Meditations on Violence: A Comparison of Martial Arts Training & Real World Violence,   ISBN:9781594391187

Customer Rating: 

This is one of the best books out there on how violence happens, how to avoid it and how to survive it. It is simple, yet profound on account of the fact that the author has literal, hands-on experience with dozens of types of violent encounters. This isn't a book about a particular school of martial arts. It is simply a book about the mental and physical aspects of surviving violent encounters in the real world. The unique thing about this book is the Bibliography. Instead of a comprehensive but disordered listing of books for future reference, the author categorizes his sources and takes the time to tell you why each book has value. In the 300 or so reviews I've done, I've never had reason to comment on the Bibliography, but this aspect alone is worth the price of the book in light of the author's background and experience. No library on Self-Defense should be without this book.

Customer Rating: 

I am a martial artist and a middle aged man and found much of what he said to be truthful and brutally honest in a way that often makes people uncomfortable. in a sense that was one of the themes of the book, victims go with the flow, or freze up rather due to the societal conditioning to not be rude, or awkward. Also, thou I expected a book that was written to tear down martial arts and say they are bunk and worthless in a real fight, what i found was rather a martial artist being hinest about what works when and where, and how one can help themselves overcome their own illusions of what reality is before reality bites them in the rear. If i have a criicism of the book I would say that on a couple of occasions Sgt. Millers own experiences are presented as fact rather than a small example of a greater whole. i understand that this is how he see things, but it does seem to contradict his own philosiphy at times. For example his views on the homeless and on the three types of criminals are overly simplified and make very black and white statements about vast socioeconomic and mental behavioral issues based on one experiment that he was a part of in college, albeit an intense hands on experiment, and his job as a jail guard. In his job he does not really have the luxury of doing anything but dehumanizing criminals becasue to have too much sympathy for them can be extremely dangerous, and i believe that his views on the homeless are actually rather ridiulous and in my opinion smack of his own personal politcal views as much as his experiences. He completely neglects to metion the homless that are mentally ill, or beyond redemtion adicts and dehumanizes them to pure user and abusers of the system. As far as that goes though, take it with a grain of salt as you will. But all in all this is a fantastic book that i think will not only benefit the martial artist but the average person as well. This can help point the average person on the path towards a safer set of life habits, and it can make the trained martial artist truly impervious to all but the most sever of the attacks he refers to.

Customer Rating: 

Rory Miller is a veteran corrections officer, and spent the better part of his career facing the dregs of humanity on a daily basis. "Meditations on Violence" is intelligently assembled, Rory never loses us in technical language or spiritualistic babble and he always makes room for the novice.

It's difficult to write a blanket review of this book, it's got such a diverse range of subjects and Miller really covers his bases when he presents his argument. I have read it cover to cover several times, and there are many points Rory makes that have altered my approach to teaching, training, and defining what it is I'm actually promoting in my school.

There are many places I disagree with Rory, but none where I can't at least understand his point of view. His experiences led him to his truth, mine led me to another. And even in disagreement, I have to admit: I'm not in a line of work that exposes me to this level of violence every day, like he is. If I were, my opinion would probably be closer to his.

Much of the writing style is in-your-face, even combative at times, and like all authors who are martial artists with jobs in high-risk facilities, Miller can get a bit preachy now and again. But it's never without reason or intelligence, and he never plays the "I'm better than you because I been down this road and you ain't" card. In fact, given his training and experience, Rory Miller is a bit more self-effacing and humble than I would have expected from the gun-toting, law enforcement, snap-your-neck-in-three-different-languages crowd.

Rory's life experiences earn him the right to preach, but even when he gets on a pulpit about something, it's always a worthwhile sermon. He writes with authority on a subject that is flooded with armchair warriors, half-educated streetfighters and kung fu wannabes. Whatever your occupation, gender, martial system or religion, I can say this with full confidence: This book will change your views on violence, Martial Arts, teaching, and probably half a dozen other things as well.

There is a particular section that I want to write about here: The "go" button. It's arguably the most critical element in real self defense, and it's so seldom addressed that I question the validity of a martial arts instructor who doesn't preach it. Rory gives it good service here, and I wish this was a case where he got more wordy with it. There's no need, he makes the point, but in my opinion...It just can't be stressed enough. However, he tells it like it is: YOU DECIDE NOW, AND TRAIN FOR IT. The last page of this chapter has a short essay on "Permission". Buy this book, if for no other reason, to read it. Take my word for that.

Let me insert a caveat here; This book is not for everybody. Gritty and unrelenting, Rory has absolutely no sympathy for his readers' psychological health, and many of the anecdotes contain scenes of horror that linger in your mind longer than you might prefer. I have certain parts earmarked to avoid because I usually need several stiff drinks afterward.

Having said that, I can recommend Miller's book without hesitation.

Rory's tales are captivating, but harsh. If you don't normally read things with an over-abundant amount of physical gore or psychological horror, then parts of this book will leave you stunned after reading them. Especially considering that he's not making this stuff up; There are people like the ones he writes about on the streets in your town at this very moment. You are almost certainly not prepared to deal with them to the extent that they are for you, and even the most experienced "Karate Sensei" will find it tough to swallow. But they would be doing themselves and their students an injustice to face it, because there are things in this book that every instructor needs, regardless of the art they teach.

Meditations on Violence was really the right title for this book, it's abundantly clear on every page that Miller has put time, effort and thought behind his words. If you want to know why this is so important, and the rarity of such a book covering this subject so well, go read a few of the other streetwise, self-defense style publications on the market today. Rory never comes across as a self defense blowhard who can't see past his own ego, his book sets a standard that the typical "martial arts for the street" category seldom attains.

Meditations on Violence demands to be READ, not just scanned. It's an honest, unrefined dose of the real world coupled with insightful training guides and advice. I could go on for pages touting the depth of knowledge in this book. Even the preface is an attention-grabber.

If you are a martial arts teacher, law enforcement officer, or just a concerned civilian interested in physical violence and the steps necessary to avoid it, this book is a crucial must-have.

Customer Rating: 

Insightful, easy to read and great content. I would recommend to any martial artist or individual interested in self defense. A great compliment to Grossman's On Combat and On Killing.

Customer Rating: 

While the author clearly knows what he's talking about, his experience and consequently his book is not very useful to the reader. Why ? Because first of all there is a very wide gap between knowing and doing. Secondly the book gets quickly repetitive and confusing with a series of what the author calls matrixes which may have been intended to look scientific and serious but they are actully more of a hindrance than a help ... Couldn't finish the book.