Books by Antony Cummins
The Ultimate I Ching: An Illustrated Step-by-Step Guide to the Book of Changes
All you need to know to start working with the I-Ching straightaway. Uniquely accessible, with simple step-by-step lessons and striking red-and-black graphics.
Pick up The Ultimate I-Ching and you will be able to start working with the hexagrams straightaway, guided by the easy-to-follow bite-size teachings, unique explanatory graphics and clear, non-mystical hexagram readings. This is the only book to compare and contrast the different theories and traditions and dig down to the essence of this incredibly profound and ancient Chinese divinatory practice so that anyone can use it to receive advice from the universe.
Learn: * how to cast a reading with coins or with stalks * how to interpret each of the 64 hexagrams, drawing in wisdom from a huge range of scholarly sources * how to use the readings as a practical life guide * all about the I-Ching – from its history to its theory to its practice.
There are many huge volumes of I-Ching theory, but all you need to know is contained in The Ultimate I-Ching. It is written in the spirit of Confucius, who said that the I-Ching – the Book of Changes – is a book that should be carried with you everywhere, because life itself is full of changes.
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$30.00
The Ultimate Art of War: A Step-by-Step Illustrated Guide to Sun Tzu's Teachings (The Ultimate Series)
The most accessible edition of Sun Tzu’s military strategy treatise, The Art of War—perfect for martial arts enthusiasts and anyone looking to enhance their leadership and strategic thinking skills.
This step-by-step guide breaks down the original Art of War into 200 digestible lessons that will help you get a competitive edge in all your endeavors.
Composed in the 5th century BC, Sun Tzu's Art of War is the earliest-known treatise on military strategy, and is still hugely popular around the world for its perceptive tactical advice to commanders on how to win at war with minimal bloodshed.
Aimed at all those who want to study the text in depth, this is the first step-by-step guide to the famous treatise. It breaks down the 13 chapters of the original into 200 easily digested lessons, including:
• Do not press a desperate enemy
• Control your troops through bond of loyalty
• When you are weak, beware attack
Each lesson is accompanied by comprehensive commentary and clarified with around 250 illustrations.
This ultimate guide to Art of War includes the classic 1910 translation by Lionel Giles and commentary that takes into account all academic interpretations of the text, highlighting differences between modern translations as well as the perspectives of historical Chinese commentators. No other edition compares and contrasts the viewpoints of different contemporary translators, or explains exactly what each section of this often enigmatic text actually means.
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Iga and Koka Ninja Skills: The Secret Shinobi Scrolls of Chikamatsu Shigenori
by Antony Cummins, Yoshie Minami
The secret manuals of the oral tradition of the Iga and Koka Ninja, feared and respected across Japan for centuries—now in paperback
Through patient and scholarly detective work, Antony Cummins and the Historical Ninjutsu Research Team have unearthed a Shinobi treasure. The 18th-century military historian Chikamatsu recorded the oral traditions of the Ninja and passed on those skills in lectures he gave at his Renpeido school of war in Owari domain during the early 1700s. Chikamatsu wrote specifically about the Shinobi of Iga and Koka, regions from which warriors were hired all over the land in the days of war. The lost scrolls are filled with unknown Shinobi teachings, skills that include infiltration, assassination, explosives, magic, and commando tactics, including an in depth commentary on Sun Tzu’s famous 13th chapter, "The Use of Spies."
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Secrets of the Ninja: The Shinobi Teachings of Hattori Hanzo
by Antony Cummins, Sean Michael Wilson
Bronze Medal Winner, 10th International Manga Awards
This historically grounded manga follows the ninja Nagata Saburo as he teaches his son, Hisaaki, the weapons, secret tactics, and values of the ninja. Based on the real-life writings of the famous ninja Hattori Hanzo, Secrets of the Ninja combines a familiar coming-of-age story with a historically accurate background of political intrigue and Sengoku-period Japanese culture. As Hisaaki grows from boy to man, Wilson skillfully interweaves real lessons, weapons, and skills used by ninja in feudal Japan, depicted with detail by artist Akiko Shimojima.
All of the tactics Saburo teaches to his son are drawn from the Shinobi Hiden, the most famous of the "ninja scrolls" written by Hattori Hanzo, general to the warlord Tokugawa Ieyasu and one of the most famous warriors in Japan. These scrolls provided practical instruction for professional ninja, but they also provide insightful theories of social relationships and human interaction, studying the nature of deception, falsehood, and self-protection. An extensive supplementary section written by Antony Cummins provides fascinating details on these scrolls and their practical lessons. Accessible, insightful, and exciting, Secrets of the Ninja is the perfect introduction to the world of samurai and shinobi warfare.
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The Book of Samurai: The Fundamental Teachings
by Antony Cummins, Yoshie Minami
The first installment in a multi-volume guide on the lost arts of the samurai—presented in the English language for the very first time
Antony Cummins and Yoshie Minami have brought the teachings of the famed samurai school Natori-Ryu back to life through The Book of Samurai series. This first installment is a translation of two secret scrolls and establishes the Fundamental Teachings of a samurai student, revealing the basic traditions of Natori-Ryu.
The first scroll, Heika Jodan, contains 290 lessons that define the baseline for samurai during times of peace—a time which is considered as preparation for war. It focuses each student on expanding their own ability and conduct, giving them the mind-set needed for any battles to come. The second scroll, Ippei Yoko, moves the student onto the field of battle. It provides them with an understanding of what is expected during a campaign of war and the necessary guidance for samurai who are to take up arms for the first time. These first two Natori-Ryu documents are an in-depth and detailed account of the practicality of samurai warfare, opening up the lost world of these Japanese warriors to all modern readers.
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The Ultimate Unofficial Guide to Tolkien's World
Tolkien's Middle Earth continues to capture the global imagination. In this accessible (but unofficial) guide, this sometimes confusing world is broken down into bite-sized sections that bring it to life for the newcomer and the fanatic alike.
Become an expert in Tolkien's world – the easy way! The Ultimate Unofficial Guide to Tolkien’s World offers something that’s never been attempted before: a single timeline, in chronological order, of all the events in Tolkien’s notorious complex books.
Why was it so shocking that Galadriel gave three strands of her golden hair to Gimli the Dwarf? Why is Sauron afraid of Aragorn’s sword? Why does a Balrog lurk under a dwarven underground city and how did the seven lost Seeing Stones come into being? How did the hobbits manage to have such a peaceful life? Who were the warriors whose corpse lights hover in the Dead Marshes?
From handy lists of characters, places, weapons and types of magic to the 150 illustrations capturing overlooked details such as armour colours, heraldic signs and crests, this easy-to-follow guide to Middle Earth will ensure you’re never baffled by alternate character names, confusing mythologies or labyrinthine plots again.
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