Sumo Books written in English

[Sumo Menko Man 13]

I went through a phase where I scoured the world looking for books on sumo written in English. So far I have found 16 and wanted to see if anyone else has any that I have missed. In no particular order these are the ones that I have found:

The Essential Guide to Sumo by Dorthea Buckingham (1994)

Gaijin Yokozuna by Mark Panek (2006)

Sumo from Rite to Sport by P.L. Cuyler (1979)

The Book of Sumo by Doug Kenrick (1969)

Sumo Wrestling by Bill Gutman (1995)

Grand Sumo by Lora Sharnoff (1989)

The Big Book of Sumo by Mina Hall (1997)

The Giants of Sumo by Angela Patmore (1990)

Rikishi: The Men of Sumo by Wes Benson (1986)

Takamiyama: The World of Sumo by Jesse Kuhaulua (1973)

Dynamic Sumo by Clyde Newton (1994)

Sumo by Andy Adams and Clyde Newton (1989)

Sumo: The Sport and Tradition by J.A. Sargeant (1959)

Sumo Watching by S.W.A. (1993)

Sumo: A Pocket Guide by Walter Long (1989)

The Joy of Sumo by David Benjamin (1991)

All of them are great reads with a little different focus. Anyone have a favorite one?

Cheers,

Ryan

[Torabayama 51]

I really enjoyed The Joy of Sumo, it articulated so well what I love about sumo. Wish there was an updated version with some active rikishi profiled.

Gaijin Yokozuna was a good read for an in depth profile of a rikishi, something that isn't readily available in english for many. The writing left a bit to be desired but it was good none the less.

Grand Sumo and From Rite to Sport are excellent overall guides and The Big Book of Sumo is a well done "light" version.

[Johnofuji 232]

Does Sumo Boy by Hirotaka Nakagawa count?

[Orion 431]

The Essential Guide to Sumo by Dorthea Buckingham (1994)

Gaijin Yokozuna by Mark Panek (2006)

Sumo from Rite to Sport by P.L. Cuyler (1979, revised 1985)

The Book of Sumo by Doug Kenrick (1969)

Sumo Wrestling by Bill Gutman (1995)

Grand Sumo by Lora Sharnoff (1989)

The Big Book of Sumo by Mina Hall (1997)

The Giants of Sumo by Angela Patmore (1990)

Rikishi: The Men of Sumo by Wes Benson (1986)

Takamiyama: The World of Sumo by Jesse Kuhaulua (ghostwritten by John Wheeler) (1973)

Dynamic Sumo by Clyde Newton (1994)

Sumo by Andy Adams and Clyde Newton (1989)

Sumo: The Sport and Tradition by J.A. Sargeant (Tuttle, 1959)

Sumo Watching by S.W.A. (1993)

Sumo: A Pocket Guide by Walter Long (Tuttle, 1989)

The Joy of Sumo by David Benjamin (1991)

I've added a few relevant bits to the list above, and have three more:

Sumo by Lyall Watson "A Channel Four Book", Sidgwick (1988)

Sumo: A Pocket Guide revised and updated (actually rewritten) by David Shapiro (Tuttle, 1995)

and one of the very best, Sumo: A Fan's Guide by Mark Schilling, illustrated by Lynn Matsuoka (Japan Times, 1994)

There are also a few translated from Japanese.

There's a story behind the ones I've marked 'Tuttle' -- but I think it can easily be found.

Orion

[Sumo Menko Man 13]

Orion, thanks for the updates. I'll see if I can find the other two you listed and add them to my collection. I'll do a little research on the Tuttle...any hints?

John, thank as well. Do you know who the author is of Grand Sumo Fully Illustrated?

Each one of the books has a slightly different focus and goes in-depth on certain topics more than others. One thing that I found interesting is The Joy of Sumo by Benjamin is the only one that I have ever read that tackles the topic if yaocho and goes somewhat in depth. All the other books as I recall don't even touch that with a 10' pole.

Cheers!

Ryan

[Kimyouzan 2]

I am in the middle of re-reading Gaijin Yokozuna. There are some parts of the book where the writing is not up to par (more like the structure of the book), but there are some parts that do an amazing job of capturing the way that it must truly feel to be a foreign rikishi. The chapter where Akebono first sees Chiyonofuji and is in absolute awe of him is especially well told.

