Books published by publisher Empire Books

A response to and expansion upon John Locke’s Second Treatise of Government, Frederic Bastiat’s The Law is an exploration of the economic implications of freedom. Deeply concerned with the distinction between legality and legitimacy, Bastiat analyzes both concepts in his examination of the law’s rightful role in society. Bastiat examines various traits and tendencies of government and the inherent dangers of allowing the government to legalize suppression of individual rights. The Law proposes that legal intervention be limited by the concept of justice alone. Bastiat’s perspectives on the harnessing of government have continued to influence social, economic, and political philosophy.

A rare and definitive book featuring the top masters of the Filipino Martial Arts of Escrima, Kali and Arnis. This outstanding compilation gathers the best masters in one comprehensive volume. In their own words, they explain the philosophy, training and spirit of the art. This book gives rare insights into the physical, mental, and spiritual methods that have enabled these chosen few to reach the pinnacles of the Filipino Martial Arts. Dan Inosanto, Ben Largusa, Leo Giron, Edgar Sulite, Cacoy Canete, Rene Latosa – just to name a few – share thoughts and experiences in rare interviews that define the essence of their martial arts mastery.For the first time, interviews with some of the world’s top Escrima/Kali/Arnis masters have been gathered together in one book. No matter how well you think you know these masters, you haven’t truly experienced their wit, wisdom, and insight until you have read “Escrima Masters”!

Karate master Tom Muzila, a direct student of the great Tsutomu Ohshima, presents for the first time a complete series analyzing the mental aspects of combat. This book is a through study of the theory and practice of the mental elements used by the great and legendary masters in Karate-do history. The author discusses in-depth many of the different psychological elements necessary for combat as used by the legendary Samurai warriors. This book is for all practitioners of martial arts and combat sports, like Thai Boxing, Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts, and other mainstream arts who wish to tap into their mental resources and improve their level of performance in competition and fighting. It is a retrospective step back into the warrior’s psychology, rediscovering the ancient ways of combat and applying it to modern day martial arts.

The historical and cultural significance of Dante Alighieri’s masterpiece The Divine Comedy cannot be overstated. Dante’s poetry takes the reader on a multi-layered journey, one through which he or she experiences this literary master’s unique aesthetic and spiritual sensibilities. The Divine Comedy also presents the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of medieval Italian thought and its bearing on Western theology and culture. This lyrical allegory of a journey from the depths of Hell to Paradise is a moving read in its own right and its influence upon world literature unchallenged.

A rare and definitive book featuring the Japanese masters of the most popular style of Karate in the world. This outstanding compilation gathers the best Japanese Shotokan masters in one comprehensive volume; in their own words, they explain the philosophy, training and spirit of the art. Legendary masters of the teachings of Grandmaster and founder Gichin Funakoshi, like Tsutomu Ohshima, Masatoshi Nakayama, Taiji Kase, Hidetaka Nishiyama, Teruyuki Okazaki, Takayuki Mikami, Hirokazu Kanazawa, Keinosuke Enoeda and others contemporaries, openly talk about their struggles and training in the art of the “empty hand.” This excellent book provides fascinating insights into the true lives and times of the masters of Shotokan Karate.

The methods of the world’s greatest karate fighters have been gathered together into this incredible volume to demonstrate the most closely-guarded secrets of sport competition, bare-knuckle fighting, and life-or-death street combat! The highly-technical and brutally effective methods of karate’s most dangerous masters are revealed for the first time in a single spectacular book! Hirokazu Kanazawa, Fumio Demura, Morio Higaonna, Tak Kubota, Seiji Nishimura, and Kyoshi Yamazaki are only a few of the karate masters who make this book a complete guide to understanding and developing a working knowledge of the world’s most feared fighting art. Their knowledge is the fruit of experience, proven in the fires of combat and tempered with the single-minded goal of devastating efficiency! In addition to presenting numerous “how-to” techniques, each master reveals fascinating hidden aspects of karate-do, going back to the combat essentials developed in Okinawa, where unarmed peasants used the art of the “open hand” to defeat heavily-armed bandits and armored invaders!In this unique book, martial artists of all styles and ranks can learn the keys to timing and strategy, the important elements of bunkai and onyo bunkai, explosive and effective self-defense principles, and many other master-level concepts that will provide a different perspective on unarmed combat than anything seen or practiced before!Combat Karate is a must-have training aid for all those who wish to return to the true roots of karate and who desire to further their understanding of the practical applications of karate-do methods and techniques. Without a doubt, Combat Karate will provide a greater understanding of karate’s combat secrets and reveal its devastating fighting methods to the world!

In 1831, Darwin embarked on the HMS Beagle for his second expedition surveying the world’s remarkable biological diversity. Not only would the expedition last five years and take the biologist to the farthest reaches of the globe, it would also inspire Darwin’s celebrated theory of evolution by natural selection. The Voyage of the Beagle details and catalogues Darwin’s incredible observations and theories and affords the reader the unique opportunity to witness the natural world unfold through his eyes.

In The Story of My Life, Helen Keller tells the extraordinary tale of her childhood and her mentor, teacher, and companion Anne Sullivan. Before she was two years old, the otherwise healthy Helen became ill with an unidentified condition from which she recovered—but not without losing both her sight and hearing completely. Helen’s inability to communicate beyond a few rudimentary signs became a source of despair for the Keller family until a young and ambitious Anne Sullivan was asked to become Helen’s personal instructor. Helen’s incredible true story is an inspiration to anyone who has faced seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

A rare and definitive book featuring the Japanese masters of the most popular style of Karate in the world. This outstanding compilation gathers the best Japanese Shotokan masters in one comprehensive volume; in their own words, they explain the philosophy, training and spirit of the art. Legendary masters of the teachings of Grandmaster and founder Gichin Funakoshi, like Tsutomu Ohshima, Masatoshi Nakayama, Taiji Kase, Hidetaka Nishiyama, Teruyuki Okazaki, Takayuki Mikami, Hirokazu Kanazawa, Keinosuke Enoeda and others contemporaries, openly talk about their struggles and training in the art of the "empty hand." This excellent book provides fascinating insights into the true lives and times of the masters of Shotokan Karate.