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Karate Is a Thing of the Spirit

Harry Crews

One morning a young wanderer wakes up to see a band of karate students engaged in deadly combat. Seduced by the sheer impossibility of their feats, and by the stunning female brown... show more ▼ belt in their midst, he is soon absorbed into their world—in which the spirit of karate supplants all else. “A fitting celebration of man’s search for absolutes . . . [Crews’s] subject is man in the microcosm of the freak show, a performer in a species of southern Gothic carnival where the only salvation is his continuing erratic quest for The Way and The Way is as dark and elusive as the picaresque surroundings are bright. . . . Karate Is a Thing of the Spirit is an intense and dazzling book.”—Maxine Kumin “The novel takes off, in the manner of a fire storm, rushing at amazing speed, eating up the oxygen, scorching everything it touches. . . . [Crews’s] stock in trade is the unexpected. His humor produces something between a laugh and a gasp, and he writes with a hand as sure, tough and trained as [a black belt’s] destructive paws. He is always on his own, absolutely sure of himself, and very good.” —The New York Times Book Review Acclaimed as “a comic novelist of magnificent gifts” (National Review), a “verbal alchemist” (Kirkus Reviews), “a natch’ral bom teller of tales, a spinner of dreams” (Los Angeles Times), and “amadgenius” (Dan Wakefield), Harry Crews has been a student of the martial arts and is the author of ten books including Car and A Childhood: The Biography of a Place. He lives and teaches in Florida.From Kirkus ReviewsHarry Crews is a verbal alchemist whose plots can leave you hanging your hat on the outer reaches of insanity and calling it home. Someday someone will be forced to write a thesis on him. In an attempt to bring it all together -- his excesses -- John Kaimon "got very little sleep because the members of the motorcycle gang circumcised him, raped his mouth, anus and armpits and did some other things to him that he had never thought of"; and his simplicity: "I don't know what this place is like around here, but I've found in most cities people'll give you for a day's begging about what you could make for a day's work. I mean I usually make about sixteen dollars for an eight-hour beg." In reluctant summation this plot is about Faulkner fan John Kaimon getting mixed up with the Ultimate Tranquility group, an "Outlaw" Karate set that worships "Jefferson Davis Munroe" (the midget protagonist of This Thing Don't Lead to Heaven) and especially Gaye Nell Odell, a brown belted beauty who divides her time between Kartekas and Beauty Contests and who teaches in a dried out swimming pool in an abandoned motel. But that's not even the beginning, middle, or end. . . . Mr. Crews is a master of the uncommonplace and consistently fascinating.

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667

Published: 1977

Waxing On: the Karate Kid and Me

Ralph Macchio

Since The Karate Kid first crane-kicked its way into the pop culture stratosphere in June 1984, there hasn’t been a week Ralph Macchio hasn’t heard friendly shouts of “Wax on, wax ... show more ▼

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582

Published: 2022

Karate Countdown

Jake Maddox

When Kenny's anger problem gets out of control, his father signs him up for karate lessons. But even in karate class, Kenny can't get a grip on his temper. He's getting a reputatio... show more ▼