I also really enjoyed the Pocket Guide as a basic outline of Sumo history and culture. I learned a lot about the rules and customs of Sumo when I was first starting to watch it regularly.

I just ordered The Joy of Sumo of amazon, so I will share my impressions when I get a chance to read it.

[Takamizawa 0]

Sumo Showdown: The Hawaiian Challenge by Philip Sandoz

A thin book that profiles the big named Hawaiian rikishi, as well as Takanohana and Wakanohana. Lots of nice color pictures, but not much in terms of depth.

Also, I figured I'd comment that I actually really loved Gaijin Yokozuna, including the writing style and technique. It read like a novel rather than a biography, which was rather refreshing. (Eh?)

About the Joy of Sumo, I really liked the section on giving nicknames to rikishi to help remember them, cause I definitely did this when I first go into sumo, and I still refer to many rikishi by my invented nicknames. B-)

[ryafuji 814]

Orion, thanks for the updates. I'll see if I can find the other two you listed and add them to my collection. I'll do a little research on the Tuttle...any hints?

John, thank as well. Do you know who the author is of Grand Sumo Fully Illustrated?

Each one of the books has a slightly different focus and goes in-depth on certain topics more than others. One thing that I found interesting is The Joy of Sumo by Benjamin is the only one that I have ever read that tackles the topic if yaocho and goes somewhat in depth. All the other books as I recall don't even touch that with a 10' pole.

Cheers!

Ryan

Schilling's book also discusses yaocho.

Another book in English is "Jesse: Sumo Superstar", by Adams and Schilling, which is a detailed look at Takamiyama that also has his complete career record (priceless in those dark days before Sumo Reference!)

[Yaochoyama 1]

Another book is Makunouchi Rikishi of the Showa Era by Clyde Newton. Say what you will about Clyde, this is his magnum opus, an 800+ page tome with a biography of every makunouchi rikishi from 1926 until the book was published (around 1981), along with the complete record in juryo and makunouchi. The book is extremely rare. I put out a feeler some years ago to see if it could be obtained from a Tokyo bookstore and at what price, and the answer came back that it could but at around 20,000 yen. One was listed on ebay some years back and went for $300 and change.

[Washuyama 641]

i have a copy of "Sumo by Makoto Kubota (1996)" Mostly semi-artsy photos from both keiko and honbasho with Taka, Waka, Ake and Maru...

[sekihiryu 51]

Orion, thanks for the updates. I'll see if I can find the other two you listed and add them to my collection. I'll do a little research on the Tuttle...any hints?

....who the author is of Grand Sumo Fully Illustrated?

Tuttle? are they the one Orion herself has written forewords for or revised or contributed too? I recall reading a sumo book with a foreword from our esteemed contributor.

Grand Sumo Illustrated ISBN 4896842510 - no author per se, edited by PHP Institute Inc, supervising editor Seigoro Kitade, Translator Deborah Iwabuchi.

Also: I am a Rikishi - Reiko Yokono. (bi-lingual book looking at the current crop of foreign Rikishi)

Edited August 22, 2009 by sekihiryu

[Orion 431]

Another book is Makunouchi Rikishi of the Showa Era by Clyde Newton. Say what you will about Clyde, this is his magnum opus, an 800+ page tome with a biography of every makunouchi rikishi from 1926 until the book was published (around 1981), along with the complete record in juryo and makunouchi. The book is extremely rare. I put out a feeler some years ago to see if it could be obtained from a Tokyo bookstore and at what price, and the answer came back that it could but at around 20,000 yen. One was listed on ebay some years back and went for $300 and change.

Clyde based his book on the Japanese "Dohyo no Hana; Gojunen" (1977) by Hatano Ryo and Mizuno Naofumi (the latter for many years editor of the magazine NHK Stella) but he greatly expanded the information and added further rikishi who came to note after the Japanese book was published. The one great rawback is that there is no index; finally I made my own so that I could look people up without going to the Japanese book and counting names! Fortunately I bought two nd got them signed by Clyde when he was first selling them -- I keep one at home and one at the office; I still may look up something half-a-dozen times a year (and the Japanese book, for quicker reference, maybe ten or twelve times a year.

