Above you will see price and availability details for Foil Fencing: The Techniques and Tactics of Modern Foil Fencing by John 'Jes' Smith from the leading UK book stores.
To allow you to quickly compare prices, the stores are arranged in order of delivered price, cheapest first. Click on a store name to buy this book or to view further details.
Books Related to Foil Fencing John 'Jes' Smith - ISBN: 1840243317
A useful book although a bit tough... - Rated
This is my first fencing book that I have bought after starting some two weeks before. Although this book is a bit difficult to handle due to the load of information, I find it actually useful. I particularly like the warm-up and practice tips in the Annex. The drawings also make the text a lot easier to understand and to get a mental as well as practical picture of the movements and positions.
I recommend it without hesitation to anyone willing to make a real effort to get into fencing!
The Techniques and Tactics of Modern Foil Fencing - Rated
This is the first fencing book I bought shortly after having started the sport. I found it a very useful revision tool to support what I had learned in class. It is written in a very clear and simple style with plenty of pictures to support the text. The layout of the different moves into clearly headed seperate sections means that you can locate the move you want to check up on without having to trawl through the whole thing. I would say that this has to be The Book for those starting fencing and it is also a good book to have for those more intermediate fencers who want a handy quick reference guide to improve existing technique.
Not for the absolute beginner - Rated
While this is a comprehnsive book with many excellent points, it is not, in my opinion, suitable as a primer for the absolute beginner. The practical examples require a willing partner. I found it very difficult to relate the various chapters to the practical work during coaching sessions. There is a very good glossary of terms as an appendix.
An immensely helpful guide to fencing - Rated
This book gives a straight-forward set-up to a guide on the sport of fencing. With explanations for beginners and more advanced advice on the tactics of the sport, it is useful for both the novice and more adept foilist. I found the illustrations particularly helpful in explaining more complex points, and on the whole found the book enhanced my understanding of the sport. I would sincerely recommend purchasing this book as an essential guide to fencing.
foil fencing - Rated
If you only buy one book on foil fencing, buy this one. Having waded through quite a bit of literature on the subject, I found this one refreshingly concise and importantly, up to date. The text is to the point whilst still showing due respect to the forms and conventions of fencing. Some other books on the subject are wrapped up in the nostalgia of swordplay, rather than dealing with it as a modern sport with a colourful history. You can't learn to fence from a book, but this as near as you will get.
