-
A Brief History of the Martial Arts
- East Asian Fighting Styles, from Kung Fu to Ninjutsu
- Narrated by: Jonathan Clements
- Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $14.52
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Publisher's summary
From Shaolin warrior monks to the movies of Bruce Lee, a new history of the evolution of East Asian styles of unarmed combat, from kung fu to ninjutsu.
Folk tales of the Shaolin Temple depict warrior monks with superhuman abilities. Today, dozens of East Asian fighting styles trace their roots back to the Buddhist brawlers of Shaolin, although any quest for the true story soon wanders into a labyrinth of forgeries, secret texts and modern retellings.
This new study approaches the martial arts from their origins in military exercises and callisthenics. It examines a rich folklore from old wuxia tales of crime-fighting heroes to modern kung fu movies. Centre stage is given to the stories that martial artists tell themselves about themselves, with accounts (both factual and fictional) of famous practitioners including China's Yim Wing-chun, Wong Fei-hong, and Ip Man, as well as Japanese counterparts such as Kano Jigoro, Itosu Anko and So Doshin.
The history of martial arts encompasses secret societies and religious rebels, with intimate glimpses of the histories of China, Korea and Japan, their conflicts and transformations. The book also charts the migration of martial arts to the United States and beyond. Special attention is paid to the turmoil of the 20th century, the cross-cultural influence of Japanese colonies in Asia, and the post-war rise of martial arts in sport and entertainment - including the legacy of Bruce Lee, the dilemma of the ninja and the global audience for martial arts in fiction.
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Karate-Do: My Way of Life
- By: Gichin Funakoshi
- Narrated by: Luke Erlenbusch
- Length: 4 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Linking the time when karate was a strictly Okinawan art of self-defense shrouded in the deepest secrecy and the present day, when it has become a martial art practiced throughout the world, is Gichin Funakoshi, the "Father of Karate-do."
-
-
Good story with terrible pronunciation
- By Kurt S. Cannon on 08-25-23
By: Gichin Funakoshi
-
A Brief History of the Samurai
- Brief Histories
- By: Jonathan Clements
- Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
- Length: 12 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From a leading expert in Japanese history, this is one of the first full histories of the art and culture of the Samurai warrior. The Samurai emerged as a warrior caste in Medieval Japan and would have a powerful influence on the history and culture of the country from the next 500 years. Clements also looks at the Samurai wars that tore Japan apart in the 17th and 18th centuries and how the caste was finally demolished in the advent of the mechanized world.
-
-
An Excellent History of the Samurai
- By Michael on 08-08-14
-
A Brief History of Japan
- Samurai, Shogun and Zen: The Extraordinary Story of the Land of the Rising Sun
- By: Jonathan Clements
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
With intelligence and wit, author Jonathan Clements blends documentary and storytelling styles to connect the past, present, and future of Japan, and in broad yet detailed strokes reveals a country of paradoxes: a modern nation steeped in ancient traditions; a democracy with an emperor as head of state; a famously safe society built on 108 volcanoes resting on the world's most active earthquake zone; a fast-paced urban and technologically advanced country whose land consists predominantly of mountains and forests.
-
-
A Brief Review of the Book
- By Than on 12-07-19
-
A Brief History of the Vikings
- Brief Histories
- By: Jonathan Clements
- Narrated by: Mark Meadows
- Length: 8 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Between the eighth and eleventh centuries, the Vikings surged from their Scandinavian homeland to trade, raid and invade along the coasts of Europe. Their influence and expeditions extended from Newfoundland to Baghdad, their battles were as far-flung as Africa and the Arctic. But were they great seafarers or desperate outcasts, noble heathens or oafish pirates, the last pagans or the first of the modern Europeans?
-
-
Excellent
- By Jean on 05-09-13
-
The Shaolin Monastery
- History, Religion, and the Chinese Martial Arts
- By: Meir Shahar
- Narrated by: Kevin Young
- Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Shaolin Monastery charts for the first time in any language the history of the Shaolin Temple and the evolution of its world-renowned martial arts. In this meticulously researched and eminently readable study Meir Shahar considers the economic political and religious factors that led Shaolin monks to disregard the Buddhist prohibition against violence and instead create fighting techniques that by the 21st century have spread throughout the world.
