Consulting Swordsman
Guy Windsor Producing a book is a marathon, not a sprint, but the finish line for From Medieval Manuscript to Modern Practice: The Longsword Techniques of Fiore dei Liberi is in sight! I’m in my study plodding through the first draft of the the laid-out print file. This is simultaneously very exciting (my NEW BOOK! HURRAH!), very … Read more
A hundred and four years before Marie Kondo was born, William Morris wrote: If you want a golden rule that will fit everybody, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful. Which I think is a better rule of thumb than does … Read more
The proof-read draft of my new book previously titled “The Longsword of Fiore dei Liberi” came back from the proof reader on Friday literally tied up with red tape! I’m thinking of re-titling it “From Medieval Manuscript to Modern Practice: The Longsword Techniques of Fiore dei Liberi”. This describes the book better, and hopefully using … Read more
I’m in that funny limbo state between a book being finished and being published. My translation and interpretation of Fiore’s longsword plays (of which the current working title is now From Medieval Manuscript to Modern Practice: The Longsword Plays of Fiore dei Liberi. What do you think?) is back from the editor, his 2,370 comments … Read more
A month ago I posted about Invisible Women, and suggested changing the cover of my book The Medieval Longsword to make it more inclusive, and especially to make it clear that women can and should practice the art of arms if they so wish. Shortly after that the socialz exploded with backlash against the dimwitted Andrew … Read more
There is magic in sharp steel. The feel of a perfectly honed edge slicing through wood, leather, or other targets, it’s as if the thing being cut parts before the blade like the Red Sea before Moses. I’ve spent my whole working life with blades, first as a cabinet-maker, then as a swordsmanship instructor, so … Read more
I just deactivated my Facebook account. I did a bit of behind-the-scenes jiu-jitsu to keep my Author Page active, and the Messenger app functioning as before. But it’s now impossible for me to fall down the rabbit-hole without first clearing away a whole load of brambles. In a couple of months I’ll probably delete it … Read more
Every time I post something even remotely concerned with human rights on my blog, I get a slew of bile from all quarters. Most of it comes from my natural enemies, such as this moron responding to my post Fascists are poisoning HEMA: Or this one: That’s quite incontrovertible evidence that the post was worth … Read more
I’m reading Invisible Women: Exposing Gender Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez, and it’s one of those books that simply everybody on the planet ought to read. The raging unfairness she exposes has made me rethink a lot of things. It’s not like I was unaware of what was going on, … Read more
Surfing is both huge fun, and very hard to get the hang of. On my last trip Down Under I was offered the chance to try surfing for the first time in my life, and jumped at the chance. My friend Jen Rowland and her two lovely children Rafael and Maya took me on a … Read more