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Redemption: A Street Fighter's Path to Peace
A British karateka offers a bone-crushing, lip-splitting, and often elegant memoir of a tough guy searching for higher meaning through the study of martial arts." Kirkus Reviews"In this memoir describing how karate turned his life around, Clarke displays passion and grit in spades." Foreword Reviews Michael Clarke was an angry, vicious kid, a street fighter. He grew up in the late sixties and early seventies in Manchester, England, in a tough neighborhood where, he writes, Prostitutes worked the pavement opposite my home, illegal bookmakers took bets in back alley cellars, and street brawls were commonplace. He left school at fifteen and began his education as a pugilist on the streets. He fought in bars and clubs, at football matches, in parks, and in bus stations and he was good. He reveled in the victories and the admiration they brought. It was a life of knuckles and teeth, of broken bones and torn flesh and the arrests that followed. Clarke was seventeen when a judge sentenced him to two years in Strangeways Prison, an infamous place also known as psychopath central. In prison he resolved to change his life and stay out of trouble, but trouble was everywhere. He discovered a world of violent gangs, abusive guards, and inmates engaged in an endless struggle for dominance. Strangeways was a place where a person could get stabbed to death for taking the bigger piece of toast. In time Clarke was released, but the transition was difficult and he almost fought his way back to prison. Then one night he entered a karate dojo and his life changed forever. He began a lifetime pursuit of budo, the martial way. He sought knowledge, studied with masters, and traveled to Okinawa, the birthplace of karate. Redemption: A Street Fighter s Path to Peace is a true account of youth wasted and life reclaimed. Michael Clarke reminds us that martial arts are not simply about punching and kicking. They forge the spirit, temper the will, and reveal our true nature.
256 pages, Paperback
Published May 1, 2016
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About the author
Michael Clarke
5 books1 followerLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Please see: Michael Clarke
Michael Clarke (1958-1999)
By the age of 17, Michael Clarke, Kyoshi 8th dan was behind bars, a veteran street fighter serving a two-year sentence for occasioning grievous bodily harm. Turning 18 behind the walls of one of England's most notorious prisons 'Strangeways', was a wake up call that began his climb off the bottom.
Released back into society on parole in December 1973, he began training in karate in January 1974.
After ten years of training in the Japanese system of Tani-ha Shito-ryu, he travelled to Okinawa for the first time in 1984, in search of the more traditional training methods. There he was accepted into the dojo of the famed Morio Higaonna sensei. In 1992 he entered the Jundokan dojo of Eiichi Miyazato sensei, the dojo where Higaonna sensei himself had learnt karate, and became a student of the man who had received his instruction directly from the founder of goju-ryu: Chojun Miyagi. Six weeks before he passed away, in 1999, Miyazato sensei promoted Michael to 6th dan.
source: Amazon
Please see: Michael Clarke
Michael Clarke (1958-1999)
By the age of 17, Michael Clarke, Kyoshi 8th dan was behind bars, a veteran street fighter serving a two-year sentence for occasioning grievous bodily harm. Turning 18 behind the walls of one of England's most notorious prisons 'Strangeways', was a wake up call that began his climb off the bottom.
Released back into society on parole in December 1973, he began training in karate in January 1974.
After ten years of training in the Japanese system of Tani-ha Shito-ryu, he travelled to Okinawa for the first time in 1984, in search of the more traditional training methods. There he was accepted into the dojo of the famed Morio Higaonna sensei. In 1992 he entered the Jundokan dojo of Eiichi Miyazato sensei, the dojo where Higaonna sensei himself had learnt karate, and became a student of the man who had received his instruction directly from the founder of goju-ryu: Chojun Miyagi. Six weeks before he passed away, in 1999, Miyazato sensei promoted Michael to 6th dan.
source: Amazon
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 10, 2016
Kyoshi Michael Clarke's reputation as a prolific Martial Arts writer is evident in his anthology of published works-Five books and around five hundred Articles!!
However this was his first that I came across and decided to pick up on a lazy Sunday afternoon- only to remain Glued to for the next Week.
Let me explain. Reading a 209 pager Martial Memoir for a voracious reader, who happens to be a long time Practitioner himself and quite interested in Biographies may sound to be a 'short work'. And so, I tried my best to gallop through it's pages devouring the incidents and info as quick as possible. However the content stopped my pace and forced me to re-visit chapters and sections.Over and over.
If i say that there is a lot of meaning in-between the lines of this book that needs to be fathomed, demanding attempts at different times with different mindsets- I won't be wrong.
