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"An outstanding resource!"
I was quite delighted when I recieved the compendium in the mail, but more delighted still when I read it. This wonderful book covers an introduction to the Victorian beginnings of 'physical culture'in England. It goes on to provide us with a biography and history of Barton-Wright himself, including not only his creation of 'Bartitsu' but his forays into health spas and medical quackery devices.

There is also mention of jiu-jistu and it's contribution to the Woman's suffragete movement. Fans of the famous detective Sherlock Holmes will be delighted to see a photographic re-enactment of Bartitsu fighting techniques as demonstrated by 'Sherlock Holmes' to his... More > friend 'Doctor Watson'. In addition to this there is the inclusion of Barton-Wright's original material on self-defence with a walking stick provided in an encyclopediac range of potential self-defence situations. This is an excellent resource for fans of Victoriania, Sherlock Holmes, the history of Physical Education, the Suffraget movement as well as the development of British martial arts such as Joey Smallwood's 'Defendo'.

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"A Great Book on Victorian Martial Arts" E. W. Barton-Wright is a man whose name, though nearly forgotten by history, has been venerated by martial artists.
Until now, though, there was no way to study his art, Bartitsu, the first eastern fighting art taught in the west.
Mr. Wolf, with the aid of several contributors in many fields, has made a comprehensive study of the original
articles from various magazines published in the early 1900's, and extrapolated them for today's enthusiasts. This is a highly readable book with a wealth of research and history, resurrected from British libraries and universities. It is well-bound, and fun to peruse. I highly recommend it.

"Fascinating and Practical" The compendium is an excellent mix of original articles and essays from enthusiasts and experts. It contains a wealth of information which will appeal to martial artists, self-defense practicioners and fans of Edwardian culture. Buy it!

This is an excellent resource for anyone looking to get started with Bartitsu or to learn about the development of martial arts in the Western world. It describes the history of the Bartitsu Club and its instructors and includes the complete canonical reference from Barton-Wright's turn-of-the-century instructional articles in Pearson's Magazine. It also includes an introductory syllabus to help people without martial arts experience get started with learning Bartitsu. This book is chock full of illustrations and historical references, exceptionally well-researched, and both entertainining and informative. My own copy is well-thumbed as I return to it again and again in my quest to learn about this fascinating Victorian martial art. On to vol. II!

"Great Source!" This compendium is a wonderful source of period martial arts information.

Besides presenting never-before-available information and works the high-quality images and text from period documents is a true treasure trove.

Anyone interested in turn-of-the-century english martial arts can make use of this book, whether it is used for physical martial artists recreating period techniques, writers of Victorian set novels looking for accurate information, or even gamers wanting to ensure an authentic historic feel to their game sessions.