Last week I treated my self to the book Chinese Martial Arts Training Manuals, co-written by Brain Kennedy and Elizabeth Guo. I started reading the book yesterday night and haven't been able to put it aside before I had finished it. A jewel. The book gives a short historic overview of Chinese martial art manuals and debunks a lot of myths on the way. Also for me as a practitioner of Korean martial arts it gave me some insight in how martial myths came into being. The book is elaborate but gives more than enough handles to spit deeper. I bought the book because I wanted to know more about Chinese martial manuals and especially about General Qi Ji Guang's New Book on Effective Martial Techniques (the book that served as the inspirations of the Muyejebo). As an introduction into Chinese martial manuals the book is great, I gave it five stars at Amazon. The book has 'only' four or five pages about General Qi's book. And likewise isn't very elaborate about the other manuals that are described. But again, it gives enough pointers for further study. But it doesn't cite its sources If you want to read a book that does some serious myth-busting, buy this one!!! Don't expect the book to be written in a very academic fashion. It is a great starter for people who want to learn about Chinese martial arts manuals and need a place to start. Chinese Martial Arts Training Manuals a historical survey North Atlantic Books ISBN 1-55643-557-6 paperback 328 pages
In that case, you'll be happy to know the author is a MAP member. I read and enjoyed the book myself last year.
http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67978 Go here and you can find out more about him.