This is truly a down to dirt, knuckles, sweat, blood, bones story of an average boy raised in the 70-s on the streets of Dublin and notorious alleys of Manchester, England- in a Blue Collar family. Story of a Boy and his suppressed anger (partly because of his tumultuous childhood) that found a fine outlet on the streets.Story of a boy who made his own mistakes but accepted the consequences calmly, and kept wanting to transform for the better, eventually finding Karate as a vehicle that catapulted him to Manhood.
His ego, mettle and experience were tested countless times but he did not stray from the path.
Long Back, one of my Budo Sensei's told me, why 'thugs' will never be able to 'do' Martial Arts. With gaping eyes and mouth, I asked him: "Why, Sir??" To which he answered:"Either they will leave or they won't remain Thugs".
The Story of Kyoshi Michael of Goju-Ryu proves that exactly!
The Memoir, has four Chapters each dealing with a Phase of his life. However the First and the Fourth are the most startling ones. The First elaborates his misadventures growing up and eventually doing time as a Juvenile in one of the most dreaded Prisons in UK (a fantastic vivid description of known and unknown facts in Black, White,Gray and Red!!).
The Fourth is his sojourn to Okinawa as one of the first Western/ UK Karate Practitioners to seek deeper meaning and higher training in the Arts- in a system that he never trained in till then. This chapter is Vivid and on your face- seen both through the eyes of a first time Tourist and felt through the body and spirit of a seasoned student of Budo who was yet humbled, learning fascinating lessons in Humility on the way. A person so hungry about learning that he forgot to eat for two days straight, as a result of which he dropped during the first session in the punishing school of Goju where the Sensei ('without the sense of Time') tested the student's spirit in every possible way.
The Book is also historically very interesting as it captures the Karate scene evolving in England during 70-s through 80-s, frozen in time. Memories of an evolving Karateka, training under, competing and grading around Western Teachers of Naha and Shuri lineage, many of whom became famous later on their own accord (like Sensei Roy Stanhope, Shihan Terry O'Neill etc.) surely keeps the reader curious and smiling (especially from UK and in their fifties or sixties- though should ideally engage all).
Many Japanese Teachers, instrumental on paving the path of Budo in the UK Karate scene are mentioned along with their very individiual approaches (Master-s Chojiro Tani, Keiji Tomiyama, Yasuhiro Suzuki and Shigeru Kimura etc.) towards training. Associations and the undercurrent of politics comes in as well.
But the real, dare I say attraction for the Practicing Reader will be the revelation of Soke Morio Higaonna as an almost reclusive Teacher in Okinawa whose punishing ways of forging pupils mind, body and spirit is a Treat. Soke Morio, then 47, still not famous, offers a profile of what a Bushido Teacher should be.Vivid encounters of training and conditioning methodologies at his Dojo is recorded which takes us back in time when the Old-school way was the only way.Training with both encouraging and 'evil' Sempai-s, punishing free Kumite bouts open to practitioners from other schools, show-offs and tacky belts as well as borderline insane contenders- all comes in.
As the book closes, we see the 'violent' boy growing up to be a peaceful Man- and is all set to make his mark, both as a responsible Teacher and enlightend Student- whose life's experience, if summarized can be highlighted in the follwing words, also mentioned in the book: "Keizoku wa chikara nar! (Strength in Perseverance)".
Thank you Kyoshi Michael, if I ever write a Memoir of my own, yours will be certainly a template for me. Osu.
However this was his first that I came across and decided to pick up on a lazy Sunday afternoon- only to remain Glued to for the next Week.
Let me explain. Reading a 209 pager Martial Memoir for a voracious reader, who happens to be a long time Practitioner himself and quite interested in Biographies may sound to be a 'short work'. And so, I tried my best to gallop through it's pages devouring the incidents and info as quick as possible. However the content stopped my pace and forced me to re-visit chapters and sections.Over and over.
If i say that there is a lot of meaning in-between the lines of this book that needs to be fathomed, demanding attempts at different times with different mindsets- I won't be wrong.
This is truly a down to dirt, knuckles, sweat, blood, bones story of an average boy raised in the 70-s on the streets of Dublin and notorious alleys of Manchester, England- in a Blue Collar family. Story of a Boy and his suppressed anger (partly because of his tumultuous childhood) that found a fine outlet on the streets.Story of a boy who made his own mistakes but accepted the consequences calmly, and kept wanting to transform for the better, eventually finding Karate as a vehicle that catapulted him to Manhood.
His ego, mettle and experience were tested countless times but he did not stray from the path.
