On the Warrior's Path, Second Edition

Philosophy, Fighting, and Martial Arts Mythology

By: Daniele Bolelli

Narrated by: Kirk Magoon

The urge to forge one’s character by fighting, in daily life as well as on the mat, appeals to something deep within us. More than a collection of fighting techniques, martial arts constitute a path to developing body, spirit, and awareness.

On the Warrior’s Path connects the martial arts with this larger perspective, merging subtle philosophies with no-holds-barred competition, Nietzsche with Bruce Lee, radical Taoism and Buddhism with the Star Wars Trilogy, traditional martial arts with basketball and American Indian culture.

At the center of all these phenomena is the warrior. Though this archetype seems to manifest contradictory values, author Daniele Bolelli describes the heart of this tension: how the training of martial technique leads to a renunciation of violence, and how overcoming fear leads to a unique freedom.

Aimed at students at any level or tradition of martial arts but also accessible to the armchair warrior, On the Warrior’s Path brings fresh insights to why martial arts remains an enduring and widespread art and discipline. Two new chapters in this second edition focus on spirituality in the martial arts and the author’s personal journey in the field.

©2008, 2010 Daniele Bolelli (P)2020 North Atlantic Books

Critic reviews

“Bolelli’s humorous and at the same time profound prose makes On the Warrior’s Path one of those very rare books about martial arts that is masterfully written...this is one of the most original books about martial arts published in the last decade.” (Journal of Asian Martial Arts)

“Daniele Bolelli has written both a poetic and pragmatic vision of what the martial arts can be.” (Richard Strozzi-Heckler, PhD, author of In Search of the Warrior Spirit)

For the Self

What's cool is the narrative on how martial arts practice is rooted in serving the whole self.

Would love daniele’s voice

Didn’t like the narrator, moved too quickly without allowing ideas to marinate. Felt robotic and emotionless.

Favorite book

This book hit the nail on the head. I have struggled my whole life experiencing life in a very intense way.

Required reading for martial artists

I don’t say this lightly, this book is perfect. Absolutely a must read for anyone interested in martial arts .

great 👍

awesome. not the deepest thinker, but he did a good job vocalizing some intuitions I've had.

A great inspiration!

One of the most inspiring books I ever read. Thank you Bolelli for make me feel less lonely for having such enormous energy in my hearth.

Amazing

One of the best books I have come across, I recommend that everyone listen to this.

Decent read and some points of value.

Some areas are based off of common thought and used for judgement as a reason why one way isn’t good. Some areas are great to interpret.

Wonderful

I have listens to this probably 20 times. It’s written very well and keeps you interested. He covers so many things about the martial arts and has wonderful a stories about all of them.

Rise and Do Battle

This is my new favorite book, standing head and shoulders above any of my past favorites.

It rekindled a fire in me for martial arts and life. It swept away the smothering ashes society, harsh circumstances, and my own poor decisions had piled onto my passion for martial arts and living.

While I do not totally agree with the philosophies laid out in this book, all of it resonated on some level. It may not have the same results for some other people, as the effects of any work of art or book influence people differently, but for me it was transformative. I can say that many books were transformative to me in some capacity but this is something else entirely. It provided answers and guidelines to questions I have grappled with for as long as I can remember.

Most of the book was riveting, aside from the painfully dry, yet still useful, chapter on the categorization of martial arts. As a martial artist, the book increased my knowledge of martial arts and moved my philosophy forward.

As a human being, I wish I read this book ten years ago. A lot of the knowledge and wisdom I’ve amassed the hard way, through triumphs, failures, love, heartbreak, friendships, failed friendships, ups, downs, and many other trials and errors is laid out passionately and eloquently herein. It would have saved me a lot of trouble if I’d read this as a troubled teenager instead of now, but some things have to be learned the hard way to really stick.

There is also a great deal I hadn’t worked out that was here as well. And it has probably saved me countless hours of searching for answers because he has lived through the ups and downs I deal with and presents solutions to some of life’s problems that it may have taken me years or decades of struggle to find if I ever found them at all. And if he has not lived them, he has read them and presents quotes from Nietzsche, Bruce Lee, Lao Tzu, and many other fonts of wisdom.

Ideas on training, ego, humility, kindness, fear and overcoming it, living more fully and passionately, art, sports, the quest for self-improvement, and the improvement of the world around us were presented in a charming way with a good sense of humor.

Ironically, I have been a fan of the author, Daniele Bolelli’s ‘History on Fire’ podcast for years but hadn’t read any of his books. I am glad that I have remedied this and been reminded to walk the path of the warrior everyday.