Softies prove themselves by running marathons. Lovers of Samurai poetry, with a (tenuous) residency in Japan, might instead take an intense, brutal course of Aikido. Juxtaposing a lax, squalid and communal bachelor life with the punishing self-discipline of the Dojo, this account of the ups and downs of a one-year course is an eye-opener on Japanese culture, Western misfits, bodily pain and the fear of failure. Engrossing and fascinating - but I'll stick to marathons...
(Clive Yelf - bwl 14 July 2002 ) |