One reason the book is rare -- apart from the fact that it was self-published -- is that it's so massive the spine disintegrates eventually.

Orion

[Sumo Menko Man 13]

Looks like we are up to 24(minus Sumo Boy (Eh?):

1. The Essential Guide to Sumo by Dorthea Buckingham (1994)

2. Gaijin Yokozuna by Mark Panek (2006)

3. Sumo from Rite to Sport by P.L. Cuyler (1979, revised 1985)

4. The Book of Sumo by Doug Kenrick (1969)

5. Sumo Wrestling by Bill Gutman (1995)

6. Grand Sumo by Lora Sharnoff (1989)

7. The Big Book of Sumo by Mina Hall (1997)

8. The Giants of Sumo by Angela Patmore (1990)

9. Rikishi: The Men of Sumo by Wes Benson (1986)

10. Takamiyama: The World of Sumo by Jesse Kuhaulua (ghostwritten by John Wheeler) (1973)

11. Dynamic Sumo by Clyde Newton (1994)

12. Sumo by Andy Adams and Clyde Newton (1989)

13. Sumo: The Sport and Tradition by J.A. Sargeant (Tuttle, 1959)

14. Sumo Watching by S.W.A. (1993)

15. Sumo: A Pocket Guide by Walter Long and David Shapiro (Tuttle, 1989, 1995)

16. The Joy of Sumo by David Benjamin (1991)

17. Sumo by Lyall Watson "A Channel Four Book" (1988)

18. Sumo: A Fan's Guide by Mark Schilling (1994)

19. Grand Sumo Fully Illustrated by PHP Institute Inc

20. Sumo Showdown: The Hawaiian Challenge by Philip Sandoz

21. Jesse: Sumo Superstar by Adams and Schilling

22. Makunouchi Rikishi of the Showa Era by Clyde Newton

23. Sumo by Makoto Kubota (1996)

24. I am a Rikishi by Reiko Yokono

[Washuyama 641]

23. Sumo by Makoto Kubota (1996)

Does this count as an English book? I no longer have a copy but I think it was just photos with no text.

The first few and las few pages have the only text (in English). It gives a quick explanation of a few sumo terms (torikumi, Yokozuna, gyoji, etc...

And as I look at it, I just noticed the introduction is by none other than.....Orion (Eh?)

Edited August 22, 2009 by Washuyama

[Orion 431]

23. Sumo by Makoto Kubota (1996)

Does this count as an English book? I no longer have a copy but I think it was just photos with no text.

Pictures are great, but it's a huge coffee-table book. My complimentary copy is in the office, but as I recall there's a longish introduction to sumo which I wrote completely from scratch, being unable to 'correct' an English translation of the original Japanese. I haven't looked at it for years, but I think I'd agree with Nish that it doesn't qualify as an English book.

Orion

[Sumo Menko Man 13]

Orion, Nish,

Sounds good...I'll scrap the book by Kubota off the list.

What I'd eventually plan on doing is once I get a fairly comprehensive book list (which I think we have) then I was going to go through and read/reread each of the books and post my positive thoughts on the book and each books strengths. It could be a continuation of this thread or a seperate thread where anyone could post their thoughts or reviews on any of the books. Maybe a seperate thread for each book. Thoughts?

Cheers,

Ryan

Edited August 22, 2009 by Sumo Menko Man

[Orion 431]

Orion, Nish,

Sounds good...I'll scrap the book by Kubota off the list.

What I'd eventually plan on doing is once I get a fairly comprehensive book list (which I think we have) then I was going to go through and read/reread each of the books and post my positive thoughts on the book and each book's strengths. It could be a continuation of this thread or a separate thread where anyone could post their thoughts or reviews on any of the books. Maybe a separate thread for each book. Thoughts?

Ryan

I think this is good idea, but first you need to put them in chronological order. The plethora of minor books generated by the Channel 4 boom can then be identified.

