This is a hard book to find, but worth the search. It is probably the first martial arts book published by African Americans. The photos are excellent. Techniques are performed by Kenpo legend Steve Sanders (the man Bruce Lee once said had the fastest hands he had ever seen). Familiar techniques like 5 swords, thundering hammers are shown as well as old techniques like crossing talons, arm lock, bear hug pinned in back, etc...Very interesting to see how it was done in the early 80's. The Table of contents is as follows:

Preliminary Exercises pg 13 The 12 Basic Moves pg 23 the 27 Nerves pg 43 Speed pg 63 Confidence pg 93 Kenpo Self-Defense pg 111 Conclusion pg 127

Any potential for humour from an "Islam meets The West cultural clash", played out in a school in suburban South London, is drowned in a sea of coy self-righteousness. Typical of so many liberal writers lookin at minority cultures, Nigel Williams falls into that familiar trap of displaying excess of sympathy but absence of empathy. The result is strangely unappealing, stilted and distant.

The Independent on Sunday describes this book as "screamingly funny"; in truth, it's an untidy story that, I suppose, raises the odd chuckle. I can't comment on his other books, but they're supposed to be better than this.

The third in Williams' "Wimbledon trilogy" (following "The Wimbledon Poisoner" and "They came from SW19"), this is a rather lackluster satire of sorts. Robert Wilson an idiot in his mid-20s who has been a complete failure at everything he's attempted in life, thus he still lives with his tolerant parents. He's also a coward and inveterate liar, clumsily lying his way into corners which make his life more difficult than it needs to be. The premise of the book is that he pretends to be a Muslim in order to get a job teaching at a new Islamic boys school in Wimbledon. The school is founded and run by the energetic, good-humored, and decidedly smooth-talking Mr. Malik, who seems not to notice or care that Wilson is obviously not a Muslim and hires him. Robert's poorly executed charade is partly to blame for a flighty female friend getting drawn into this new Muslim world as well. There's a silly subplot involving a young boy who may or may not be the 24th imam as various sects of local Muslims engage in subterfuges around Robert and the school. It's not a bad idea for a farce, but it never comes together as the wacky hi-jinks just aren't that funny.