Undoubtedly the most popular martial arts system in the world. Follow a pioneer of Taekwondo who helped to establish the art in America when nobody knew what it was.

Although millions of people around the world practice this fascinating art, very few know the real story behind it.

Melanie Gibson was an independent woman with a good job, multiple college degrees, and a condo in the trendy part of town. She also had a few mental illnesses, a minor substance abuse problem, and rotten relationship skills. She was a high-functioning crazy who needed a good kick in the pants, literally and metaphorically. In early 2013, as a last desperate means to save her sanity, Melanie turned to a nearly forgotten childhood activity: the Korean martial art of taekwondo. As if the universe were listening, she discovered her West Texas childhood taekwondo instructors’ Grandmaster operated a taekwondo school a few miles from her home in Fort Worth, Texas—and she decided to start her training over as a white belt. In taekwondo, Melanie felt like she had a fresh start in more ways than one. She found an inner peace she’d never known before, a sense of community, a newfound confidence, and a positive outlook on life. The kicking and screaming she was doing in class quieted the long-term kicking and screaming in her mind. Funny and frank, Kicking and Screaming: A Memoir of Madness and Martial Arts is the story of Melanie’s life-changing journey from troubled, lost soul to confident taekwondo black belt.

Sam lives on a farm in the country with his family, but he practises his Taekwondo every day with his siblings at home. In The Spirit of Courage, Sam personally struggles with his passion for Taekwondo, and he faces some challenging situations, including his grading to a higher belt level. In order to overcome these hurdles, his big brother, Stephen, first establishes the need for courage. He offers Sam some reassurance and perceptively provides Sam with opportunities to practise his courage. So Sam learns to act bravely when he doesn’t really feel brave. Through this process, Sam discovers his will to achieve is within him. The Spirit of Courage does not provide instruction or teaching about Taekwondo but offers insight on how Taekwondo has positively infl uenced the life of a little boy and his family. The martial art and Olympic sport of Taekwondo provides children with opportunities to practice the virtues of courage, courtesy, honesty, perseverance, and self-control. These virtues are subtly interwoven in The Spirit of Courage and create an atmosphere of love and respect. The Spirit of Courage is the second book in a series that seeks to engage children’s empathy, develop their characters, and enhance their lives.

Martial Arts.

"Endorsed [by] the World Taekwondo Federation."