Note, too,that your #15 is two separate books. As I have already indicated, 'Walter Long' may or may not have been a real person, but he did not, however, really 'write' that book; it was produced by Tuttle employees who copied wholesale from Sumo World. David Shapiro OTOH is a genuine sumo buff who in his younger days actually did sumo and is still only in his early fifties.

One parting shot: the Benjamin book was instantly written off by all the regular sumo writers as an unprincipled attempt to screw the last few yen out of the Japanese market by a man who was on the point of permament departure. I do not recall any favorable review. Anything he really wrote about (as opposed to making up out of the whole cloth) was taken from the Japanese scandal magazines.

FWIW, Orion

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

http://www.karatethejapaneseway.com/all_ab...oy_of_sumo.html

David Benjamin is my kind of gaijin. He does not come to Narita International airport in Tokyo bowing and scraping at everything Japanese. Neither is he needlessly reckless, or out to “make a point” of how Westerners differ from the Japanese. He is just a regular guy, with great humor, who has fallen in love with the sport (yes, sport and not “cultural relic” or “holy” Shinto ritual) of sumo.

Unlike so many of foreign sumo fans who gasp and oohh and aahhh at the drop of a hat in faux-Japanese flattery at the huge fat guys in colorful diapers fighting on a hill of mud, Benjamin simply enjoys the sport, laughs when he ought to laugh, and gets swept away with the fantastic sweaty exhaustive attempts of one big fat man trying to outmuscle another big fat man in front of thousands of screaming fans. Sumo is fun. Sumo is a kick. Sumo is the kind of sport that as a foreigner you either titter on the sidelines researching the most miniscule details of how the sumo wrestlers names have roots stemming back from the Yayoi era or how the tassels of the judges kimono must swirl in a counter-clockwise direction for fear of upsetting the Shinto gods, or you sit back like Benjamin with a Kirin beer in one hand, sit back on your cushions, and enjoy the sheer monstrosity of it all.

Even if you know nothing about sumo, this is a great book for you to read. It is fun and Benjamin has a very conversational style of writing. He is right there with you while you watch sumo, not like the NHK “sumo nerds” who are basically Japanese propaganda spin doctors (particularly when there is blatant cheating going on!), but with a wonderful sense of humor that is friendly and likeable.

Although this book is somewhat dated, focussing primarily on the Chiyonofuji era, it is still a great read which sets the backdrop for the awful Takanohana era (of which at present date we are still sadly enduring). This book also explains everything that you need to know about sumo, its rules, its customs, its nefarious dealings, and all the fun stuff that goes with it. Watching sumo is much like watching baseball. There is a lot of hanging around, standing, staring, scratching and wiping various parts of the body, spitting, and generally being borderline gross until there is a flurry of action, after which follows more crotch-adjusting, sweating, and standing around. In short, sumo has everything foreigners need to really enjoy watching sports.

Get this book while you can. It's printing is sporadic so once it is gone, it might be gone for good.

http://www.amazon.com/Joy-Sumo-David-Benjamin/dp/0804816794

I'm living in Japan and I became interested in sumo mainly because of my high school judo background. To get to know the sport I read all the English sumo books I could get my hands on, plus some Japanese books as well. Books written by total nerds, books that try to make sumo look cute and taffy, books that are info-packed but drier than the Sahara, books that give the wrong info, all kinds of books. And I tell you, the JOY OF SUMO is what you got to have to make you fall in love with the sport and the athletes in it. It glorifies the sport for what it is--a grand sport for everyone, and you don't have to go lick the toes of the rikishi in order to be a part of the wonderful world of sumo. It is the ideal book for anyone getting a little bit interested in sumo, or for "old" fans like me who read all the nerdy or syrupy books first and then wondered how these authors/experts could write in so boring and dry a manner about a sport that is bristling with life. To counter this, Benjamin and Holfeld put together a fun-filled, action-packed, thoroughly engaging book on sumo, and once you start reading you won't want to stop. The book puts sumo in a wonderfully new dimension--as a cool sport that is very much alive and very real and in touch with reality and full of athletes to get to know and like/dislike.

