The Little Black Book of Violence

by Lawrence Kane

The Little Black Book of Violence is another complete book from Lawrence Kane and Kris Wilder, two writers from whom I have come to expect no less. As with all of their books, these two martial arts authors cover their subject completely. This book should be required reading for young martial artists, as it could save them a lot of heart break and pain. This book does a great job explaining the dangers involved anytime a situation turns violent. It also delves into the mindset of the predator and how predators “size” you up as a possible victim. Great information! This is information that is useful for everyone, not just the martial artist. Other topics include weapons, the law, how to respond to different situations, and even things such as first aid…and much more.

The Little Black Book of Violence (actually it is not so little…over 300 pages) is well organized into three sections, with each section being further organized into smaller sub-sections. Each sub-section starts off with two quotes, one from Sun Tzu and the other from Musashi. If you know anything about me, you know I love quotes, so this was a bonus as far as I am concerned! Also, each section is followed by a complete summary of the section, another nice addition. The appendix has several excellent pieces which should not be overlooked as well. I especially liked the “How far am I willing to go” checklist…this was a great addition.

Overall, this book was well written, well organized, and informative. Although I could do without some of the more graphic pictures, they do drive home the point which Wilder and Kane are trying to get across to the reader. Simply put, this is another winner from Kane and Wilder, and I highly recommend it, not just for the martial artist, but for anyone who wants to be safe in a dangerous world. Impressive, complete, informative, and possibly life-saving. Read it!

Bohdi Sanders
The Wisdom Warrior