Title: Martial Arts of the World, 2 volumes
Author: Thomas A. Green and Joseph R. Svinth, editors
Publisher: ABC-CLIO
Publication Date: 2010
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 663 across two volumes, plus index, 10.25 in x 7.125 in
Cover Price: None; available at the publisher’s Web site for $198.00
ISBN: 978-1598842432
Content
Joseph R. Svinth is editor of the Electronic Journals of Martial Arts and Sciences, a publication he started in 1999. He served in both the United States Marine Corps and Army National Guard. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Western Washington University, and a master’s degree in history from the University of Washington. Dr. Thomas A. Green earned his PhD in anthropology at the University of Texas, and served on the faculty of the department of anthropology at Texas A&M University. His most recent research focused on African and African-descended martial culture in the Americas.
Martial Arts of the World is a landmark work. It is the updated edition of Dr. Green’s 2001 two-volume set titled Martial Arts of the World: An Encyclopedia. It contains over 120 multi-page, essay-type entries on martial arts practiced all over the world. I recognized many of the authors as being the go-to experts in their fields. Dr. Alexander Bennett, Dr. Paul Bowman, Dr. Karl Friday, Lance Gatling, Stanley Henning, Brian Kennedy — the authors form a “who’s who” list for martial arts scholarship, circa 2010.
As stated on the publisher’s description, “the first volume is organized geographically to explore the historic development of martial arts styles in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The second volume looks at martial arts thematically, with coverage of belief systems, modern martial arts competitions, and a wide range of such topics as folklore, women in martial arts, martial arts and the military, and martial arts and the media.”
Pros
This is one of a handful of books that I constantly reference. (Another is David A. Hall’s Encyclopedia of Martial Arts, which I will review in the future.) The book perfectly meets my standards for sound evidence and sourced research on martial arts history. The scope of the material is remarkable. It covers martial arts from all over the world, including places that are typically neglected like Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Oceania. The articles are all of a substantial length, making the book more of a collection of essays and less like an encyclopedic collection of short entries. The writing is clear and each entry concludes with a set of references. These investigative leads have been invaluable for my own research.
Cons
I have very few concerns with this book. Some scholarship has improved in the intervening ten years, but not by much. My biggest problem with the book is the price. At just shy of $200 for a new copy and roughly $150 for a used copy, the cost is likely to deter many potential readers. I noticed the publisher offers an ebook version, but they do not list the price. Check out the preview at the publisher’s site to inform your buying decision.
Conclusion
I give this book 5 out of 5 ninja stars.
I greatly enjoyed reading Martial Arts of the World. This two-volume work is required reading and a foundational reference for every martial arts scholar. While the price prevents me from endorsing it as the single best volume for the average reader on general martial arts history, I have created a special “scholar’s choice” award to honor this book. I recommend saving your money for this book, as it is worth the price for the dedicated student and researcher of the martial arts.
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