Long Back, one of my Budo Sensei's told me, why 'thugs' will never be able to 'do' Martial Arts. With gaping eyes and mouth, I asked him: "Why, Sir??" To which he answered:"Either they will leave or they won't remain Thugs".
The Story of Kyoshi Michael of Goju-Ryu proves that exactly!
The Memoir, has four Chapters each dealing with a Phase of his life. However the First and the Fourth are the most startling ones. The First elaborates his misadventures growing up and eventually doing time as a Juvenile in one of the most dreaded Prisons in UK (a fantastic vivid description of known and unknown facts in Black, White,Gray and Red!!).
The Fourth is his sojourn to Okinawa as one of the first Western/ UK Karate Practitioners to seek deeper meaning and higher training in the Arts- in a system that he never trained in till then. This chapter is Vivid and on your face- seen both through the eyes of a first time Tourist and felt through the body and spirit of a seasoned student of Budo who was yet humbled, learning fascinating lessons in Humility on the way. A person so hungry about learning that he forgot to eat for two days straight, as a result of which he dropped during the first session in the punishing school of Goju where the Sensei ('without the sense of Time') tested the student's spirit in every possible way.
The Book is also historically very interesting as it captures the Karate scene evolving in England during 70-s through 80-s, frozen in time. Memories of an evolving Karateka, training under, competing and grading around Western Teachers of Naha and Shuri lineage, many of whom became famous later on their own accord (like Sensei Roy Stanhope, Shihan Terry O'Neill etc.) surely keeps the reader curious and smiling (especially from UK and in their fifties or sixties- though should ideally engage all).
Many Japanese Teachers, instrumental on paving the path of Budo in the UK Karate scene are mentioned along with their very individiual approaches (Master-s Chojiro Tani, Keiji Tomiyama, Yasuhiro Suzuki and Shigeru Kimura etc.) towards training. Associations and the undercurrent of politics comes in as well.
But the real, dare I say attraction for the Practicing Reader will be the revelation of Soke Morio Higaonna as an almost reclusive Teacher in Okinawa whose punishing ways of forging pupils mind, body and spirit is a Treat. Soke Morio, then 47, still not famous, offers a profile of what a Bushido Teacher should be.Vivid encounters of training and conditioning methodologies at his Dojo is recorded which takes us back in time when the Old-school way was the only way.Training with both encouraging and 'evil' Sempai-s, punishing free Kumite bouts open to practitioners from other schools, show-offs and tacky belts as well as borderline insane contenders- all comes in.
As the book closes, we see the 'violent' boy growing up to be a peaceful Man- and is all set to make his mark, both as a responsible Teacher and enlightend Student- whose life's experience, if summarized can be highlighted in the follwing words, also mentioned in the book: "Keizoku wa chikara nar! (Strength in Perseverance)".
Thank you Kyoshi Michael, if I ever write a Memoir of my own, yours will be certainly a template for me. Osu.
January 19, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. It’s a nice and slow account of the authors experiences with a good helping of background context as to what led to them. Very readable and hard to put down at times.
July 16, 2016
How does a punky, pugnacious kid with a prison record become a master martial artist, and live to tell about it? Michael Clarke, Kyoshi 8th dan, Okinawan Goju-ryu, and author, recounts his own journey of how this happened in his new, 256 page paperback, “Redemption: A Street Fighter’s Path to Peace.” It’s an adventurous work readable for young teenagers to veteran karateka. The redemption Clarke attained is echoed in his opening words; “An important life lesson my study of karate has taught me is this: you not only have to walk your own path through life, you have to build the path as you go” (xi). Redemption, for the author, was following bushido, taking life in hand with its defeats and disappointments, and getting back up with new resolve and renewed vigor; seven times down, eight times up (211).
Clarke’s autobiography begins in Dublin, moves to the streets of Manchester then to Strangeways Prison and Hindley Closed Borstal, steps into Mr. Vicker’s dojo, travels off to the Island of Jersey, spends valuable time with Higaonna sensei in Okinawa, and lands back in London. The majority of the narrative covers the journey of approximately 15 formative, fist-full years in the author’s life that have shaped the rest of his days. The story is gritty and gutsy, and sometimes green in its youthful naïveté, as the author moves through his hard-won education. Clarke’s tale is also a defense of how and why he moved away from the Japanese style of karate to the Okinawan Goju-ryo, voicing his criticisms along the way.
As with many autobiographies, the author is the hero of his own story. There’s a mixture of humility and hubris as he rehearses his recollections. But in the end, “Redemption” gives insight, not only into the author’s personal narrative, but the earlier history of karate in the West, and the differences in some of the martial art styles. If you’re looking for an eyewitness reminiscence of what karate looked like in the West during the 1970s and 1980s, as well as a personal journey through martial arts, this is the read for you. And if you’re wondering how the martial arts might be helpful for a troubled younger person, then “Redemption” should be one place to begin.
