The Little Black Book of Violence

situation involves only an attempt to avoid losing face, one might be wise to remember that physical battle, with or without weapons, is seldom as glorious as one might have imagined. While you are thinking “fight,” your adversary may well be thinking “combat,” with the intent to permanently maim or kill. There will be blood and injuries, some severe, even in situations that do not involve a weapon.

The Little Black Book of Violence: What Every Young Man Needs to Know about Fighting raises a number of excellent questions that one should ask in order to learn about self. It teaches one how to examine a potentially violent situation with a critical eye, how to use the indicators (such as the “tell”) to discern when violence is imminent, and how to ensure that one’s message is heard when emotions are running hot. Having an understanding of the process that leads to a violent situation will fuel one’s confidence and, at least partially, help lift the “fog” of battle.

Young men have their heroes and their dreams. Kane and Wilder, through their knowledge of fighting and their ability to use the written word supported by graphic images and real-life stories, have managed to present a very cool yet frightening perspective on violence, a book where the dreams of heroism and adventure are acted upon with proper forethought and intellect.

—Martina Sprague, martial arts instructor and author of seven books on martial arts and two books on history.

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Although I’ve been training in the fighting arts for over four decades, I found this book to be rich with innovative ways to apply techniques, insightful observations on self-defense, and a mother lode of gold nuggets on the nature of violence and how not to be its next victim. The dynamic writing team of Kane and Wilder just gets better and better with each new book. While martial arts schools show you how to kick and punch, The Little Black Book fills in crucial information about street survival that most instructors don’t teach or even know.

—Loren W. Christensen, 8th dan black belt, author of 38 books on the fighting arts including Warriors, Defensive Tactics, On Combat, and Fighter’s Fact Book.

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Today we live in a society replete with criminal, professional, and recreational violence. Beyond mere acceptance, a culture of violence is being nurtured by the portrayal of brutality, cruelty, and aggressive behavior in movies and on TV, by its simulation in video games, and by access via Internet that can provide the worst acts of inhumanity that the world has to offer 24/7. As a result, our society has raised an entire generation of youth who are desensitized to most forms of violence. Whereas our government has dictated that our public schools are responsible for educating our teens on the subject of sexuality, there is little to be found in any educational program to address the avoidance, prevention, or protection from violence. Maybe it is in this new world order that books like The Little Black Book of Violence can provide some semblance of rational thought.

This book is an important work that all youth of any post-elementary school age should read or at least should have portions read to them (with the caution that the graphic nature of some of the words and illustrations could be overwhelming to some adolescents). I was hooked from the first 15 words in the Prologue all the way through Appendix E. I suggest you read it, re-read it, memorize some of the more basic “rules,” and keep the book handy. Unlike most books, the appendices are interesting and valuable material; I recommend studying them first. In the appendix describing vital area targets, you will be amazed at how many descriptions of a blow to one of these areas end in the phrase “paralysis or death.” I’m sure most “non-violent” types that might find themselves in some kind of violent encounter will be busy trying to protect their genitals without giving much concern to the other 39 areas, and this could be very unfortunate.

Pain is about the only thing left to the imagination today. This book tries to help the reader “visualize” pain. I like to call this book Scared Smart or at least Scared Thoughtful. As a minimum, after reading this book you will learn to be more observant and more aware of the potential for violence and certainly more knowledgeable about the possible physical and financial consequences of a violent encounter. Whatever the circumstances, this book will help you spot potentially violent situations, find your way around them, or give you the best chance at surviving them. Don’t wait for the movie!

—Michael F. Murphy, School Board Director, Bellevue, WA School District.

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Great book! A must read for any man or woman who is interested in learning not only how to defend oneself, but how to read other people’s aggressions and understand both the mental and physical aspects of violence.

—Staff Sgt. Bryan Hopkins, USMC, 1999 Armed Forces Judo Champion, US Marine Corps Martial Arts Instructor.

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The Little Black Book of Violence is an exceptionally modest title for a volume so comprehensive. Dividing their subject sensibly enough into before, during, and after, Kane and Wilder use quotes, anecdotes, and expert commentary to shine an unflinching light on the realities of violence, with a focus on what can be done to avoid it, or when avoidance is impractical or impossible, to prevail. Despite the complexity of the subject matter and the comprehensiveness of their approach, Kane and Wilder maintain an engaging, readable, and occasionally humorous style that makes the book not just incredibly useful, but hard to put down, as well. It was a privilege to get a sneak peek at this fine book and I have no doubt it’ll do for many others what it’s done for me— help me live more sensibly, more sanely, and more safely.

—Barry Eisler, internationally bestselling author of the John Rain series, shodan in Kodokan judo.

Warning

Warning: While self-defense is legal, fighting is illegal. If you don’t know the difference you’ll go to jail because you aren’t defending yourself; you are fighting—or worse. Readers are encouraged to be aware of all appropriate local and national laws relating to self-defense, reasonable force, and the use of weaponry, and act in accordance with all applicable laws at all times. Understand that while legal definitions and interpretations are generally uniform, there are small—but very important—differences from state to state. To stay out of jail, you need to know these differences. Neither the authors nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for the use or misuse of information contained in this book.

Nothing in this document constitutes a legal opinion nor should any of its contents be treated as such. While the authors believe that everything herein is accurate, any questions regarding specific self-defense situations, legal liability, and/or interpretation of federal, state, or local laws should always be addressed by an attorney at law. This text relies on public news sources to gather information on various crimes and criminals described herein. While news reports of such incidents are generally accurate, they are on occasion incomplete or incorrect. Consequently, all suspects should be considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

When it comes to martial arts, self-defense, and related topics, no text, no matter how well written, can substitute for professional, hands-on instruction. These materials should be used for academic study only.

Printed in Canada.