I truly enjoyed this book. While I can't speak for anyone else, as in "this is an excellent book for anyone who etc. etc.," I can honestly tell you how this book affected me. As someone who feels fairly new to the marial arts, I read Bill Menees' book at a time when I felt like I had 'stalled out' in my training. I've struggled with negative self-talk, doubts and fears, and I've felt like a bit of a freak at times wondering if I was the only student who felt this way. When everyone else in the class seems to have this aura of self-confidence exuding from them, I felt like I must have stuck out like a thing that sticks out a lot. After reading Bill Menees' book, The Road To Shodan, I realize that I am hardly alone in these feelings, and that if you don't feed them they will pass (they have, by the way, passed). By helping to dispel those feelings of inadequacy on the mat, this book has ultimately helped me to distill feelings of accomplishment in my progression as a martial artist without cockiness or false egoism getting in the way - invaluable knowledge that means so much more to me than I can really express.

Bill's book gave me a new perspective on my martial arts training as a whole. I found the book accessible and humorous, insightful and, perhaps most importantly, relevant. Bill states that, as a beginning martial arts student reading everything he could get his hands on, he could not find any single book that helped to answer some of the most basic questions he had, and so he decided to write that book himself for others. Bill, you hit the mark.

I highly recommend "The Road To Shodan" for any martial artists. Beginners or intermediate students like me may find confirmation that their experiences are not uncommon - incredibly valuable knowledge in that it frees the mind from worrying about 'sticking out' and allows us to get on with our training. Would I have continued down the path without this book? Of course I would have - but Bill's book has removed a lot of the 'clutter' hindering my own road to Shodan, and for that I thank him.