It is a classic, timeless work, encap - sulated in a clear, concise, and succinct form. And like a twentieth-century Western Civilization equivalent of Musashi's seventeenth- century Book of Five Rings, it should be read, studied, and then periodically reread and restudied. No matter how many times you read it, you will always find one more pearl of wisdom that you missed during the last read. Principles of Personal Defense is the fighting man's guide to mental conditioning — plain and simple. And there is no better work on the subject — period. Maybe the Glory Days are gone, and Baby's throaty roar no longer rings out over the Yavapai hills, but the wisdom and knowledge are laid out in print for perpetuity. All you have to do is read and learn . . . Louis Awerbuck January 2006 FOREWORD