Tang Soo Do the Way of the Warrior

I ordered a second one to give as a gift!

just finished reading this book for the second time and I had trouble putting in down. Very good reference and review source for any tang soo do student. This should be required reading for anyone training in Tang Soo do. The section of Master Giacobbe's letters to his blackbelts are alone worth the price of this book.

If you are new to tang soo do, then this is a great way to learn some of the rich history and great philosophy within the art.It is written in much the same way that it is taught in class. A little bit of information at a time, spaced out to give you time to ponder the subject. Some parts are repeated several times, in much the same way that you would hear in class.Whereas this book isn't written for a literary scholar, it is a great introduction to tang soo do. I am happy with my purchase.

I have started doing Tang Soo Do karate and this book is full of information about the this particular martial arts. I been able to answer all the questions that my instructor has given me and even adding a little bit more of information. I am very please with the purchase of this book.

I definitely recommend the book if you want to know about real karate and real Tang Soo Do. The writer is not just using karate as a work out.

Very basic book.

At least this isn't a Len Losik book. But you'd have a hard time telling that if it didn't have the author's name on the front cover. The information within that IS accurate can be found at a variety of better sources. The information within that isn't correct is just another case where a high ranking Master thinks his rank makes him right about what comes out of his mouth. Unless you are one of the koolaide drinking students of his Dojang, it is pretty obvious that his expertise might lay in the execution of a back fist but not it the ability to form and communicate a cogent thought. And as others have pointed out, a good deal of the book is really about the self promotion of Domnick Giacobbe. I saw his Atlantic City Boardwalk vaudeville show one time. It made it impossible for me to ever take him serious after seeing it. You actually wished they would break a leg for real...and hopefully right before the show began. I have talked to other Masters who have met Master Giacobbe in person and I wish I could say they had positive things to say, but unfortunately they described his behavior at competitions as being that of a pompous ass and poor sport who ranting's were garish bloviating of his own self aggrandizement. He must have miss that admonishment against this in Hwang Kee's Soo Bahk Do Dae Kham. His demonstrations of 'Ki', poking spokes through his arm and hanging buckets off them, and my personal favorite, having a motorcycle drive over his midsection, are skills that will obvious come in handy if I am ever tortured by a Taliban war chief, or we need to put in a speed bump on my block. However their application to martial art technique are about as close as heart worms are to a healthy puppy. Now to be fair, there are sections of the book that are accurate with regard to SOME of the history presented. Too bad he is just repeating the works of others published before him (and it is a funny thing that when he repeats someone word for word without citing the reference it is called good writing whereas when anyone else does it, it is called plagiarism). Still, at least it is not a horribly over priced as are the books put out by the USMDKSBD Fed. Even so it would have more value as fire starter than reference material.

Despite the reviews, I purchased the book. I could immediately tell why the reviews were so bad; however, I quickly realized the book was not written for "people on the street"...it was intended for those who practice Tang Soo Do. With this in mind, I read the remainder of the book, with no major problems. There are good and bad sections, but overall, it was a decent read.

Very wise teachings. This is like having a one to one with an instructor as they pass wisdom onto you.

Basically this book is only geared towards direct students of the author. Not much value for other martial artists. So better invest in TSD-Books written by other instructors.

Without question one of the better resources available on the ancient Korean art of Tang Soo Do. Unlike other books on the art, Master Giacobbe's work covers many avenues. Beyond offering a competent overview of what Tang Soo Do is and what is required to achieve black belt, this book covers many important aspects ranging from the mental - such as positive thinking, eastern philosophy, the values behind the ancient arts and concentration - to the physical - including self defence, mastering the various forms and moves, one step sparring, free sparring, breathing techniques and personal fitness - all of which are integral as one progresses...Besides covering the major points and offering a deep autobiographical account of his own journey, personal highlights for me include not only the author's depth of knowledge, but also the many unique insights he offers the aspiring student. As well as including some of the various articles on him published in mass media, the inclusion of snippets from personal letters written to former students hits upon things any true student will instantly identify with. Such stories, though at times dating back to the 70s and 80, contain timeless knowledge and its delivery helps create a bond with the reader, at times giving the impression he is teaching one to one.While much of this will undoubtedly bypass the lay reader, as a student of the art, and having had the opportunity to train a few times under Master Giacobbe on his regular visits to the UK, I was particularly keen to read something that draws directly from his many years of experience and am pleased to say this book ticks the boxes. Delivered with the same enthusiasm as witnessed in his seminars, I have no hesitation in recommending this book for any serious student!

it was a gift so I haven`t read it

Excellent quality brand new item as expected. A thoughtful read on history of the art. Not a manual for the art.