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CompleteMartialArts.com - The Gracie Way: An Illustrated History of the World's Greatest Martial Arts Family (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu series)


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Manufacturer: Invisible Cities Press Llc
Average Customer Rating: Average rating of 4.5/5Average rating of 4.5/5Average rating of 4.5/5Average rating of 4.5/5Average rating of 4.5/5

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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.80922
EAN: 9781931229289
ISBN: 1931229287
Label: Invisible Cities Press Llc
Manufacturer: Invisible Cities Press Llc
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 256
Publication Date: 2003-05-01
Publisher: Invisible Cities Press Llc
Studio: Invisible Cities Press Llc

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Editorial Reviews:

The faces and stories of the sprawling Gracie family, who transformed Brazilian jiu-jitsu from an unknown street technique into the dominant form of martial arts today, are captured here. Introduced are Grandmaster Helio Gracie, who as a frail boy in Brazil in the 1930s developed the art, creating leverage techniques that allowed him to overcome other martial artists, regardless of size or strength; Rickson Gracie, the mystical family champion who has never been defeated in combat; and Royce Gracie, the most famous active martial artist in the United States, who put Brazilian jiu-jitsu on the map by winning the first three Ultimate Fighting Championships before the largest pay-per-view audiences in history. In addition to stunning action shots of the Gracies in all the legendary matches and their unique perspectives on what really went on during those fights, this book includes archival photos of the family, from their beginnings in Brazil in the 1930 to the present day and the new generation of champions. Fans will learn of Renzo's transformation from Rio street brawler to New York celebrity and revered teacher; of Royce and Royler's exploits as mischievous kids; and of Rickson's battle against one of Rio's toughest drug gangs.



Spotlight customer reviews:

Customer Rating: Average rating of 3/5Average rating of 3/5Average rating of 3/5Average rating of 3/5Average rating of 3/5
Summary: A triangle choke on objectivity, but worthy nonetheless.
Comment: "The Gracie Way" is a serviceable history and tribute to the first family of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Each stand-alone chapter profiles a member of the Gracie clan, starting with Helio and finishing up with Renzo. The book is lavishly illustrated with quality color photos - nearly coffee table book quality.

For anyone interested in BJJ, the Gracies or the history of the UFC, this is a fun read.

Other reviewers have commented on the bias in the book, and this is a valid criticism, though nit fatal. Author Kid Peligro is obviously enchanted with the Gracies and so he tends to mythologize their every move. The few defeats suffered by Gracies are dealt with in a way that suggests that "they was robbed" or that the fix was in. Peligro makes no pretense of objectivity. Still, this does not render the book useless in my view.

"The Gracie Way" was perhaps written before Royce fought Matt Hughes, who rag-dolled him. It also does not address the issue of Royce testing positive for steroids after one Elite XC event. (Perhaps the BJJ success was not due solely to drinking acai juice!!).

Whether you feel the Gracie legacy is tarnished or burnished, "The Gracie Way" is a worthwhile read for historians and fans of BJJ and MMA.


Customer Rating: Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5
Summary: Gracie clan
Comment: Kid Peligro nails it from an (almost) insider's perspective. As someone who started training with the Gracie family before there was even a UFC, I believe Kid is dead on with his take on the family and the martial art of Brazilian jujitsu. A lot of MMA fans today don't even realize there would be no UFC (or formerly Pride, or any other MMA organization) without the Gracies. Must read for Gracie and MMA fans.

Customer Rating: Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5
Summary: Peligro knows everything
Comment: I thought I knew somethings about the First Family of Mixed Martial Arts, But this book tells almost everything. Their truimphs,tragedies and hopes for the future. If your a fan, Than this book is worth reading.

Customer Rating: Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5
Summary: Good, but biased
Comment: I love the mystique surrounding the Gracie family martial arts. I was enthralled with Royce Gracie as a kid, and still revere him as a hero of sorts. So, I really enjoyed this book, mostly because it talks about something there is simply not much literature written about.

That said, it is biased. It's okay to lose, and Kid P. should recognize this. All the greatest fighters in the world have lost, or certainly end up losing, eventually. Muhammed Ali lost his share of matches, but always fought to stay on top. He eventually didn't, but he revolutionized boxing and more because of his greatness.

The Gracie's are the same way. Like it or not, the Gracie's changed everything, and made today's fighters what they are. They popularized vale-tudo fights, and taught the world (without reserve) their style. It constitutes half of MMA today. Without it, MMA would be Tank Abbot slugging it out with Ken Shamrock, or whatever.

This celebrates the Gracie family in a non-academic approach. Get it, enjoy it.

Customer Rating: Average rating of 3/5Average rating of 3/5Average rating of 3/5Average rating of 3/5Average rating of 3/5
Summary: Beautiful Pictures. However, stories seem a bit fabricated..
Comment: Despite ranking the book 3 stars out of 5, I will go ahead and say that this book is a must have for anyone practicing brazilian jiujitsu. I have been into the sport for years, and I truly value my copy of this book. The pictures are beautiful, and I love how the chapters are broken down into each of the brothers/cousins. However, I believe the stories on each of the brothers seem a bit fabricated. They may be real, but the diction employed by the author seems to exaggerate and stretch the truth. Peligro is a great writer. With his skills, I believe he could have done a better job on this book.


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