SelfDefense for Gentlemen and Ladies..., Colonel Thomas Hoyer Monstery
SelfDefense for Gentlemen and Ladies..., Colonel Thomas Hoyer Monstery
List: $29.95 | Sale: $20.97
Club: $14.97

Self-Defense for Gentlemen and Ladies
A Nineteenth-Century Treatise on Boxing, Kicking, Grappling, and Fencing with the Cane and Quarterstaff

Author: Colonel Thomas Hoyer Monstery, Ben Miller

Narrator: Steve Hendrickson

Unabridged: 4 hr 33 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 05/03/2022

Includes: Bonus Material Bonus Material Included


Synopsis

This 19th-century self-defense manual—written by a master swordsman—will appeal to fencers and martial artists as well as fans of Victorian-era culture, steampunk, and American history
 
Colonel Thomas Hoyer Monstery was a master swordsman who participated in more than fifty duels, fought under twelve flags, battled gangsters, and was constantly involved in the great conflicts and upheavals of his time. In the 1870s, he began writing his magnum opus—a series of newspaper articles that are now collected here for the first time in Self-Defense for Gentleman and Ladies.
 
In this book, Colonel Monstery presents a unique look into the Victorian-era fighting world. He describes styles such as British “purring” (shin-kicking), Welsh jump-kicking, and American rough-and-tumble fighting, in addition to providing illustrated instruction in the art of gentlemanly self-defense with a cane, staff, or one’s bare hands. Fifty rare drawings and photographs from the period illuminate Monstery’s world, while an extensive glossary of terms and an introductory biography of Colonel Monstery—including fascinating details of his many duels as well as his groundbreaking devotion to teaching fencing and self-defense skills to women—update his text to make it accessible and useful to gentlemen and ladies of any era.

Contents
Colonel Thomas Hoyer Monstery: The Unknown American Martial Arts Master
I. Introduction.
II. The Logic of Boxing.
III. Standing and Striking.
IV. Advancing to Strike and Feinting.
V. Simple Parries in Boxing.
VI. Parries with Returns.
VII. Effective or Counter Parries in Boxing.
VIII. Offence and Defense by Evasions.
IX. Trips, Grips, and Back-Falls.
X. Rules for a Set-to with Gloves.
XI. Observations on Natural Weapons.
XII. The Use of the Cane.
XIII. The Use of the Cane (continued).
XIV. The Use of the Staff.
XV. The Use of the Staff (continued).
Appendix: Monstery's Rules for Contests of Sparring and Fencing
Glossary

About The Author

BEN MILLER is an award-winning filmmaker and author. He is a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, was the winner of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Grant for screenwriting, and has worked for legends such as Martin Scorsese and Roger Corman. He was the producer of the film Rage and Discipline, about pugilists in New York City. Miller's movies have appeared on Walt Disney Video, Sony Video, BET, HBO, Cinemax, and the Encore Channel. He currently serves as chef de salle at the Martinez Academy of Arms, one of the last schools in the world still teaching an authentic living tradition of classical fencing. He is active in the Association of Historical Fencing, and has written several articles for them focusing on the fencing and dueling of the American colonial period.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Kara on February 17, 2023

Very interesting. A short, concise resource for 19th century fighting instruction. I'm using this as research for THE REANIMATOR'S SOUL. I do wish there were more images/diagrams as I am a very visual person.......more

Goodreads review by Tim on February 03, 2018

A short but comprehensive treatise on fisticuffs, plus a bit on fighting with the cane and staff, augmented by a modern editor’s summary of Col. Monstery’s fascinating life.......more

Goodreads review by Kenneth on December 06, 2022

This could, as other reviewers has said, use a lot more illustrations and photos. If you were starting from nothing in martial arts east or west, you'd want more than the written descriptions. If you have a background in boxing, fencing, etc it's fairly easy to follow and get the gist, after which y......more

Goodreads review by Zeb on February 02, 2015

This book is divided into two parts: the first is a biography (of sorts) of Colonel Monstery, while the second is a treatise by the Colonel on self-defense. The biography of the Colonel was written by the editor Ben Miller. Monstery was born in Denmark and spent much of his childhood in that country......more

Goodreads review by Michael on January 13, 2018

There it was, that dashing bar-fight scene where Sherlock Holmes (played by Jeremy Brett) fights Mr. Woodley as a gentleman. The scuffle ends with victory for Mr. Holmes, the prostration of Mr. Woodley and the applause of the pub patrons. The fighting style looks odd when compared to more modern ver......more


Quotes

“This is not just another ‘martial arts how-to book’ but a gem of historical literature on physical fitness and methods of self-defense.”—Maestro Ramon Martinez, Martinez Academy of Arms