The Arte of Defence: An Introduction to the Rapier

by William E. Wilson

No sword and no historical style of swordsmanship is as romanticized as is the rapier of the Italian Renaissance. From the quarrels, brawls and duels of Shakespeare to the raucous abandon of the Three... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1484079116
• ISBN13: 9781484079119
• Release Date: April 2013
• Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 216 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Great Book!!!!

This is an awesome book!!! It is well organized and very clear in its presentation. The photos and descriptions are very instructional and easy to understand. I would recommend this book to ANYONE interested in learning the use of the rapier.

A Great Place to Start

OK, I'll start by saying that Bill Wilson is a friend of mine, but having said that, I probably wouldn't have become friends with him if he didn't do top quality research, teaching and fencing. Bill's book isn't the final word on rapier fencing, but it is a pretty good place to start. It also isn't really a how-to guide. It explores the basic concepts and principles of all rapier fencing and shows a large number of sample actions in clear photographs. What this book will do more than anything is to help you to understand the rapier and to know where to go after you finish the book. It will certainly prevent you from making any of the common mistakes seen amongst rapier fencers. This is an extremely useful book for anyone interested in rapier fencing, particularly beginners. I commend Bill on a job well done and look forward to his planned work on the Bolognese sidesword (early rapier) school.

Arte of Defense: A Manual on the Use of the Rapier

An excellent resource with a wealth of knowledge. If you ever wanted a "how to" guide on starting rapier this is the book for you.

What's Vadi got to do with anything?

I want to make a response to the reviewer who denounced this book on the basis that Vadi had nothing to do with the rapier. I couldn't understand why he even brought Vadi up, given that the said Maestro (who, admittedly, is pre-rapier) isn't mentioned in this book. After some digging around, I found that when Arte of Defence was first listed, Vadi's name was mistakenly included (probably it got mixed up with a forthcoming book on Vadi by the same publisher). When the mistake was found, reference to Vadi was removed from the online information. So, if you're considering purchasing this book, please rest assured that the author is not guilty of said historical error, and that (in my opinon) this book is worthy of your attention.

At Last!

I've know William Wilson for a number of years. His scholarship and skill at arms have always impressed me. This book is great for those starting out in historical rapier fighting.As an instructor, I've found useful drills and techniques to add to my curriculum for my own students.I'm shamelessly plugging this book to anyone who expresses an interest in studying rapier.