MAGAZINE,I recommend it.

A True Role Model
What a wonderful, engaging, multifaceted book for adolescent girls.....and boys!Sharon Monplaisir's biography takes the reader through a wide range of emotions. The spirit and drive within Sharon's soul, from the depths of poverty to that as an Olympian, is an inspiration to us all.Anyone who has wanted to find a better life, but experienced doubt, and struggled to "fit in", can find hope within Sharon's many struggles. A noteworthy and heartwarming part of the book was when Sharon, representing the Women's Sports Foundation on National Girls and Women in Sports Day, addressed an auditorium of middle school aged boys and girls.

A component of the book also worth its "weight in gold",is the section called "Sports Talk", which is meant to be an interactive platform for readers and their parents, teaches and coaches. It contains excellent research-based information and thought provoking questions for readers relating to issues of girls participating in sport, within the context of the book.

This would be a terrific book to use in a middle school program, where integration of English, Social Studies, Physical Education, and Technology are sought. ... Read more

Product Description
The modern pentathlon is a sports contest that includes five events: pistol shooting, épée fencing, 200 m freestyle swimming, show jumping, and a 3 km cross-country run. The sport is governed by the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM), the International Modern Pentathlon Union. ... Read more

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Prior to the 2004 Athens Olympics, few Canadians - outside fencing circles - knew very much about Sherraine MacKay, but as the countdown to those games began, her name became more and more familiar, and while the world of fencing had been, up to that time, an esoteric sport at best, it too was suddenly thrust into the limelight.It helped, of course, that in the last World Cup of the season prior to the Games, MacKay had won gold (her second) that she had been ranked as high as number two, and consistently ranked among the top 10 female fencers in the world over the past five years. It helped that her photo suddenly began appearing in our national magazines and in major daily newspapers across Canada. It helped that she was ebullient, outspoken, quick-witted and funny enough to land a spot reading her Letters from Paris on CBC Radio's The Inside Track with host Robin Brown.In a surprise upset, a Greek fencer bested Sherraine in Athens, though the Canadian women's team, which she anchored, finished fourth - the best finish ever by Canadian women in Olympic fencing.Running with Swords, is Sherraine McKay's journal, her own story of her incredible journey from tiny Brooks, Alberta where she was born, to Paris, France where she moved to train for Athens while teaching English as a second language to elite athletes. At once inspiring, thoughtful and brimming with MacKay's sense of humour, it is also the story of young athletes from Canada and around the world, of the sacrifices made in the pursuit of dreams, the friendships forged, and the joy of the game whether on the track, in the field, in the water, on the ice, or on the piste. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A fencer's point of view
I have been looking forward to this book for a year, when I received it as a gift. I knew of Sherraine's fencing career, but not in great detail. I have fenced recreationally in the past and have kept up with the latest news and events.

This book chronicles the career of Sherraine McKay, from her childhood to the peak of Canadian Women's Epee. We start with Sherraine's introduction into the sport, her high school years, and eventually to the International competitions. She takes us through training, World Cup tournaments, and the Olympics.

I found the book enjoyable, but I think that is in part, due to my background in fencing. For the average person, without a fencing knowledge, this book would not be as interesting. I found some parts of the book to be slow, and at times the story jumped from topic to topic too much and aburptly for my taste. I enjoyed the chapters immediately preceeding the Olympics and also her experiences in the Olympic villages.

I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the wonderful sport of fencing and also the Olympic experience. However, for the mainstream reader this book may not be as interesting.

Both a personal memoir and a lively insider's account of the Olympic sports world
Any interested in the sport of fencing will find engrossing RUNNING WITH SWORDS: THE ADVENTURES AND MISADVENTURES OF THE IRREPRESSIBLE CANADIAN FENCING CHAMPION. Author Sherraine Mackay's Olympic dreams and efforts to chase them across Europe made her among the top ten women fencers in the world. From her personal upset in Greece to her success in leading her team to fourth place in the Olympics, RUNNING WITH SWORDS is both a personal memoir and a lively insider's account of the Olympic sports world.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

A book of universal appeal
I am the kind of person who would NEVER pick up a book written by an athlete, am rarely interested in biographies and am wary of "inspirational" literature because of the amount of fluff out there.
However, this book crosses so many genres of literature, that it has appeal to all. It was rare to not read a few pages without a smile on my face and even let slip a few guffaws along the way. And i was inspired by her challenge not to let her sport define her and control her sense of value and worth, something we all face whether it be via money, our job or how we look. Overall an honest, humble and candid look inwards at herself and outwards at her environment, all with a great sense of humour that by the end of the book you feel like you have made a friend.

