HARD WON WISDOM from the school of HARD KNOCKS:
 | Hard-Won Wisdom from the School of Hard Knocks: How to Avoid a Fight and Things to Do When You Can't or Don't Want to author: Alain Burrese rating:  asin: 0873649052 binding: Paperback list price: $21.00 USD amazon price: $21.00 |
HARD WON WISDOM from the school of HARD KNOCKS: how to avoid a fight and the things to do when you can’t or don’t want to, by Alain Burrese. Authors Choice Press, 1996. ISBN: 0-595-17422-1
For a book about not fighting, Alain Burrese has filled this with a lot of excellent tips about the how-to’s of physical protection from assault.
As an ex-paratrooper and sniper, a well trained martial artist and gifted motivational speaker, Alain is uniquely qualified to write about the avoidance of violence.
He wrote this book to help people to understand violence, not to just face it with their own violence. In his words:
“…I’m going to talk about a lot of different aspects of fighting and violence. Naturally, a lot of it will be about things to do and, just as important, what not to do. But I’ll also talk about other related considerations: why fights happen, when you should fight, when you shouldn’t, and so on. I’ll talk quite a bit about avoiding fights and staying out of trouble, because I’ve learned that there are many better things to do with yourself. What has really amazed me is how often the same principles work in other areas of one’s life Also, conversely, I’ve applied things I’ve learned in other areas to increase my abilities to survive dangerous situations.”
I am not unbiased, Alain is a friend of mind, but this is a full in–depth study of a vast topic, worthy of your attention. Plus, if you check the link and buy this excellent book, I will get my pittance to help me to keep building this site with more fine free content for you! Anyway, more about this book.
As Animal writes in the forward:
“(This book)… is a very good tool for finding and identifying the middle ground between civilized society and the depths of criminal / gang / street violence.”
Chapter Headings: also known as what the heck is in here:
Part 1: A Little About the Game
Chapter 1: Violence and Fighting in General
Chapter 2: Anyone Can Be beat
Chapter 3: The Law
Chapter 4: Awareness
Part 2: Getting Physical
Chapter 5: Balance, Stance and Footwork
Chapter 6: Defence
Chapter 7: Using you Hands
Chapter 8: Kicking
Chapter 9: Infighting Tools
Chapter 10: To the Ground
Chapter 11: Chokes and Sleepers
Chapter 12: Training
Chapter 13: Fitness
Part 3: When, Why and a Way Out
Chapter 23: Young and Stupid
Chapter 24: Sometimes You Have To
Chapter 25: When You Want To
Chapter 26: Realizing When You Don’t Have To.
As you can see from this list, Alain has covered just about everything except weapons work but guess what? His new video is about how to use a cane for self defence! I know, I know, that’s my speciality but our approaches are so different I’m not worried, and heck, if he makes a million, I’ll just sue! :)
He ends with a Suggested Reading List that is absolutely perfect except, don’t read it! Read mine instead and order your fine library of self defence manuals from my links and oh boy, oh boy, hehehehehe.
Alain Burrese is a veteran U.S. Army sniper who learned the art of hapkido while stationed in South Korea. In addition to his formal martial arts study, he has worked extensively as a bouncer, bodyguard and security specialist and has an exceptional understanding of the difference between fighting theory and reality. His first video for Paladin was Hapkido Hoshinsul.