Aikido in America

Aikido in America by Stone, John. paperback edition. ISBN: 9781883319274.

Aikido in America is made up of first person narratives from a number of senior American Aikido practitioners. These are in-depth interviews which the subjects have participated in rewriting, and they give the broad scope of aikido. These interviews with two generations of American martial artists describe how aikido translated from Japan into an American art--integrating some Amercan values, yet remaining an essentially Japanese cultural tradition. The book is as much a history of Aikido in the United States as it is a philosophical treatise that is tongue-in-cheek at appropriate junctures. It is a nice contrast to the technical manuals out there, and it should appeal to the seasoned practitioner and beginner alike.