This informative martial arts book; Ninja Weapons introduces the exciting and deadly secrets of ninjutsu—the chain and the shuriken.The Masaki school of chain fighting was developed in the feudal society of the early eighteenth century by a swordsman-sentry in Edo (Tokyo) Castle. Feeling that the shedding of blood in such a hallowed place would be disgraceful; he devised the combat use of the weighted chain. Even the name he gave to the art proves the trust he placed in its effectiveness—manrikigusari (chain with the power of ten thousand).The equally devastating art of shuriken; the throwing of metal stars and spikes; evolved shortly after manrikigusari. The easily concealed shuriken soon became known as an extremely effective weapon for both shinobi and samurai warriors. Included are "The Samurai Creed;" various techniques; the history of the arts and over 100 black and white photos and illustrations.
#5097104 in Books Stanford University Press 2006-08-11Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x 1.30 x 6.00l; 1.68 #File Name: 0804753695480 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. An extraordinary political history of imperial BrazilBy LecenFor a long period of time; historiography has focused on socials classes to explain the development of Brazilian politics during the 19th century. Although useful to a certain extent; this approach is compromised by reducing individuals to homogeneous groups; which is far from being true to reality.Jeffrey D. Needell's "The Party of Order" is an excellent work and has all the ingredients to become the definitive source to understand Brazilian politics between 1831 and 1870. This a rare book in which the people in it; no matter the role they played; even if small ones; are given a well rounded; a tridimensional feel to them. You can almost see; touch and feel persons like emperor Pedro II; Honório Hermeto; Bernardo Pereira de Vasconcelos and the Viscount of Uruguay; among many others. These are real people; with real traits and real motivations. They are not given labels and reduced to that.Despite the title; "The Party of Order" is actually a political history of Brazil; and not merely the history of one political party (unlike what the previous review seems to indicate). It works well not only because of how the historical figures in it are portrayed as real people; with qualities and flaws (some with greater and lesser of each); but because it explains the environment; the world in which this people lived; all based on solid research. The sheer amount of primary sources employed is extraordinary and you can see that Needell did his job; and he did it well. The reference section is amazing and provides further comments and information that greatly improve the overall text.The politicians were often slave owners; with keen interest in preserving that institution; and Needell correctly points that out (vehemently and constantly; in fact). However; he is just as correct in showing that by supporting a political system based on constitutional representative government; they could have allowed Brazil to develop and make necessary reforms through legal forms; even if slower; instead of relying on coups or dictatorial acts as it happened later on; during the republican era. In a way; Needell shows a Brazil that had similar characteristics to early United States: you had all these statesmen (Washington; Jefferson and others) who owned slaves; but who had set the foundation for a political system that could become more democratic in time; and make the necessary reforms (which it did; eventually).Needell is neither warm to Brazilian conservatives; nor to the emperor (two opposing sides that clashed from the beginning to the end of the monarchy). He criticizes both; for the reason stated above regarding the former; but in the case of Pedro II; for his attempts to aggrandize his powers; diminishing the parliament's independence and agency; setting the stage for all later authoritarian leaders; like Vargas and the military regime. Was he a good man with good intentions? Yes. But by doing what did; eroding the foundation of the constitutional representative system; for a good cause (abolishing slavery); he paved the way to others who didn't have reasons as decent as his.Imperial Brazil in Needell's eyes is an undemocratic; hierarchic; exclusive and prejudiced country; but which had all the necessary institutions to overcome that. It failed; because the emperor did what he did; and the politicians were uncompromising and (in many occasions) too narrow to allow any major reforms that could accommodate women; former slaves and the poor.Is this book worth it? Yes. Without a doubt. It is the history of how the ends usually do not justify the means. And those means can provide harmful consequences on the long run that will neglect any positive outcome from the end. It is worth noting that this books is far more enjoyable and easier to follow if you've read Roderick J. Barman's "Brazil: The Forging of a Nation" and "Citizen Emperor: Pedro II and the making of Brazil."1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. A must-have book on Brazilian political history during the imperial eraBy Customer"The Party of Order" is an excellent work; especially as a political history of Brazil between 1831 and 1871; that is; from the beginning of Emperor Pedro II's reign to his apogee; when he was able to pass the law that gave freedom to children born of slave women. The main argument proposed by Needell is that political parties had ideologies and were distinct of each other. In fact; members of each parties had ideological differences among themselves. The reference matter is extraordinary; providing more information on people and events.3 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Fair and Balanced -- NotBy Sam DiegoBiographers are sometimes accused of getting too close to their subject; but one can be just as absorbed in a period or a place as with a personality; and the result can be happy or deleterious. With Needell's fascinating study The Party of Order; it is both. In the elite venues of 19th century Rio de Janeiro he has found himself a comfortable bailiwick; and though readers may wince at his admiration for the political acumen of reactionary slaveholders; still they will appreciate his easy command of a wide variety of archival and other documentary sources from Brazil. He offers not a cursory look but a meticulous (if overly-referenced) investigation of the conservative elites of the Empire that stops one step short of an apologia. Whether such an approach really throws light on the Empire; it is surely interesting. Where the majority of scholars have found an improvised system of clienteles upholding the imperial system of the two Pedros; Needell sees a consistent or near-consistent ideology guiding the system over a period of some fifty years. He may very well be right about this—his base of information (parliamentary records; official gazettes; and memoirs) is extensive and detailed. But his analysis suffers from a lack of balance: his text provides no comparable (and certainly no sympathetic) look at Brazilian liberals such that we can understand the overall picture of Brazilian politics under the Empire. Both liberals and conservatives were part of a common elite culture and the one was no more illegitimate than the other. His focus is too centered on Rio de Janeiro. Needell's success in defining a place; a class; and an attitude thus obscures a greater failure to interact with the broader Brazilian society he seeks to elucidate. It seems likely that readers in Brazil and elsewhere will continue to consult Emilia Viotti; Sergio Buarque; Richard Graham; and Jose Murilo on the politics of the Empire; while Needell's undoubted contribution is unlikely to receive the attention it deserves. A sad if predictable story.