-
-
Dry and uninspired
- By Jonathan on 07-18-17
By: Meir Shahar
-
Breathe
- A Life in Flow
- By: Rickson Gracie, Peter Maguire
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 6 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From legendary Brazilian jujitsu and MMA master Rickson Gracie comes a riveting, insightful memoir that weaves together the story of Gracie’s stunning career with the larger history of the Gracie family dynasty and the founding of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, showing how the connection between mind and body can be harnessed for success both inside and outside the ring.
-
-
I really wanted to like this book but it’s just not there
- By Brent on 08-24-21
By: Rickson Gracie, and others
-
Karate-Do: My Way of Life
- By: Gichin Funakoshi
- Narrated by: Luke Erlenbusch
- Length: 4 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Linking the time when karate was a strictly Okinawan art of self-defense shrouded in the deepest secrecy and the present day, when it has become a martial art practiced throughout the world, is Gichin Funakoshi, the "Father of Karate-do."
-
-
Good story with terrible pronunciation
- By Kurt S. Cannon on 08-25-23
By: Gichin Funakoshi
-
A Brief History of the Samurai
- Brief Histories
- By: Jonathan Clements
- Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
- Length: 12 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From a leading expert in Japanese history, this is one of the first full histories of the art and culture of the Samurai warrior. The Samurai emerged as a warrior caste in Medieval Japan and would have a powerful influence on the history and culture of the country from the next 500 years. Clements also looks at the Samurai wars that tore Japan apart in the 17th and 18th centuries and how the caste was finally demolished in the advent of the mechanized world.
-
-
An Excellent History of the Samurai
- By Michael on 08-08-14
-
A Brief History of Japan
- Samurai, Shogun and Zen: The Extraordinary Story of the Land of the Rising Sun
- By: Jonathan Clements
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
With intelligence and wit, author Jonathan Clements blends documentary and storytelling styles to connect the past, present, and future of Japan, and in broad yet detailed strokes reveals a country of paradoxes: a modern nation steeped in ancient traditions; a democracy with an emperor as head of state; a famously safe society built on 108 volcanoes resting on the world's most active earthquake zone; a fast-paced urban and technologically advanced country whose land consists predominantly of mountains and forests.
-
-
A Brief Review of the Book
- By Than on 12-07-19
-
A Brief History of the Vikings
- Brief Histories
- By: Jonathan Clements
- Narrated by: Mark Meadows
- Length: 8 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Between the eighth and eleventh centuries, the Vikings surged from their Scandinavian homeland to trade, raid and invade along the coasts of Europe. Their influence and expeditions extended from Newfoundland to Baghdad, their battles were as far-flung as Africa and the Arctic. But were they great seafarers or desperate outcasts, noble heathens or oafish pirates, the last pagans or the first of the modern Europeans?
-
-
Excellent
- By Jean on 05-09-13
-
The Shaolin Monastery
- History, Religion, and the Chinese Martial Arts
- By: Meir Shahar
- Narrated by: Kevin Young
- Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Shaolin Monastery charts for the first time in any language the history of the Shaolin Temple and the evolution of its world-renowned martial arts. In this meticulously researched and eminently readable study Meir Shahar considers the economic political and religious factors that led Shaolin monks to disregard the Buddhist prohibition against violence and instead create fighting techniques that by the 21st century have spread throughout the world.
-
-
Dry and uninspired
- By Jonathan on 07-18-17
By: Meir Shahar
-
Breathe
- A Life in Flow
- By: Rickson Gracie, Peter Maguire
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 6 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From legendary Brazilian jujitsu and MMA master Rickson Gracie comes a riveting, insightful memoir that weaves together the story of Gracie’s stunning career with the larger history of the Gracie family dynasty and the founding of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, showing how the connection between mind and body can be harnessed for success both inside and outside the ring.
