Secret Fighting Arts of the World

by John F. Gilbey

At last!
Here is a book crammed full of secret fighting techniques never before divulged in print: the Oriental delayed death touch, the destruction wrought on by the fingertips of an obscure Mexican; the shout of doom; the method so terrible it is practiced only in Russian torture chambers, the niceties of Thugee strangulation; and many more vicious fighting tricks.

Suppressed for generations! Twenty of the world's most secretly guarded fighting techniques vividly described in one volume.

The average reader will find this book amazing--almost unbelievable. But many thousands of rugged young men currently practicing and writing about Oriental martial arts in the United States will find it invaluable. They know that such techniques exist, but have never before had the opportunity to learn them. Even those who scoff at such amazing arts should read this book with care.

Genres: Martial Arts

Paperback

First published January 28, 1963

Reviews

[Hung]

An absolutely hilarious read, a mix of Indiana Jones and Ripley's Believe It or Not. This was first published in the 1960's, and I read my library's copy countless times as a kid. Upon doing some internet searches, I found out that this book has something of a cult following. Gilbey (a pseudonym) writes a fabulous bit of fiction, with a surprising dose of fact mixed in. Much of it severely strains the reader's credulity (there's a fighting style based on halitosis), but it's written with enough aplomb to convince those who want to be convinced. In his sequel to this book, The Way of a Warrior: A Journey into Secret Worlds of Martial Arts, Gilbey does away with any pretense of believability (there's a wonderfully ridiculous section about an Icelandic man who channels the power of black holes, enabling him to flatten bowling balls into frisbees and to leave fist-prints in steel stanchions (the latter event occurring in the non-existent Icelandic underground rail line).

The best part about this satire is how it taps into America's exoticized and fetishized view of martial arts. Written in the relative early days of the country's awareness of martial arts, Gilbey's work serves as a fascinating cultural artifact. I feel like Michael Chabon would eat this up.

[Galactic Hero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forget the tattooed steroid monkeys flailing at each other inside cages. Forget the Tao of Jeet Kune Do. This book is the definitive guide to martial arts, mixed or otherwise. John F. Gilbey has traveled the world, seeking out even the most reclusive Masters, and somehow getting the to share their secrets. From timing a death touch, to surprise attacks, groin strikes arm locks and building chi, it's really all in here. I've done years and years of martial arts, starting with taekwondo, karate, jujitsu, but see now that I never so much as scratched the surface. I learned more in a week reading this book than I ever had in training!

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

If J. Peterman from Seinfeld had written a book on martial arts, this would be it. Old-school manliness at its finest. Part travelogue, part study of arcane fighting techniques, 100% hilarious. Sample chapter titles: Ganges Groin Gouge, Parisian Halitotic Attack, The Macedonian Buttock. All I can say is, if you see me on the street and are pondering taking a swing, think twice, son!

[H]

He pointed at the boy in the rear of the room and the youth unhesitatingly came forward. "My son has never had the experience and needs it badly," he said simply. (19, "The Delayed Death Touch")

The origin of thugee is disputed. However, I believe with the majority of my antecedents that the Destructive Power in the world could not keep pace with the Creative Power which peopled prolifically. So the Destructive Power asked the Black Mother, the Goddess Kali, for help. Kali demonstrated a strangle with a cloth to her followers as the accepted mode of dispatching victims. The idea here as to kill without shedding blood since blood begets blood and creation springs from it. (46, "Strangle of the Thug")

Jose stated that his system was all his own. He had borrowed from no one. Then he made a slight amendment. From an unidentified Chinese source he obtained medicine which he took daily and religiously. The hardening of the fingertips he told me--and I had heard the same from countless Chinese--often brought on blindness. (56, "The Mexican Knife")

Technically, he pointed out, the pain induced is intense. The force penetrates deep inside the head to a central knot of facial nerves called the "gasserian ganglion." This knot is headquarters for the nerves of sensation that serve the eye, the upper jaw, and the lower jar. When the knot is disturbed by a blow it causes real havoc: you can't focus your eyes, your orientation sense goes awry, and often you lose consciousness. This last is something of a blessing for the pain that ensues is the same maddening, merciles pain of tic douloureux (facial neuralgia), called by many doctors the worst pain a human can experience. (82, "The MVD Special")

I thought of Finley Peter Dunne's classic statement: "You can refuse to love a man or to lend him money, but if he wants to fight you have got to oblige him." (84, "The Unexpected Tactic")

[Dave/Maggie Bean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure what, exactly, Gilbey/Smith had in mind when he wrote this one -- but his tongue was firmly planted in his cheek much of the time. A railroad station in Iceland? Please... Save it for the rubes, John-boy. My dad pulled TDY in Rejkjavik every other month.
Leg-pulling and "fish stories" notwithstanding, the book contains a fair amount of solid information. Worth reading.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read covering many little known martial arts including knock-you-down halitosis, butt bump, the Canton corkscrew, and many others. Fascinating, but not enough information to perform these unusual arts.

[dwillsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

amusing!

[John Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bad Assery Personified.
You thought you were tough until you read this book.