Lawrence A. Kane (1)

'I was hooked from the first 15 words...I like to call this book Scared Smart or at least Scared Thoughtful.'-Michael F. Murphy, School Board Director

'So comprehensive. Kane and Wilder maintain an engaging, readable, and occasionally humorous style that makes the book not just incredibliy useful, but hard to put down as well.'-Barry Eisler, internationally bestselling author

'Reminiscent of Musashi's Book of Five Rings,...insights way beyond punching and kicking back. Elements of psychology, street smarts, and martial strategy make this book worthy of inclusion in everyone's library. Well done and comprehensive.'-Kancho John Roseberry, seven-time All Marine Judo Champpion

'A hip, easy-to-read manual on how to indentify potentialy violent situations and avoid them. Or, failing that, how to best deal effectively with violence should one be forced to do so. Everyone with a pulse should read this book.'-William C. Dietz, bestselling author of 30 novels.

'A very cool yet frightening perspecitve on violence; a book where the dreams of heroism and advneture are acted upon with proper forethought and intellect.'-Martina Sparague, martial art sinstructor and author

'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

'The true flavor of...fighting is captured and revealed. The aftermath of the fight is laid bare, as it really exists. The reader is left to experience the blood, injuries, guilt, regret, and post-traumatic stress...'-Jeffrey-Peter A.M. Hauck, J.D., Martial Arts Instructor, retired Municipal Police Sergeant, author

'Kane and Wilder's book will save lives. It will keep others out of prison. As an attorney, a self-defense instructor, and someone who experienced violence, I was most impressed with the practical and realistic information.'-Alain Burrese, J.D., U.S. Army 2nd Infantry Division Scout Sniper School Instructor, martial arts instructor, author

Men commit 80% of all violent crimes and are twice as likely to become the victims of aggressive behavior.

The Little Black Book of Violence is written primarily for men ages 15 to 35, though the information is applicable for anyone. This book provides crucial information about street survival that most martial arts instructors don't even know about. More than mere fighting tactics, the authors expertly explain awareness, avoidance, and de-escalation to help stave off violence.

Violence-What's it worth?
Violence, no matter how small or trivial, has the potential of excalating into a grave situation. It's important to ask yourself, 'Is this really worth fighting over?' While in some instances the response could legitimately be 'Yes,' more often it should be 'No.' This book will arm you with the knowledge and good sense to make informed diecisions and how to avoid bad choices, which left unchecked, could completely change your life.

Brimming with learning strategies and techniques for defending yourself on the street, The Little Black Book of Violence explains how to manage the aftermath of violence, including first aid, interacting with law enforcement, creating witnesses, finding a good attorney, navigating the legal system, dealing with the press, and overcoming psychological trauma.

Violence happens
Two experienced martial arts authors have collaborated to craete this book to provide explanations about how violence happens, how it can be avoided without losing face, how situations can escalate into violence, and the life-long consequence that violence brings.

Lawrence A. Kane began his martial arts training in 1970. The author of numerous marital arts books, he is a black belt in goju ryu karate. Kane supervises security personnel at a Pac-10 football stadium whre he has been involved in hundreds of armed and umarmed confrontations. Lawrence Kane lives and teaches goju ru karate in Seattle, Washington.

Kris Wilder began his martial arts training in 1976. The author of numerous martial arts books, he holds black belt ranks in taekwondo, Kodokan judo, is a godan in goju ryu karate, and has trained and competed internationally. Kris Wilder lives and teaches goju ryu karate in Seattle, Washington.

