Remembering O-SenseiPerry, Susan. Shambala 2002 135pp.

Susan Perry is editor in chief of Aikido Today Magazine and has practiced aikido since 1978. She currently holds the rank of godan.

Remembering O-Sensei is a collection of stories by many of his direct students about living and training with O-Sensei. The contributors include: the present Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba, Sadateru Arikawa, Shingenobu Okumura, Michio Hikitsuchi and Morihiro Saito.

The book is divided into four chapters. "First Meetings" tells of the students experiences the first time they met O-Sensei. "Training" focuses on the lessons that they received primarily 'on the mat.' "Daily Living" reveals O-Sensei's likes and dislikes and his approach to daily life. The final chapter "Art of Peace" gives a sense or appreciation of O-Sensei's spiritual vision.

All serious practitioners of aikido will at least at some point in their aikido training wish to know more about O-Sensei. This book provides impressions of O-Sensei by many students who were close to him. It is fascinating and thought-provoking and gives a sense of both O-Sensei's incredible vision and his commitment to his ideals expressed through aikido. Some of the stories are profound, some deceptively simple and some funny. They all build an appreciation of O-Sensei and aikido far more than historical facts.

A great book.

"O-Sensei was a very kind grandpa who would do sumo and watch television with me. We would also go to the movies. O-Sensei's favourites were period films."

Moriteru Ueshiba Doshu, p.54