-
-
I really wanted to like this book but it’s just not there
- By Brent on 08-24-21
By: Rickson Gracie, and others
-
On the Warrior's Path, Second Edition
- Philosophy, Fighting, and Martial Arts Mythology
- By: Daniele Bolelli
- Narrated by: Kirk Magoon
- Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On the Warrior’s Path connects the martial arts with this larger perspective, merging subtle philosophies with no-holds-barred competition, Nietzsche with Bruce Lee, radical Taoism and Buddhism with the Star Wars Trilogy, traditional martial arts with basketball and American Indian culture. At the center of all these phenomena is the warrior. Though this archetype seems to manifest contradictory values, author Daniele Bolelli describes the heart of this tension: how the training of martial technique leads to a renunciation of violence, and how overcoming fear leads to a unique freedom.
-
-
Amazing
- By Anonymous User on 08-28-24
By: Daniele Bolelli
-
Musashi
- By: Eiji Yoshikawa, Charles S. Terry - translator
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 53 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The classic samurai novel about the real exploits of the most famous swordsman. Miyamoto Musashi becomes a reluctant hero to a host of people whose lives he has touched and by whom he has been touched. Inevitably, he has to pit his skill against the naked blade of his greatest rival.
-
-
Good Historical Novel
- By The Walking Dude on 08-11-19
By: Eiji Yoshikawa, and others
-
Qigong and Tai Chi
- Harnessing Your Chi Energy and Unlocking the Power of an Internal Chinese Martial Art
- By: Mari Silva
- Narrated by: Ivan Busenius
- Length: 6 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
With our stressful pace of life and the plethora of illnesses, it’s no wonder more people are suffering from chronic and acute illnesses that could otherwise be prevented. Lack of energy and vitality due to stress keeps many of us from living a full and satisfying life.
-
-
Wonderful
- By Antooinette Webster on 11-11-21
By: Mari Silva
-
Tai Chi, Baguazhang and the Golden Elixir
- Internal Martial Arts Before the Boxer Uprising
- By: Scott Park Phillips
- Narrated by: Scott Park Phillips
- Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The reason you never heard these histories is so dark that few have dared to speak about it, until now. Completely new and meticulously researched, Tai Chi, Baguazhang and the Golden Elixir erases 120 years of confusion and error to reveal the specific theatrical and religious origins of Chinese internal martial arts.
-
Bruce Lee
- A Life
- By: Matthew Polly
- Narrated by: Jonathan Todd Ross
- Length: 19 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The first authoritative biography of film legend Bruce Lee, who made martial arts a global phenomenon, bridged the divide between Eastern and Western cultures, and smashed long-held stereotypes of Asians and Asian Americans. Forty-five years after Bruce Lee’s sudden death at age 32, journalist and best-selling author Matthew Polly has written the definitive account of Lee’s life. It’s also one of the only accounts; incredibly, there has never been an authoritative biography of Lee.
-
-
Best Lee biography to date, but far from great
- By Keith on 03-02-19
By: Matthew Polly
-
Opening Closed-Guard
- The Origins of Jiujitsu in Brazil: The Story Behind the Film
- By: Robert Drysdale
- Narrated by: David Morden
- Length: 13 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What are the origins of Brazilian jiujitsu? Is it merely a by-product—a rebel offspring—of judo? What was the nature and content of the art that Mitsuyo Maeda, a.k.a. “Count Koma”, and other Japanese were teaching in the Amazon? Was it judo? Jiujitsu? His own personal fight-tested style, built on a foundation of judo and informed by his dozens and dozens of matches around the world? What was the bridge between the art he learned at the Kodokan and the Brazilian style--a style now practiced by millions worldwide and growing bigger every day--that claims him as its godfather?
-
-
It’s basically a snub to the Gracie’s
- By m.workman on 04-30-23
By: Robert Drysdale
-
The Art of Peace
- Teachings of the Founder of Aikido
- By: John Stevens - translator, Morihei Ueshiba
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 2 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The inspirational teachings in this collection show that the real way of the warrior is based on compassion, wisdom, fearlessness, and love of nature. The teachings are drawn from the talks and writings of Morihei Ueshiba, founder of the popular Japanese martial art of Aikido, a mind-body discipline he called the "Art of Peace", which offers a nonviolent way to victory in the face of conflict. Ueshiba believed that Aikido principles could be applied to all the challenges we face in life.
