CompleteMartialArts.com - Clouds in the West: Lessons from the Martial Arts of Japan
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Manufacturer: The Lyons Press
Average Customer Rating:
Binding: Hardcover Dewey Decimal Number: 796.815 EAN: 9781592285907 ISBN: 1592285902 Label: The Lyons Press Manufacturer: The Lyons Press Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 224 Publication Date: 2004-12-01 Publisher: The Lyons Press Studio: The Lyons Press
CLOUDS IN THE WEST is a thought-provoking look at the essence of traditional Asian martial arts--and how it has been adapted, misunderstood, sometimes perverted, and sometimes enhanced in the West.
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: Another long winded entry with occasional glimpses Comment: This is a compilation of various articles that have appeared (usually more than once) in various martial arts magazines over the years (I say this because I've seen most of them in various magazines). Many of them are more examples of the author's pedantic, condescending treatment of those who do not agree with his enlightened, elitist views, but the chapter on Nakaima (a term coined by Donn Draeger in one of his books) and Igen are very good, and the section on igen (dignity) should be required reading for many people, and not just martial artists. I'll keep this book, but it is definitely not required reading unless you can speak Japanese or study some extremely esoteric Japanese martial art. Customer Rating: Summary: Clouds in the West - A true eye opener Comment: Dave Lowry's book is an outstanding piece of work. If you have trained in the arts for years this book will open your eyes as to how the traditional arts of Japan really are organized. If you are new to the arts it will help you understand of you're getting what you're looking for. Overall a great read and an excellent book to have for use as a reference. This book is a must additon to one's martial arts library. Customer Rating: Summary: look deeper and open your mind Comment: Despite buying every book written By Dave Lowry I nearly passed on this one due to the negative reviews I had read. While there are some places where the connections seemed a bit strained between the text and concept (maybe due to a shortcoming of my own)I gave this book a five star rating. I never expect any book to to enlighten me page by page or from front to back. The trick is to find one that has that ONE passage that makes a difference in your understanding, one that makes you sit back and say "wow what was that all about." This book achieved that, for me, in chapter 12 "To Blossom and Scatter." No I am not going to tell you why, buy the book, look for your own inspirations. There are two paragraphs in this chapter that are so profound that I laid the book aside for a period to contemplate the full impact of those words. If you can not find similar passages between the covers of this book you are not reading deep enough, look deeper, open your mind.
dave decker
white shadow dojo
Customer Rating: Summary: Repetitive at a more esoteric level Comment: I have read and enjoyed all over Mr. Lowry's books and I was eagerly anticipating his newest collection of thoughts and writings. Unfortunately, I was disappointed by his latest effort. It seems like he has nothing new to say about traditional budo and instead is reaching further into the esoteric and rehashing with excrutiating minutia what he has already written in previous books. For example, the chapter about "what is in a name" just tells us about the convoluted origins of Musashi's various surnames. It seems like Mr. Lowry has exhausted all insights into the man's life and contributions to budo and is now latching onto the potential signifiances of his very very long name.
With that said, there are some interesting chapters in this otherwise tortuous book. The chapter on "Nakaima" or the eternal present is classical Lowry as he explains the link between past, present and future in the continuing lineage and legacy that defines traditional martial arts.
All and all I would recommend that the reader browse this book for the highlights at a bookstore. It is not worth buying and keeping on the bookshelf for future reference and re-reading.
Customer Rating: Summary: A great book to Spend time with. Comment: A very good book!
'Clouds in the west' is 'another great read' for people that are a little 'picky' about their martial art books, and every one else as well.
I have spent all day with this one, and haven't able to put it away.
If Mr Lorwy keeps writing books like this, I'm not going to get much done when he has his books published.
It's worth it though, as things seem to slow down around me when I sit down with his books and a good cup of tea.
