Geezer's Long March Toward the Elite Sneaking Up On the Finish Line

[Mark E. Hurling]

Thanks for that link! The Yakuza story was first up when I opened it too, so that was an extra bonus. I never realized that the Yakuza weren't outlawed in Japan. Just another one of those inscrutable cultural quirks of theirs I guess. I hadn't heard about Obama's having taken this stance and I wonder what brought it about. I'm not suspicious of his motives, just a little surprised that this was so low key and singled out this particular outfit. I'd have thought the Triads and La Eme (Mexican Mafia) with their drugs, human trafficking, and weapons antics would be higher threat and profile criminal combines to go after.

[tertius]

Thanks for that link! The Yakuza story was first up when I opened it too, so that was an extra bonus. I never realized that the Yakuza weren't outlawed in Japan. Just another one of those inscrutable cultural quirks of theirs I guess. I hadn't heard about Obama's having taken this stance and I wonder what brought it about. I'm not suspicious of his motives, just a little surprised that this was so low key and singled out this particular outfit. I'd have thought the Triads and La Eme (Mexican Mafia) with their drugs, human trafficking, and weapons antics would be higher threat and profile criminal combines to go after.

Yeah, the Yakuza used to go through quite a lot of effort to remain at least a little bit respectable to the general public in Japan. After a disaster a few years back, the local bosses were able to respond and get people bottled water, etc. before the government did. That sort of thing goes a long way towards keeping them from being viewed as just criminals. The guy who runs that site, Jake Adelstein, is a really interesting individual.

[BillBrownley]

So--books--love books. Martial arts books that (to me anyway) follow the art well, and are interesting and inspiring. John Donohue's series about Connor Burke--begins I think with Sensei and the latest is Kage. Donohue has written instructional books on Kendo, and is a University professor--for good or ill--but also a serious practicing Martial artist. Read from the beginning--watch the writing get better and the characters and issues deeper and more interesting.

The guy whose non-fiction you recommended--L.A. Kane has also written a novel--"Blinded by the Night". The protagonist is a Martial artist/Policeman---a 25 year veteran--who becomes the leader of "paranormals" in Seattle. Thus--a combination of urban fantasy (think werewolves etc., martial arts, and police procedural). Not bad at all so far-and for a guy that read Moorcock--you might fond it interesting.

[Mark E. Hurling]

The book Angry White Pyjamas by Robert Twigger touches on the author's near brushes with the Yakuza while he was doing aikido (although it sounds more like aiki-jutsu) in Japan. Good book overall, and the few accounts of these types he had made it sound like some of the Russian Mafia types back in Russia that I've learned about from an Armenian co-worker who spent a couple of years in Mockba. Boy does he have some stories. I'm surprised he made the cut and got his clearance. Just the tattoos are different and the Rooskies have all their fingers. You screw up with that bunch and they just kill your ass slowly.

That book sounds interesting Bill, but these days I've kind of lost lock on the fantasy genre. Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller novels have my full attention along with a Brit named Mo Hayder when it comes to police stuff. They're both great. My most typical go-to read these days is (surprise!) historical fiction. I'm now re-reading Patrick O'Brians Aubrey-Maturin novels. I know more about the period of history this time around and I'm amazed by some of the things I missed.

[Gwyn Brookes]

The book Angry White Pyjamas by Robert Twigger touches on the author's near brushes with the Yakuza while he was doing aikido (although it sounds more like aiki-jutsu) in Japan.

He's at the Yoshinkan Aikido Hombu dojo (my teacher's Aikido teacher was an uchi-deshi at the Yoshinkan and the aikido we do is derived from it - except that he hated suwariwaza so much that we rarely do it!)

My most typical go-to read these days is (surprise!) historical fiction. I'm now re-reading Patrick O'Brians Aubrey-Maturin novels. I know more about the period of history this time around and I'm amazed by some of the things I missed.

You've read all of the Sharpe's series by Bernard Cornwall, right? I think there are around 20 of them. If you haven't you're in for a treat.

[Mark E. Hurling]

He's at the Yoshinkan Aikido Hombu dojo (my teacher's Aikido teacher was an uchi-deshi at the Yoshinkan and the aikido we do is derived from it - except that he hated suwariwaza so much that we rarely do it!)

Wow, it can be a small world sometimes. So you already know that his book was about the one year "police course" at that dojo. His description of the bloody knees from the techniques made me think of two-a-day football practices.

You've read all of the Sharpe's series by Bernard Cornwall, right? I think there are around 20 of them. If you haven't you're in for a treat.[/QUOTE]

I have read nearly everything Cornwell has written. He's a great writer too. Between O'Brian's accounts of the naval war and Cornwell's accounts of the land war, the Napoleonic Wars really come to life. His account of Waterloo was riveting.

[Gwyn Brookes]

I have read nearly everything Cornwell has written. He's a great writer too. Between O'Brian's accounts of the naval war and Cornwell's accounts of the land war, the Napoleonic Wars really come to life. His account of Waterloo was riveting.

Not historical fiction, but, if you want to read more military sf and you have not yet read David Weber's Honor Harrington series... I peddle this series whenever possible :-)

[Mark E. Hurling]

Thanks for the lead Gwynn, I'll look into that. I just finished The Profession by Steven Pressfield. It's set in the near future and involves the devolution of national armed forces into mercenary forces with lots of intrigue involving US national politics and international brinksmanship. It's frighteningly plausible with the direction our political situation has taken. I'm really starting to believe all the spoiled self absorbed Boomers of my own age cadre are going to have to die before the US will get back on an even keel.

[BillBrownley]

Have you read Gates of Fire by Pressfield? Excellent--better than the profession which was good itself. Also--Cornwall covers a lot of historical ground. I think his Saxon series is better than the Sharpe series--but both are good.

[bob g]

...Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller novels have my full attention along with a Brit named Mo Hayder when it comes to police stuff. They're both great. My most typical go-to read these days is (surprise!) historical fiction. I'm now re-reading Patrick O'Brians Aubrey-Maturin novels. I know more about the period of history this time around and I'm amazed by some of the things I missed.

On your recommendation I picked up and just finished Connely's first Bosch novel in audio format. I listen to books on my commute up to Milwaukee. I've already downloaded the next in the series. And Patrick O'Brian is a treasure. I might have to read the series again. He was an old codger when he started writing about Captain Aubrey. I think he was in his nineties when he finally put his pen down.