Contents

Prologue
Foreword by Sergeant Rory Miller
Foreword by Marc 'Animal' MacYoung
Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Section One: Before violence occurs
Awareness is your best defense
Don't get caught up in the escalato follies
The victim interview
Know when he's eager to hit you
Don't let them get into position for attack
Avoid being cut from the heard
Don't be afraid to call in support
Your words are a weapon, use them wisely
Don't get hung up on name calling
If you have made a mistake, apologize
Make sure your intentions are clear and understandable
Saying something once does not mean that it was understood
Changing the context can de-escalate a bad situation
Holywood fantasy vs. brutal reality
Never underestimate the fighting intelligence of your opponent
Size and intensity are not the same thing
Take nothing for granted
Little things are often important
Know your territory
Restrain impassionate friends
When it comes to violence, girlfriends can be helpful...but generally not
Live to fight another day
When you think you are a good fighter, you're not
Don't claim your turf
Invading your opponent's territory means one of two things
Darn near everybody has a knife...and it changes everything in a fight
Know when he's armed, you'll live longer that way
Gangs are not your friend
Listen to the subtle (and not-so-subtle) warnings you get
Section Two During a violent encounter
He who strikes the first blow admits he's lost the argument
You've got a 'stay out of jail free' card if you use it wisely
Use only as much force as the situation warrants
Know how to wrangle drunks
Never hit a girl...unless she's armed
When he stops, you stop
Be prepared to fight until it stops
When you stop, he won't stop
Six techniques you can use in a fight
If something works, keep using it until it stops working
Six mistakes to avoid in a fight
Avoid going to the gorund
Don't let the other guy get behind you
Fighting is not a democratic process
Don't self destruct
You will get hurt
Recognize your own limitations
You may think, 'my enemy's enemy is my friend,' but it's not true
As stress goes up inteligence goes down
Beware of crowds
Summary
Section Three Aftermath of violence
Once it's over, know your priorities
It only takes a microsecond...and then you're in survival mode
Know how to perform first aid
Handling blows to your self esteem
Dealing wth psychological trauma
Understanding critical incident amnesia
Don't exaggerate, don't threaten
Police officers don't like fighting, so they don't like you
Find a good attorney
Realize that courts are about resolution, not justice
Be wary of the press
Beware the 'friday night special'
A fight can take place over time; It's called a feud, and it is bad
Summary
Conclusion
Afterword by Lt. Colonel John R. Finch
Notes
Glossary
Appendix A How far am I wiling to go?
Appendix B Words you can use
Appendix C The will to kill by Marc 'Animal' MacYoung
Appendix D Vital area targets
Appendix E Reading list
Bibliography
Index
About the author… (meer)

Well I have to say that my first impression of this book came from the title and it instantly reminded me of a line from the movie, War Games which starred Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy, where a then supercomputer almost starts World War III until it realizes that by playing the game Tic-Tac-Toe that the only sure way to win the game is to not play the game at all, thereby averting World War III. This very same concept was also taught hundreds of years ago by the military genius Sun Tzu in his epic tome, The Art of War, in which he basically advises the reader that the only way to guarantee a victory in warfare is not to go to war in the first place.

From a legal standpoint, it is basically against the law to be fighting in the first place, unless it is under the regulated and controlled conditions of a sporting event, such as; boxing, MMA, wrestling, etc. and then it really isn’t a fight, but a combative sport. You should never ever be in a fight, but unfortunately you may have to defend yourself, and that is an entirely different matter altogether, and that is what Lawrence and Kris are trying to tell you in this very well written and informative book. Very similar to their highly respected earlier work, The Little Black Book of Violence: What Every Young Man Needs to Know About Fighting.

After a great introduction section that includes a foreword by Rory Miller, author of Meditations on Violence: A Comparison of Martial Arts Training & Real World Violence, and his latest book, Facing Violence: Preparing for the Unexpected, the authors go into a prologue and introduction which pretty much sets the tone for the entire book. This is followed up by a "Willing To Do" and "Not Willing To Do" list which everyone should read and fully digest in order to understand his/her capabilities when faced with a violent confrontation. There are no right or wrong answers, but I'd being willing to bet that each individual will be in for a few surprises when faced with some very difficult choices. Just be lucky that for now they are on paper because one day they may end up being your reality. This book is then divided up into three sections; Before Violence Occurs, During A Violent Encounter, and the Aftermath of Violence. What follows is the chapter titles under each of the three sections.

BEFORE VIOLENCE OCCURS

1. Awareness Is Your Best Defense

2. Don't Let Them Get Into Position To Attack

3. Your Words Are A Weapon, Use Them Wisely

4. Live To Fight Another Day

5. Food For Thought - You Will Get Hurt

DURING A VIOLENT ENCOUNTER

6. Use Only As Much Force As The Situation Warrants

7. Four Techniques You Can Use In A Fight

8. If You Are Going To Hit Someone, Make It Count

9. Down n' Dirty

10. Seven Mistakes To Avoid In A Fight

11. Things To Keep In Mind

AFTERMATH OF VIOLENCE

12. Once It's Over, Know Your Priorities

13. Know How To Perform First Aid

14. Don't Exaggerate, Don't Threaten

15. Legal Matters

16. You've Got A "Stay Out Of Jail Free" Card If You Use It Wisely

Now I had thought about writing a brief description about each chapter but I soon found out that I was ending up with quite a few paragraphs under each chapter as the information that Kris and Lawrence provides is really quite superb. Therefore I scrubbed that idea in exchange for a brief overall assessment of the material provided throughout the entire book, which by the way is very informative from cover to cover. Yes, I know that I repeated myself there but that really is the point. This book and the information it provides is good, good, good!