You'll Poke Your Eye Out!
This delightful look at the demanding world of Olympic athlete Sherraine Mackay will provide hours of insight and fun.Written in a fast paced enjoyable witty style this book should prove to be a delight for readers of all ages.Find out about the ups & downs of a dedicatedamateur athlete who pays to compete around the globe. Witnessthe catalogue of sacrifices it takes to reach the top.This book should be an inspiration to all prospective Olympians and athletes of all ages and skill levels....run out and buy it today! ... Read more

Product Description
What is fencing?Is it safe? How do you learn this sport?

These and many other questions answered in this 25 page book from Fencing.Net.We took all of the questions that parents usually ask about fencing and provide concise, easily understood answers to the top questions asked by concerned parents.

Read through the Parent's Guide to Fencing to learn more about the sport and find out why it's not only extremely safe and fun, but a great way to build character and self discipline. ... Read more

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By the Sword is an epic history of sword fighting—a science, an art, and, for many, a religion that began at the dawn of civilization in ancient Egypt and has been an obsession for mankind ever since. With wit and insight, Richard Cohen gives us an engrossing history of the world via the sword. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (36)

Dangerously missleading
The historical inaccuracies in this book are not minor errors to be overlooked in favor of modern jewels.Being an expert sport fencer niether makes one a swordsman nor a historian.This book is a glaring example of something I've seen all too often.Someone gains notoriety in a given subject and uses this notoriety to promote their opinions on other subjects.People see the "experts'" credentials and assume that the statements made by said "experts" must be true.The danger comes when future authors use such writings as research for their own works. These new authors' credentials are added to the list and the more they are quoted, the more credence is given to their statements, however unfounded they may be.The subject becomes exponentially corrupted until the truth becomes a hazey footnote that is all but impossible to find.

Difficult to put down
Because I'm not a historian but rather someone with an interest for the sport of fencing, I can't speak for the accuracy of the details within the pages of the book. As the author has openly admitted here, there were corrections to be made and he has done them. I applaud his honesty in acknowledging those errors and making the corrections.

That said, I personally have found myself completely engrossed and entertained by both the historic aspects and the non-handbook approach to the sport. While providing technical and historic details, it is done such in a way that the reader doesn't feel like he's in a lecture. I normally find 'history lessons' both dry and cumbersome but the tone of this book is wonderful done and richly expressed. It's apparent early on how much the author loves the sport and that passion is conveyed through his words. I don't recall when the last time I've been this excited reading a history book was. :)

I am roughly three-quarters of the way through and have already recommended this to several of my friends who are likewise interested in the sport.

A wide subject area that was different to my expectations
Richard Cohen attempted a major feat with this book and I believe that it was not up to the mark in all respects because of the breadth of subjects covered. An analogy would be writing a history of driving and having readers interested in one aspect complain that their pet subject was not covered enough. I fear that I am one of those readers. I bought the book with an interest in the combat use and development of the sword. While Cohen does write about that, it seemed that several thousands of years of western history were brushed over in a chapter with little coverage of the development and use of the sword. I also felt that he brushed over too quickly the early theorists and authors of sword fighting. The combat aspects werealso confined to mainly Western military history, while Napoleon must have seen something in the Mameluke sword as I believe that he carried one on many of his campaigns after Egypt.

I did enjoy the chapter on the making of swords with its background on Toledo and Solingen. It was interesting to hear about the fate of these sword making centres and the impact that gunpowder had on them. In Solingen's case in Germany it was obviously on the losing side in the First World War and only salvaged by the Nazi desire for ceremonial daggers before another more fatal demise of its swordsmithing under the occupation of Germany by the allies after the Second World War. He has probably not won any favours from the tourist councils of either region for destroying the image that some sword fans may have of these once famous centres of sword making.

In my view, Mr Cohen spends most of the book dealing with duels and individual fencing. For a book on such a broad subject it would have been a key question of balance on what to cover and what not to. In the interest of full disclosure I admit that I did not finish the book, as I was not really interested in the technicalities of duels nor in sport fencing, although I did read most of it. I personally would have found it interesting to see how the swords of different cultures fared when they met on the battlefield. I have read some stories of British officers foregoing firearms in India during battles to test their sword arms against native exponents.

The author does have a good writing style and the book was easy to read. While I am no expert like the others who have criticised the author for historical inaccuracies I thought that I had come across a few. I did not take much note of them, as Richard Cohen was travelling down a long path and he could be forgiven for missing the occasional minor fact.

