This book is an interesting read but not written by a "writer."
It has more of a feel of a diary that someone wrote in order to chronicle his lessons while in Japan (there is basically no information about "western lessons" and the use of bokken).
The photography is amateurish, there are misspelled words, and the narration doesn't match the illustrations, but the book is good in the way that it helps you to understand the committment that is involved in starting a new martial art.
I enjoyed reading it but was left with a feeling at the end of "That's it?"
Ok on the bookshelf with the rest.