One thing that really stood out for me was the use of real-life situations that the authors had been exposed either directly or indirectly which gave solid real world examples of the points they are trying to make concerning the various subjects. The artwork is also very good, and it should be as this book is illustrated by famed DC comic book artist, Matt Haley. Now did I agree with absolutely everything in this book? NO, but it was really close! The few things I disagreed with were more of a philosophical difference than anything and also on one main simplistic area, and that is this:

Over 85% of ALL crimes are directly related to drugs and/or alcohol, therefore it stands to reason that if you want to avoid 85% of all potential problems that you may encounter, stay away from the people, businesses, events, etc. that consume or partake in drugs/alcohol and you will have a much greater chance of avoiding violence than perhaps any other action that you could take. Now this is going to fly directly in the face of your local AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) group, but if you do want to drink, do it in the safety and security of your own home and only with a very selective few friends, if even that. Well that and use some common sense and you will be pleasantly surprised at how much violence you can avoid.

I guess is I had to use one sentence to sum up my entire feelings about this book and describe the significance of what is contained within its covers, I guess it would have to be this, "Pull your head out of the sand or whatever orifice it may be in and read this because the information contained within it could very well one day save your life."

Shawn Kovacich
Martial Artist/Krav Maga Instructor
Author of the Achieving Kicking Excellence book and DVD series.… (meer)

Reviewed by Kira M for TeensReadToo.com

In America, 80% of violent crimes are committed by men. Men are also twice as likely to become the victims of aggressive behavior. Violence, no matter how trivial it may seem, has the potential to escalate into a grave situation.

This is the reason why Lawrence A. Kane and Kris Wilder, martial arts experts since the 1970s, have written this book. Inside, young adults will find self-defense tips and techniques, street survival behavior, and tricks for de-escalating fights.

This no-nonsense guide to violence is a great addition to a library's collection. The layout is well-done, and the information provided is practical, helpful, and easy to learn.

Those who are interested in self-defense, martial arts, and street smarts will enjoy and learn a lot from reading THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF VIOLENCE.… (meer)

This book is written for young (15-30) men, and its purpose is to explain real, not cinematic, violence to them. The primary emphasis is on avoiding fights. It’s worth losing face to prevent an butt-kicking. As lifelong martial artists and security professionals Kane and Wilder know a lot about violence, and they emphasize that, for the most part, it’s not worth it. The book is divided into three sections – how to prevent a fight, how to handle yourself during a fight, and what to do after the fight is over. Since the authors want the reader to avoid fights, the first section is the longest. The last section is the shortest because when the fight is over, odds are you’re going to need medical and/or expert legal advice.

I am a martial artist, and I am fortunate that A large chunk of this book is things that I learned in my training. But, this is still a great book for all young men and martial artists; primarily because the authors spend a lot of time discussing the legal ramifications of violence. This is a subject that I’ve never had a sensei discuss in depth with me. We practice finishing a downed opponent all the time – a knee to the ribs can be an definitive way to finish the struggle. But, in the real world, it’s hard to claim self defense if you’ve kicked a downed opponent. The courts and police aren’t going to believe that’s self defense, especially once they find out you’re a martial artist. Kane and Wilder tell you “when he stops, you stop (but be wary lest he restart the fight).” This is a lesson I’ve never heard in a dojo. Kane and Wilder walk you through the general legal principles to determine if something is self defense, which is a very valuable lesson. They also emphasize verbal self defense during the altercation. One of the appendices is a page of phrases to shout during the fight – things like “I don’t want to fight you” “Leave me alone.” These phrases could save you after the fight, providing evidence that you didn’t start it and tried to warn away your attacker. No one ever suggested this to me, and it’s a great idea.

This is a great book. If I had a son, I’d definitely buy it for him. It should be required reading for all martial artists, as it complements martial arts traning very nicely.… (meer)