-
-
Good intentions
- By jg on 07-03-19
By: John Stevens - translator, and others
-
A Killing Art
- The Untold History of Tae Kwon Doe
- By: Alex Gillis
- Narrated by: Ramon De Ocampo
- Length: 8 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Obscure documents, Korean-language books, and in-depth interviews with tae kwon do pioneers tell the tale of the origin of the most popular martial art. In 1938, tae kwon do began at the end of a poker game in a tiny village in a remote corner of what is now North Korea by Choi Hong-Hi, who began the martial art, and his nemesis, Kim Un-Yong, who developed the Olympic style and became one of the most powerful, controversial men in sports. The story follows Choi from the 1938 poker game where he fought for his life, through high-class geisha houses where the art was named, and into the Vietnam War where the martial art evolved into a killing art. The techniques cut across all realms – from the late 1960s when tae kwon do trained Korean CIA agents kidnapped people in the United States and Europe to the 1970s when Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, and other Hollywood stars mastered the art’s new kicks. Tae kwon do is also a martial art for the 21st century, one of merciless techniques, indomitable men, and justice pumped on steroids.
-
-
An Ugly, Albeit honest, Look @ Taekwondo's history
- By Weedarkone on 08-31-13
By: Alex Gillis
-
Wrath of the Dragon
- The Real Fights of Bruce Lee
- By: John Little
- Narrated by: David Shih
- Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bruce Lee remains the gold standard that all martial artists are compared to. But could he actually fight? World Champions in karate competition have gone on record to point out that he never once competed in tournaments. Were his martial abilities merely a trick of the camera? For the first time ever, Bruce Lee authority and bestselling author John Little takes a hard look at Bruce Lee's real-life fights to definitively answer these questions with over thirty years of research that took him thousands of miles.
-
-
Bruce Lee was “one of them ones!”
- By Anonymous User on 09-26-23
By: John Little
-
The Danaher Diaries
- Over 100 of John Danaher's Musings on Jiu-Jitsu, Kaizen, Training, and Living
- By: Heroes of the Art
- Narrated by: David Sweeney-Bear
- Length: 2 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Since he burst onto the scene as George St. Pierre’s grappling coach in the late 2000’s, John Danaher has risen to be recognized as one of the foremost minds in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and competitive grappling. More than just a coach, Danaher has garnered a reputation as a philosopher of the art. His social media is read by hundreds of thousands, serving as daily inspiration for students around the world. Danaher is able to take the complex and often contradictory rules of jiu-jitsu and break them down into universal concepts.
-
-
Collection of golden nuggets from a genius
- By Michalis Petrou on 07-09-21
-
The History of the Samurai in a Nutshell
- The Rise and Fall of Japan’s Revered Warriors (History in a Nutshell)
- By: Willoughby H. Huxley
- Narrated by: John Duffy
- Length: 1 hr and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Explained in simple terms for a brief, yet comprehensive listen, this resource is packed with all the essential information you need to dive into the history of the samurai. Uncover the strength of mankind and explore the rich culture behind Japan’s revered warriors. If you want to enrich yourself with the history of the samurai and their principles, then scroll up, and click the “Buy” button right now.
-
-
Insightful Journey into Samurai Heritage
- By Destiny Simpson on 08-27-23
-
How to Be a Modern Samurai
- 10 Steps to Finding Your Power & Achieving Success
- By: Antony Cummins
- Narrated by: John Telfer
- Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For centuries, the Japanese samurai were the unquestioned leaders of their society, maintaining their position through their iron will, Zen-like emotional control, and clan-building social skills. Today, in a world that focuses on instant gratification and self-indulgence, the way of the samurai is a challenging path to follow but will bring huge rewards to anyone who commits to it.
