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Voice of the Fox
The Newsletter of the Martial Arts Training ServiceBook Review
Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere
by A. Westbrook and O. Ratti
illustrations byO. Ratti
Charles E. Tuttle, 1974
Reviewed by Barbara YoungThis seems to be the standard reference book for many aikido styles. Although it isn't a comprehensive encyclopedia of aikido, it comes close. The beginning sections on the structure of the dojo, class etiquette, exercises, and warm-ups are often neglected in other aikido books.
Simple black-and-white drawings illustrate the techniques clearly, much better than the murky photographs found in some other aikido books. This is where most of the aikido T-shirt art is stolen from.
One major drawback to this book is the authors' use of non-Japanese terminology. After spending a lot of time trying to remember what katate dori ikkyo is, it's difficult to think of it as "attack No. 1, immobilization No. 1." A decent glossary at the back helps to make up for this deficiency.
This is not a book for beginners. The dry writing style doesn't make for exciting reading, and unless you're already familiar with the techniques being presented, you may be very confused.
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