Consulting Swordsman
One of the most destructive forces in the world we live in is the “talent” mindset. I mean that literally. It underlies not only millions of minor miseries, but also the core of human evil. In short, if you believe in innate talent, you believe that some people are inherently better than others. It is … Read more
Without doubt the best rapier duel in cinematic history is the one between Inigo Montoya and the Man in Black at the top of the Cliffs of Insanity, in The Princess Bride (1987). To celebrate breaking 10,000€ on my recent crowdfunding campaign, I told my backers I would put up a video of how the duel might … Read more
Let me tell you a story about how the Internet is supposed to work. It’s also about collaborating on research, and finding truth. A short while ago, a student of mine, Kliment Yanev, came up with an excellent theory on the botanical identity of the poisonous dust plant that Fiore calls the titimallo. It was … Read more
[There is some cool stuff in this post, but the actual identification of the famed titmallo is wrong: full story here! GW] One of my favourite passages in Il Fior di Battaglia is this, where Fiore shows the use of a poison-dust pollax: The text that goes with it is hilarious. The text above the … Read more
Are you thinking about starting a crowdfunding campaign? Then this post is for you. Crowdfunding is both an extremely useful and effective way to raise funds for a project, and a deadly trap in which your reputation can be permanently destroyed. It is also a rather new development, and therefore many people are trying it for the … Read more
I am not a novelist. I have no ambitions to become one. But I do write and publish books, and have many friends who write fiction for a living. Most of the self-publishing advisory books I have read have been strong on marketing, strong on how-to-publish, but skip the actual how-to-write-a-book side of things. My … Read more
“The beginning of wisdom is calling things by their right name” – Confucius. In this post I will demonstrate beyond all reasonable doubt that every wonder of the modern age is attributable to the systematizing of knowledge, pioneered by Fiore dei Liberi. Yes, really. I have recently returned from a very rewarding trip to Australia, teaching … Read more
Greetings! You may be thinking about pre-ordering my new longsword book through the Indiegogo campaign. In case you’re wondering what the book contains, you can see the table of contents on the campaign page. Here is an example of one of the dozens of drills, with its accompanying photos. The Exchange of Thrusts: Fiore’s instruction … Read more
I am often asked for equipment recommendations, and people seem to be interested in the sort of equipment professionals use. So this is the first of a series of blog posts about the tools I use at work. As I spend most of my time teaching Fiore’s Art of Arms, let’s start there. In the … Read more
For years now the question I’ve been asked the most is “when is your next longsword book coming out?” And now the answer to that is in your hands. I have launched a campaign on Indiegogo to raise funds for layout and printing; and the moment we hit the target, layout work will begin. I … Read more