The following books are recommended for students to read
History
| Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unante – The Secrets of Karate 2nd ed. | John Sells | W M Hawley, | 0-910704-96-1 |
| Shotokan Karate – Its History and Evolution | Randall G Hassell | Empire Books | 1-933901-28-4 |
| Shotokan’s Secret – The Hidden Truth Behind Karate’s Fighting Origins | Bruce D. Clayton | Ohara | 0-89750-144-6 |
| Karate Do Nyumon | Funakoshi Gichin | Kodansha | 0-87011-819-6 |
| Karate Do – My Way of Life | Funakoshi Gichin | Kodansha | 0-87011-463-8 |
| The Essence of Karate | Funakoshi Gichen | Kodansha | 978-4-7700-3118-1 |
| Tanpenshu – The Master’s Finest Work | Funakoshi Gichen Compiled & Translated by Patrick & Yuriko McCarthy | International Ryukyu Karate Research Society | n/a |
| Tales of Okinawa’s Great Masters | Shoshin Nagamine (trans. Patrick McCarthy) | Tuttle | 0-8048-2089-9 |
| Bubishi – The Bible of Karate | Translated by Patrick McCarthy | Tuttle | 0-8048-2015-5 |
| Karate’s History & Traditions | Bruce A. Haines | Tuttle | n/a |
Technique
| Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karate Jutsu – The original Teachings of Master Funakoshi | Funakoshi Gichin | Kodansha | 4-7700-2681-1 |
| Karate Do Kyohan – The Master Text | Funakoshi Gichin | Kodansha | 0-87011-190-6 |
| Dynamic Karate | Nakayama Matayoshi | Ward Lock | 0-7063-1714-9 |
| Best Karate (Series of 11 books) | Nakayama Matayoshi | Kodansha | 0-87011-317-8 +10 |
| 75 Down Blocks | Rick Clark | Tuttle | 0-8048-3218-8 |
| The Essence of Okinawa Karate-Do | Shoshin Nagamine | Tuttle | 0-8048-1163-6 |
| Okinawan Kempo | Choki Motobu | Masters | 0-920129-17-X |
| Five Years One Kata – Putting Kata Back at the Heart of Karate | Bill Burgar | Martial Arts | 0-95444466-0-7 |
Kyusho Jitsu
| Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martial Arts for the University (out of print) – A textbook for basic Judo, Ju-Jitsu, Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Modern Arnis and Vital Points | Rick Clark | Kendall/Hunt | 0-8403-8107-7 |
| Pressure Point Fighting | Rick Clark | Tuttle | 0-8048-3217-X |
| Bubishi – The Bible of Karate | Translated by Patrick McCarthy | Tuttle | 0-8048-2015-5 |
| Bubishi Martial Art Spirit – Secret Karate Text of the Masters | Translated by George W. Alexander & Ken Penland | Yamazato | 0-9631775-1-6 |
Philosophy and Strategy
| Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Twenty Guiding Principles of Karate – The Spritual Legacy of the Master | Funakoshi Gichen Translated by John Teramoto | Kodansha | 4-7700-2796-6 |
| Rules of Combat – The Development of Warrior Tactics | Vince Morris | PBS | 0-9539325-0-8 |
| The Art of War | Sun Tzu Translated by Thomas Cleary | Shambhala | 0-87773-452-6 |
| Te-Tao Ching | Lao Tzu Translated by Robert G Hendricks | Modern Library | 0-679-60060-4 |
| Hagakure – The Book of the Samurai | Yamamoto Tsunetomo Translated by William Scott Wilson | Kodansha | 4-7700-2916-0 |
| The Book of Five Rings | Miyamoto Musashi Translated by William Scott Wilson | Kodansha | 4-7700-2801-6 |