-
-
Great book
- By Clarence Sheets on 09-01-20
By: Antony Cummins
Critic reviews
"If I had to pick a single general martial arts history book in English, I would recommend A Brief History of the Martial Arts by Dr Jonathan Clements." (Richard Beitlich, Martial History Team blog)
Related to this topic
-
China: A History of China and East Asia 3rd Edition
- By: Adam Brown
- Narrated by: Sarah Moore
- Length: 4 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Have you ever wondered how China became the most populous and one of the most industrially active nations today? This audiobook will take you from Ancient China and imperial dynasties to communism and capitalism. Discover the rich history of this superpower. Subjects include: agriculture, capitalism, ancient Chinese culture, language, spirituality and religion, literature, music, arts, architecture, history of martial arts, old-world medicine, military history, and the Sun Tzu dynasties.
-
-
Amazing!
- By Amber Levine on 09-10-19
By: Adam Brown
-
The Shaolin Monastery
- History, Religion, and the Chinese Martial Arts
- By: Meir Shahar
- Narrated by: Kevin Young
- Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Shaolin Monastery charts for the first time in any language the history of the Shaolin Temple and the evolution of its world-renowned martial arts. In this meticulously researched and eminently readable study Meir Shahar considers the economic political and religious factors that led Shaolin monks to disregard the Buddhist prohibition against violence and instead create fighting techniques that by the 21st century have spread throughout the world.
-
-
Dry and uninspired
- By Jonathan on 07-18-17
By: Meir Shahar
-
Thebes
- The Forgotten City of Ancient Greece
- By: Paul Cartledge
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Among the extensive writing available about the history of ancient Greece, there is precious little about the city-state of Thebes. At one point the most powerful city in ancient Greece, Thebes has been long overshadowed by its better-known rivals, Athens and Sparta. In Thebes: The Forgotten City of Ancient Greece, acclaimed classicist and historian Paul Cartledge brings the city vividly to life and argues that it is central to our understanding of the ancient Greeks' achievements - whether politically or culturally.
-
-
Why is this author considered an expert scholar of Ancient Greece?
- By DaneDeer on 11-06-20
By: Paul Cartledge
-
Lost Enlightenment
- Central Asia's Golden Age from the Arab Conquest to Tamerlane
- By: S. Frederick Starr
- Narrated by: Kevin Stillwell
- Length: 25 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Lost Enlightenment recounts how, between the years 800 and 1200, Central Asia led the world in trade and economic development, the size and sophistication of its cities, the refinement of its arts, and, above all, in the advancement of knowledge in many fields. Central Asians achieved signal breakthroughs in astronomy, mathematics, geology, medicine, chemistry, music, social science, philosophy, and theology, among other subjects.
-
-
Subject worthwhile but repetative narrative
- By F-M on 04-10-14
-
A Brief History of Japan
- Samurai, Shogun and Zen: The Extraordinary Story of the Land of the Rising Sun
- By: Jonathan Clements
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
With intelligence and wit, author Jonathan Clements blends documentary and storytelling styles to connect the past, present, and future of Japan, and in broad yet detailed strokes reveals a country of paradoxes: a modern nation steeped in ancient traditions; a democracy with an emperor as head of state; a famously safe society built on 108 volcanoes resting on the world's most active earthquake zone; a fast-paced urban and technologically advanced country whose land consists predominantly of mountains and forests.
-
-
A Brief Review of the Book
- By Than on 12-07-19
-
Arabs
- A 3,000-Year History of Peoples, Tribes, and Empires
- By: Tim Mackintosh-Smith
- Narrated by: Ralph Lister
- Length: 25 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This kaleidoscopic book covers almost 3,000 years of Arab history and shines a light on the footloose Arab peoples and tribes who conquered lands and disseminated their language and culture over vast distances. Tracing this process to the origins of the Arabic language, rather than the advent of Islam, Tim Mackintosh-Smith begins his narrative more than a thousand years before Muhammad and focuses on how Arabic, both spoken and written, has functioned as a vital source of shared cultural identity over the millennia.
-
-
Good book bad narration
- By Anonymous User on 09-18-19
-
China: A History of China and East Asia 3rd Edition
- By: Adam Brown
- Narrated by: Sarah Moore
- Length: 4 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Have you ever wondered how China became the most populous and one of the most industrially active nations today? This audiobook will take you from Ancient China and imperial dynasties to communism and capitalism. Discover the rich history of this superpower. Subjects include: agriculture, capitalism, ancient Chinese culture, language, spirituality and religion, literature, music, arts, architecture, history of martial arts, old-world medicine, military history, and the Sun Tzu dynasties.
-
-
Amazing!
- By Amber Levine on 09-10-19
By: Adam Brown
-
The Shaolin Monastery
- History, Religion, and the Chinese Martial Arts
- By: Meir Shahar
- Narrated by: Kevin Young
- Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Shaolin Monastery charts for the first time in any language the history of the Shaolin Temple and the evolution of its world-renowned martial arts. In this meticulously researched and eminently readable study Meir Shahar considers the economic political and religious factors that led Shaolin monks to disregard the Buddhist prohibition against violence and instead create fighting techniques that by the 21st century have spread throughout the world.
-
-
Dry and uninspired
- By Jonathan on 07-18-17
By: Meir Shahar
-
Thebes
- The Forgotten City of Ancient Greece
- By: Paul Cartledge
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Among the extensive writing available about the history of ancient Greece, there is precious little about the city-state of Thebes. At one point the most powerful city in ancient Greece, Thebes has been long overshadowed by its better-known rivals, Athens and Sparta. In Thebes: The Forgotten City of Ancient Greece, acclaimed classicist and historian Paul Cartledge brings the city vividly to life and argues that it is central to our understanding of the ancient Greeks' achievements - whether politically or culturally.
-
-
Why is this author considered an expert scholar of Ancient Greece?
- By DaneDeer on 11-06-20
By: Paul Cartledge
-
Lost Enlightenment
- Central Asia's Golden Age from the Arab Conquest to Tamerlane
- By: S. Frederick Starr
- Narrated by: Kevin Stillwell
- Length: 25 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Lost Enlightenment recounts how, between the years 800 and 1200, Central Asia led the world in trade and economic development, the size and sophistication of its cities, the refinement of its arts, and, above all, in the advancement of knowledge in many fields. Central Asians achieved signal breakthroughs in astronomy, mathematics, geology, medicine, chemistry, music, social science, philosophy, and theology, among other subjects.
-
-
Subject worthwhile but repetative narrative
- By F-M on 04-10-14
-
A Brief History of Japan
- Samurai, Shogun and Zen: The Extraordinary Story of the Land of the Rising Sun
- By: Jonathan Clements
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
With intelligence and wit, author Jonathan Clements blends documentary and storytelling styles to connect the past, present, and future of Japan, and in broad yet detailed strokes reveals a country of paradoxes: a modern nation steeped in ancient traditions; a democracy with an emperor as head of state; a famously safe society built on 108 volcanoes resting on the world's most active earthquake zone; a fast-paced urban and technologically advanced country whose land consists predominantly of mountains and forests.
-
-
A Brief Review of the Book
- By Than on 12-07-19
-
Arabs
- A 3,000-Year History of Peoples, Tribes, and Empires
- By: Tim Mackintosh-Smith
- Narrated by: Ralph Lister
- Length: 25 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This kaleidoscopic book covers almost 3,000 years of Arab history and shines a light on the footloose Arab peoples and tribes who conquered lands and disseminated their language and culture over vast distances. Tracing this process to the origins of the Arabic language, rather than the advent of Islam, Tim Mackintosh-Smith begins his narrative more than a thousand years before Muhammad and focuses on how Arabic, both spoken and written, has functioned as a vital source of shared cultural identity over the millennia.
-
-
Good book bad narration
- By Anonymous User on 09-18-19
-
Incarnations
- India in Fifty Lives
- By: Sunil Khilnani
- Narrated by: Vikas Adam
- Length: 16 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For all of India's myths, its sea of stories and moral epics, Indian history remains a curiously unpeopled place. In Incarnations, Sunil Khilnani fills that space, recapturing the human dimension of how the world's largest democracy came to be. His trenchant portraits of emperors, warriors, philosophers, film stars, and corporate titans - some famous, some unjustly forgotten - bring feeling, wry humor, and uncommon insight to dilemmas that extend from ancient times to our own.
-
-
Great listen, the author is biased
- By Anonymous User on 02-15-19
By: Sunil Khilnani
-
Thermopylae
- By: Paul Cartledge
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 6 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 480 B.C., a huge Persian army, led by the inimitable King Xerxes, entered the mountain pass of Thermopylae to march on Greece, intending to conquer the land with little difficulty. But the Greeks, led by King Leonidas and a small army of Spartans, took the battle to the Persians at Thermopylae and halted their advance: almost. It is one of history's most acclaimed battles, one of civilization's greatest last stands.
-
-
Requires full attention
- By Euryleia on 01-18-08
By: Paul Cartledge
-
A History of Japan
- Revised Edition
- By: R. H. P. Mason, J. G. Caiger
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 13 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A classic of Japanese history, this audiobook is the preeminent work on the history of Japan. Newly revised and updated, A History of Japan is a single-volume complete history of the nation of Japan. Starting in ancient Japan during its early pre-history period, A History of Japan covers every important aspect of history and culture through feudal Japan to the post-Cold War period and collapse of the bubble economy in the early 1990s. Recent findings shed additional light on the origins of Japanese civilization and the birth of Japanese culture.
-
-
Content great - pronunciation not so much
- By A. Weber on 03-08-19
By: R. H. P. Mason, and others
-
The Greeks
- A Global History
- By: Roderick Beaton
- Narrated by: Anna Crowe
- Length: 16 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
More than 2,000 years ago, the Greek city-states, led by Athens and Sparta, laid the foundation for much of modern science, the arts, politics, and law. But the influence of the Greeks did not end with the rise and fall of this classical civilization. As historian Roderick Beaton illustrates, over three millennia Greek speakers produced a series of civilizations that were rooted in southeastern Europe but again and again ranged widely across the globe.
-
-
An Ethnography of the Greeks
- By gmurphy92 on 03-27-22
By: Roderick Beaton
-
The Ornament of the World
- How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain
- By: Maria Rosa Menocal, Harold Bloom - foreword
- Narrated by: Tanya Eby
- Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Widely hailed as a revelation of a "lost" golden age, this history brings to vivid life the rich and thriving culture of medieval Spain, where, for more than seven centuries, Muslims, Jews, and Christians lived together in an atmosphere of tolerance, and literature, science, and the arts flourished.
-
-
Excellent Book
- By Zahid Ahmad on 08-14-18
By: Maria Rosa Menocal, and others
-
Sailing from Byzantium
- How a Lost Empire Shaped the World
- By: Colin Wells
- Narrated by: Lloyd James
- Length: 9 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A gripping intellectual adventure story, Sailing from Byzantium sweeps you from the deserts of Arabia to the dark forests of northern Russia, from the colorful towns of Renaissance Italy to the final moments of a millennial city under siege.
-
-
The Missing Years
- By Nikoli Gogol on 12-29-07
By: Colin Wells
-
Introducing the Ancient Greeks
- From Bronze Age Seafarers to Navigators of the Western Mind
- By: Edith Hall
- Narrated by: Sian Thomas
- Length: 12 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Acclaimed classics scholar Edith Hall's Introducing the Ancient Greeks is the first book to offer a synthesis of the entire ancient Greek experience, from the rise of the Mycenaean kingdoms of the sixteenth century BC to the final victory of Christianity over paganism in AD 391. Each of the ten chapters visits a different Greek community at a different moment during the twenty centuries of ancient Greek history.
-
-
Surveying the Greeks
- By Jolene on 05-31-18
By: Edith Hall
-
Classical Antiquity
- A Captivating Guide to Ancient Greece and Rome and How These Civilizations Influenced Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Richard L. Walton
- Length: 3 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From about the ninth to fifth centuries BCE, the population of Greece grew unprecedentedly large, expanding from about 800,000 people to as many as 13 million. About a quarter million of these lived in Athens. The average size of urban households during this period grew considerably, a fact that suggests that food was suddenly available in excesses sufficient to keep larger families healthy and alive much more effectively than just a millennium earlier. Bigger families meant bigger armies and larger communities that would eventually grow into the metropolises of Classical Greece.
-
-
This book was very helpful
- By Micaela James on 11-21-19
-
A History of Iran
- Empire of the Mind
- By: Michael Axworthy
- Narrated by: Peter Ganim
- Length: 13 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Although frequently vilified, Iran is a nation of great intellectual variety and depth, and one of the oldest continuing civilizations in the world. Its political impact has been tremendous, not only on its neighbors in the Middle East but also throughout the world. From the time of the prophet Zoroaster, to the powerful ancient Persian Empires, to the revolution of 1979, the hostage crisis, and the current standoff over Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Michael Axworthy vividly depicts the nation’s rich history.
-
-
Lazy Narration
- By Arya Pourtabatabaie on 11-05-16
By: Michael Axworthy
-
Ancient Japan
- A Captivating Guide to the Ancient History of Japan, Their Ancient Civilization, and Japanese Culture, Including Stories of the Samurai, Shoguns, and Zen Masters
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Richard L. Walton
- Length: 3 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
All in all, Japan seems to be a country of paradoxes and oppositions, of yin and yang. Yet it doesn’t seem to suffer from it; instead, it is thriving, growing, and developing, and it has been doing so for a long time. From those contradictions, a sense of unity and pride arose, guiding Japanese history and civilizational development through the ages, leaving an unquestionable mark on the world heritage and mankind. But this is only the surface of an astonishing culture that deserves a deeper look.
-
-
Great for the history, but...
- By AudioFile on 01-07-20
-
Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest
- By: Matthew Restall
- Narrated by: James Cameron Stewart
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Using a wide array of sources, historian Matthew Restall highlights seven key myths, uncovering the source of the inaccuracies and exploding the fallacies and misconceptions behind each myth. This vividly written and authoritative book shows, for instance, that native Americans did not take the conquistadors for gods and that small numbers of vastly outnumbered Spaniards did not bring down great empires with stunning rapidity. We discover that Columbus was correctly seen in his lifetime - and for decades after - as a briefly fortunate but unexceptional participant in efforts.
-
-
A good book marred by awful narration
- By Dr. Philip Fowler on 02-23-24
By: Matthew Restall
-
Confronting the Classics
- Traditions, Adventures and Innovations
- By: Mary Beard
- Narrated by: Lynne Jenson
- Length: 12 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the world's leading historians provides a revolutionary tour of the Ancient World, dusting off the classics for the twenty-first century. Mary Beard, drawing on thirty years of teaching and writing about Greek and Roman history, provides a panoramic portrait of the classical world, a book in which we encounter not only Cleopatra and Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar and Hannibal, but also the common people - the millions of inhabitants of the Roman Empire, the slaves, soldiers, and women.
-
-
Annoying narrator
- By Chris E on 02-27-15
By: Mary Beard
What listeners say about A Brief History of the Martial Arts
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- J. Lynne
- 09-12-23
A surprisingly good listen about karate!
What a surprise find! The author’s voice is perfect for this read, and the information is bite-sized and enjoyable, rather than a formal graduate level thesis. Highly recommended.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Imaginative Photography Inc.
- 08-17-22
Excellent and well worth listening to
This was well written, well laid out, and well researched! Excellent and worth listening to you. I really enjoyed this audio book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Bruce
- 05-25-24
Excellent history for students of the martial seers
I really enjoyed this book and learned a ton of how the roots of many martial arts came to be…well done.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Darren Sapp
- 03-01-22
Thorough
From A to Z, Clements covers it all in a way that treats each style, philosophy, and adherents with equality. No martial arts enthusiasts will also appreciate the history told here.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- M.F.R.
- 12-07-21
Cynicism?
So if Durant is right and most history is guesswork and the rest prejudice, this one defies that balance to the latter. Just my opinion.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!