Essence

[Hanzo04]

has anyone ever written a book on the essence of martial arts? i know i'd read it.

 

[Martial Tucker]

For a good all-around book on "martial philosophy", I'd recommend "Living The Martial Way" by Forrest Morgan.

It's one of the first books I read when I was first starting out, and it really hit a nerve with me on what it means to be a martial artist. I have re-read it a couple of times over the years, and have given several copies to friends or relatives that have begun studying.
If you are looking for a compilation of techniques and "how-to's" from several unrelated arts, this is not it.....I can't help you there....

 

[bignick]

living the martial way is a great book...as for the "essence" of martial arts...that'd be quite a task...considering the variety of them out there and the different philosophies they follow...also...some martial arts aren't martial...some aren't arts...and some aren't either...this is a question of semantics of course...martial refers to something militaristic...and not all arts were created for the use of/by the military...and art..in this situation has given ground to "way"...but i'm done now...and may i also recommend some of dave lowry's books....he talks a lot about the philosophies of the martial arts