If you are looking for a book that does focus on duelling and fencing then this is the book for you. If you are interested in the combat use of swords, especially in a non-western setting then this book will not satisfy you. I agree with the reviewer who said that there was not much from a non-western setting; samurais were essentially dealt with in a single chapter. Again, when contemplating purchasing this book think about a history of driving, it could not cover everything in depth and Richard Cohen's book is the same. I have given it three stars, mainly because I felt that it focused too heavily on duelling and fencing at the expense of combat and non-western swords. That may speak more about me than the book and I would add that I was torn between three and four stars.

Nice attempt, but quite bad overall
I'm a non-European fencer, having studied Japanese Swordfighting instead.I picked this book up because it purported to have information on Japanese fighting, and I was interested in reading about it.

So that was thrown out the window pretty quick, as this book is a definite European Fencing book.It has 2 chapters on japanese work, and it is very high level and not useful.

But I read the book anyway, attempting to learn about European fencing.Overall, the author tries hard, but the book is unorganized and tries to use a shotgun, when a rifle would have been suited.It seems like the author was attempting to put a feather in his already immpressive career.

I did NOT know that.
This is the coolest book I've ever read about anything so technical.It really is a technical book but it is absolutely absorbing.I could have read at least 5 more chapters.I started out by checking it out of my local library and after having it out forever I bought my own.It's full of tidbits about modern fencing and sword craftsmanship (I would love to go to Bavaria and be a sword maker now) to the craziest stories from history that are true!Once you start reading you can't stop! ... Read more

Product Description
This issue of SI features the Ripken baseball family on the cover and in a feature inside! Also in this issue: the NCAA sanctions SMU, DePaul vs. Notre Dame, Ray Bourke, fencer Katy Bilodeaux, Calgary sets up for the Olympics, Heike Drechsler and Mike Conley, and much more! ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Notable Sports Figures, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 1274 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.Takes a close look at the people in sports who have captured attention because of success on the playing field, or controversy off the playing field. This work features biographies on more than 600 people from around the world and throughout history who have had an impact not only on their sport, but also on the society and culture of their times. It also includes not only the record-breakers that dominated and changed their sport, but also the controversial figures that made headlines even apart from athletic events. ... Read more

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Courage and Skill being often of little Use without a good Weapon, I think it necessary, before I lay down Rules for using it, to shew how to chuse a good Blade, and how it ought to be mounted.

The Length of the Blade ought to be proportionable to the Stature of the Person who is to use it: The longest Sword, from Point to Pommel, should reach perpendicularly from the Ground to the Navel, and the shortest, to the Waste; being large in Proportion to its Length, and not extremely large, nor very small, as some People wear them; the over large Blades being unweildy, unless very hollow, which makes them weak, and the narrow ones being not sufficient to cover the Body enough.

In Order to chuse a good Blade, three Things are to be observed: First, that the Blade have no Flaw in it, especially across, it being more dangerous so than Length-way. Secondly, That it be well tempered, which you'll know by bending it against a Wall or other Place; if it bend only towards the Point, 'tis faulty, but if it bend in a semicircular Manner, and the Blade spring back to its Straitness, 'tis a good Sign; If it remains bent it is a Fault, tho' not so great as if it did not bend at all; for a Blade that bends being of a soft Temper, seldom breaks; but a stiff One being hard tempered is easily broke. The third Observation is to be made by breaking the Point, and if the Part broken be of a grey Colour, the Steel is good; if it be white 'tis not: Or you may strike the Blade with a Key or other Piece of Iron, and if he gives a clear Sound, there is no hidden Fault in it. In bending a Blade you must not force it, what I have said being sufficient to know it by, and besides by forcing it, it may be so weakened in some Part as to break when it comes to be used.

It would not be amiss for a Man to see his Sword mounted, because the Cutlers, to save themselves the Trouble of filing the inside of the hilts and pommel, to make the Holes wider, often file the Tongue[1] of the Blade too much, and fill up the Vacancies with Bits of Wood, by which Means the Sword is not firm in the Hand, and the tongue being thin and weak, is apt to break in Parrying or on a dry Beat, as has been unhappily experienced. Care should also be taken that the End of the Tongue be well riveted to the Extremity of the Pommel, lest the Grip should fly off, which would be of very dangerous Consequence.

Some Men chuse strait Blades, others will have them bending a little upwards or downwards; some like them to bend a little in the Fort, and others in the Feeble, which is commonly called _le Tour de Breteur_, or the Bullie's Blade. The Shell should be proportionable in Bigness to the Blade, and of a Metal that will resist a Point, and the Handle fitted to the Hand.

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