Sick of the sumo nerds? I am, and this book does absolute justice to sumo as a sport. Thinking of sumo as a mysterious cultural experience? Well, come live in Japan for some years and you'll soon get sick and tired of that point of view, so buy the JOY OF SUMO and learn about sumo in a way that you'll never ever get sick and tired.

Edited August 23, 2009 by Otokonoyama

[sekitori 492]

Because my knowledge of sumo terms doesn't compare to that of many of you experts and because I'm always curious to learn new ones, my favorite is Buckingham's Essential Guide to Sumo. It's nothing more than a glossary, but it's a very good one. It doesn't begin to equal the content of the best glossary around, SumoForum Glossary, but it often contains more detail.

From a strictly narrative standpoint, I really liked Takamiyama--The World of Sumo, written by John Wheeler and the man himself. There is nothing like learning about sumo from someone who was such an integral part of it. Even though he continued to compete for about ten years after the book was published and there is nothing about his subsequent career as an oyakata, it's still fascinating reading. I hope that Jesse will write another book encompassing his entire career in sumo. I would be one of the first to buy it.

It's interesting to note than except for Gaijin Yokozuna (2006), it appears that no other book on sumo has been published since 1997. Does anyone know if something new is in the works?

Edited August 24, 2009 by sekitori

[The Makekoshi Kid 0]

Have you read this little tourist books published in 1940? It's not particularly big (101 pages) but it is chock full of all sorts of interesting information and, more importantly, pictures of various rikishi of the day. Unfortunately since it's aimed at tourist...um, in the '40s ;-) it doesn't identify them and I'm not knowledgeable enough to do so. Still it can usually be had for $20 - $30 U.S. dollars at used online dealers such as Alibris.

Edited August 23, 2009 by The Makekoshi Kid

[Orion 431]

http://www.karatethejapaneseway.com/all_ab...oy_of_sumo.html

David Benjamin is my kind of gaijin.......

Get this book while you can. It's printing is sporadic so once it is gone, it might be gone for good.

http://www.amazon.com/Joy-Sumo-David-Benjamin/dp/0804816794

[sick of the sumo nerds? I am, and this book does absolute justice to sumo as a sport. Thinking of sumo as a mysterious cultural experience? Well, come live in Japan for some years and you'll soon get sick and tired of that point of view, so buy the JOY OF SUMO and learn about sumo in a way that you'll never ever get sick and tired.

Here's what he's doing now (from his website):

BEGIN QUOTE:David Benjamin started his first novel in fourth grade. He's currently working on his 16th grownup book, four of which have made it into print, more of which will do so the moment that the publishing Establishment remembers that Storytelling and Literature are not each other's opposites. Benjamin's news career has stretched across four million words from Illinois (the Rockford Morning Star) to Massachusetts (the Mansfield News) to Tokyo (the Mainichi Daily News) to technology (EE Times), with many other stops and a few accolades along the way. Since 1971, he has been writing a more-or-less weekly essay, sometimes published but more often tossed hopefully over the transom to be crumpled up by Lou Grant and lobbed into the Void. "Above all, he persists. Lately, from Benjie, there's this

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

Very nice, Doreen. My quotes were to show that there were some, however few, positive reviews. And your quote shows? Does his website, not meeting with your approval, detract from his book in some way you'd care to express?

[Gernobono 466]

i jut stumbled across this thread

some time ago i posted pictures of all the sumobooks that are i have...

i just realized there is a german book amongst them (i have a german section, too)

here is the link:

sumobooks

Edited August 24, 2009 by Gernobono

[Torabayama 51]

On David Benjamin's site he lists this book: "Sumo: A Thinking Fan's Guide

[Sumo Menko Man 13]

I think there is enough information here to at least get most of the major, minor and obsurce English language books in a comprehensive chronological list.

Thanks to all for the information. Gernobono, can we use your photos?

Then what I'd like to do is start a thread for each of the books with the basic information about the book(publisher, pages, author, ISBN, etc...) and we can all post our reviews, likes, dislikes and such. No hurry on burning through the list....maybe one book a month or so.

Thoughts, comments, questions???? If there are no objections, I think we have a good start with the book, The Joy of Sumo by David Benjamin. I'll start a new thread in a few days if everyone is good with that.

Thanks and cheers!

Ryan