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312

Published: 2009

Diary of a Nerd King #2: Episode 1 - Karate, Bears, and Looking Like a Girl

Matt Ballard

Childrens / Fiction / Humor

Diary of a The first episode of Diary of a Nerd King Season 2 starts with Max going to his best friend Boogie's Karate class where some interesting stuff happens.As the week progre... show more ▼sses, Max finds his cool status is WAY up at school, has girl trouble with his girlfriend Jordan, gets into an argument with Boogie over GLEE club, and has a VERY disturbing dream that that he's not even sure he shouldJust like your favorite TV shows, Diary of a Nerd King has changed to a SERIES format, and just like your favorite TV shows, there will now be a new episode of Diary of a Nerd King every week!Instead of having to wait months for a whole new book to come out, now you can get your Diary of a Nerd King fix EVERY WEEK when each new episode is released right here on Amazon!!!The first episode of Diary of a Nerd King Season 2 starts with Max going to his best friend Boogie's Karate class where some interesting stuff happens.As the week progresses, Max finds his cool status is WAY up at school, has girl trouble with his girlfriend Jordan, gets into an argument with Boogie over GLEE club, and has a VERY disturbing dream that he's not even sure he should write about in his journal.*** Featuring artwork from 11 year old guest artist Kayla Byers! You too can enter the Diary of a Nerd King ART CONTEST, and get your artwork featured in an up-coming episode. Details on the blog at https://nerdkingdiary.blogspot.com ***What's that... you haven't met Max yet? Well then, here's Max on Max...My name is Max Ridgemont. My sister says I'm the Nerd King. I resent that. She says I resemble that. She thinks she's so smart. Wait til I'm famous from inventing a burping machine.This is my diary, except it's not a diary. It's a journal, or a blog, or a log... just not a diary 'cause diaries are for girls and wimpy kids. There's also a lot of wicked awesome pictures I drew in here too. Don't feel bad if you can't draw as well as I can. Most people can't.Oh yeah, my best friend Boogie and I are going to make millions with our new YouTube channel, and our plan is in here too. DON'T try and copy us. You'll just get upset when you don't make a million dollars and find out you're not as awesome as us.

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278

Published: 2012

Karate Mouse

Geronimo Stilton

Children's Books / Comics & Graphic Novels

Enter the world of Geronimo Stilton, where another funny, cheesy adventure is always right around the corner. Each book is fast-paced with lively art and a unique format kids 7-10 ... show more ▼

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72

Published: 2005

Karate Chop: Stories (Lannan Translation Selection (Graywolf Paperback))

Dorthe Nors

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70

Published: 2014

The Karate Princess in Monsta Trouble

Jeremy Strong

The Karate Princess is not enjoying her honeymoon - she's bored and desperate for an adventure. Luckily her uncle, the Duke of Dork, needs some help with a rather terrifying, man-e... show more ▼

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51

Published: 2008

Karate Kicks

Chrissie Perry

Another great title in the best-selling Go Girl series. When Will and his dad move in with Lola and her mum, there's lots to get used to. It's nice to have another kid in the house... show more ▼

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51

Published: 2013

Taken By The Karate Instructor

Madison, Tiffany

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49

Published: 2014

The Karate Princess

Jeremy Strong

The youngest of sixteen beautiful princesses, Belinda is ignored by her father, King Stormbelly, and left in the hands of a Japanese tutor. After the king marries off his other dau... show more ▼

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45

Published: 2008

Karate Masters vs the Invaders From Outer Space (Windrose Chronicles)

Hambly, Barbara

Mystery & Thrillers / Science Fiction & Fantasy / Horror

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42

Published: 2017

Karate Katie

Nancy Krulik

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40

Published: 1994

Karate Clash

Jake Maddox

Levi can't believe his ears when his new stepsister, Sofia, insists that karate isn't a real sport. But he's even more shocked when Sofia suddenly joins his karate school. Why is s... show more ▼

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40

Published: 2023

The Karate Clue

Franklin W. Dixon

Mystery & Thrillers / Juvenile / Adventure

Frank and Joe are learning some awesome moves in karate class. But somebody steals Brian Ludlow?s black belt signed by action-movie hero Jimmy Han. Brian even promised to bring Jim... show more ▼

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18

Published: 1995

Karate Kick

Matt Christopher

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14

Published: 2009

Karate Masters vs the Invaders From Outer Space

Part #1 of "Windrose Chronicles" series by Barbara Hambly

Mystery & Thrillers / Science Fiction & Fantasy / Horror

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12

Published: 2017

A Karate Story

Seamus O'Dowd

A Karate Story - Thirty years in the Making is the autobiography of Seamus O'Dowd. The book chronicles his journey, over a period of thirty years, from complete novice to a high-ra... show more ▼

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10

Published: 2016

Memoirs of a Karate Fighter

Ralph Robb

Memoirs of a Karate Fighter is a hard-hitting account of karate training during the 1980s in one of Europe's toughest dojos. In this gripping story, Ralph Robb gives an insight int... show more ▼

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6

Published: 2013

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Part #1 of "Windrose Chronicles" series by Barbara Hambly

Mystery & Thrillers / Science Fiction & Fantasy / Horror

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