Thanks to YMAA Publications Center, Inc. for providing, upon my request, the free copy of “Redemption” used for this review. The assessments are mine given without restrictions or requirements (as per Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255).
Clarke’s autobiography begins in Dublin, moves to the streets of Manchester then to Strangeways Prison and Hindley Closed Borstal, steps into Mr. Vicker’s dojo, travels off to the Island of Jersey, spends valuable time with Higaonna sensei in Okinawa, and lands back in London. The majority of the narrative covers the journey of approximately 15 formative, fist-full years in the author’s life that have shaped the rest of his days. The story is gritty and gutsy, and sometimes green in its youthful naïveté, as the author moves through his hard-won education. Clarke’s tale is also a defense of how and why he moved away from the Japanese style of karate to the Okinawan Goju-ryo, voicing his criticisms along the way.
As with many autobiographies, the author is the hero of his own story. There’s a mixture of humility and hubris as he rehearses his recollections. But in the end, “Redemption” gives insight, not only into the author’s personal narrative, but the earlier history of karate in the West, and the differences in some of the martial art styles. If you’re looking for an eyewitness reminiscence of what karate looked like in the West during the 1970s and 1980s, as well as a personal journey through martial arts, this is the read for you. And if you’re wondering how the martial arts might be helpful for a troubled younger person, then “Redemption” should be one place to begin.
Thanks to YMAA Publications Center, Inc. for providing, upon my request, the free copy of “Redemption” used for this review. The assessments are mine given without restrictions or requirements (as per Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255).
June 7, 2016
Reading Michael Clarkes’ latest offering “Redemption, A Street Fighter’s Path To Peace” turned out to be more than expected for me. While I expected it to be good, because having read his work before and enjoy his writing, I didn’t expect it to be instructional at all. I was expecting more of a “story.” Sort of a movie of ones years in karate and how it helped shape young mans life raising him from the gutter to the mountain top. Well, it was all that indeed! However, what lay so subtle in the background is instruction. Not instruction in the typical way one would expect of “a how to,” but rather instruction by example. It is much like a sign post pointing the way. Maybe it points to “the way.” If you read, and study the journey of this dedicated karateka, you will not only be inspired, but will come to realize what you can accomplish with hard work and a deeper look into your own soul. Nothing comes easy that is worth anything and true karate is about perseverance and hard work as well as learning about yourself, and correcting the errors. This is especially true in todays modern karate world where you can go to a promotion test and all the passing grade certificates are pre printed with your name, signed and ready to hand out before the test even starts.
In reading this book I am reminded of my own past and the road I have traveled; but above that it has made me stop once again to take a good look at my path, both where I came from and what may lay ahead. It made me realize that perhaps I’m not moving much anymore or have stopped, getting caught up in my own complacency. Suddenly I find myself walking once again and taking notice of the forest that surrounds me. The trials and accomplishments along with the setbacks of this mans road are truly inspiring and this book is another great work and inspiration from a fantastic writer that I would recommend every karate student as well as instructor read and absorb. You get out what you put in and the proof is here in this book. I would like to say he is special but he isn’t. I believe what he has is in all of us. The difference is that all of us may not have the heart to do what it takes to make it happen. That is the difference. Read this book! Then make it happen.
Thomas Pressimone
In reading this book I am reminded of my own past and the road I have traveled; but above that it has made me stop once again to take a good look at my path, both where I came from and what may lay ahead. It made me realize that perhaps I’m not moving much anymore or have stopped, getting caught up in my own complacency. Suddenly I find myself walking once again and taking notice of the forest that surrounds me. The trials and accomplishments along with the setbacks of this mans road are truly inspiring and this book is another great work and inspiration from a fantastic writer that I would recommend every karate student as well as instructor read and absorb. You get out what you put in and the proof is here in this book. I would like to say he is special but he isn’t. I believe what he has is in all of us. The difference is that all of us may not have the heart to do what it takes to make it happen. That is the difference. Read this book! Then make it happen.
Thomas Pressimone
October 29, 2016
Clarke tells of his personal journey from vicious thug on the streets of England in the late sixties and early seventies to budoka training in Okinawa, the birthplace of karate. Gritty, well written, and definitely not the typical ‘karate changed my life’ story. Not just for karateka, this is a must read for any martial artist.
August 14, 2016
A great thought provoking book. Really enjoyed. I won this book through goodreads.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews