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On Fencing, by Aldo Nadi. Originally published 1943. Reprint published 1994 by Laureate Press. ISBN 1-884528-04-X. $19.95. Available locally from Jackson’s Books.
Aldo Nadi was one of the greatest competitive fencers of all time. This classic text on foil fencing was recently republished. Perhaps the best part of this work is Nadi's account of an actual duel he fought. A "must read" for fencers -- especially those using an Italian grip.

Foil, by Charles Selberg. Revised edition published 1993 by Spotted Dog Press. $23.95. Available from American Fencers Supply. Available locally from Jackson’s Books.
A superb treatise on modern foil fencing. Maestro Selberg (who is now retired near Ashland) is one of the best minds in fencing today and is one of only a handful of Americans ever to have won a gold medal in an international championship (the 1970 World Masters Team Foil Championship). 
Note that Maestros Ciaramitaro (Willamette University, Salem, Oregon) and Carnighan (Studio of American Fencing, Portland, Oregon) both studied under Selberg.

The Art and Science of Fencing, by Nick Evangelista. Published 1999 by McGraw-Hill. ISBN 1570280754. $16.95 (paperback). Available locally from Jackson’s Books.
Evangelista presents a series of short essays on the techniques of fencing. I strongly recommend it to all  fencers, especially intermediates. Evangelista heavily emphasizes the classical roots of fencing and the "whys" of fencing, including the history behind today's game. He lays out specialized topics (such as lefties) as well as general ones in a clear, logical manner.

The Inner Game of Fencing: Excellence in Form, Technique, Strategy, and Spirit, by Nick Evangelista. Published 2000 by McGraw-Hill. ISBN 1570282307. $16.95 (paperback). Available locally from Jackson’s Books.
I am still reading this, but am very pleased with what I have read so far. Evangelista presents a series of short essays, mostly only a page or so long, on various topics. This is not a book of fencing technique as it is a book of fencing thought. I strongly recommend it to intermediate and advanced fencers. Evangelista heavily emphasizes the classical roots of fencing and the "whys" of fencing.

The Samurai Trilogy & Others
This is a series of three movies starring the late Toshiro Mifune as Musashi Miyamoto. There are also a number of films that he starred in that were directed by the brilliant Akira Kurosawa that are also excellent, such as Yojimbo, The Hidden Fortress, and The Seven Samurai.

The Princess Bride
A wonderful tongue-in-cheek tale of adventure and romance starring Cary Elwes, this film has something for the entire family and great fencing to boot.

Highlander
Although the premise of the movie is absurd (an immortal Scottish Highlander played by Frenchman Christopher Lambert), it’s still great fun. True Scotsman Sean Connery appears as an Egyptian posing as a Spaniard.

By the Sword
A tale of revenge and redemption set in contemporary times. The story revolves around a troubled fencing master, played by Eric Roberts, who must face his father's nemesis (F. Murray Abraham).

The Fencing Master
A suspense film set in pre-revolution Spain in which a fencing master is hired to teach fencing to a young woman -- something he has never done before. He is fascinated by her and agrees to teach her. She wishes to learn one particular secret attack for which he is famous. And from there, the intrigue grows. In Spanish, with English subtitles. Based on the Spanish novel of the same name by Pérez-Reverte.  

West Salem High School Fencing Club
Michael Heggen, instructor
West Salem High School
1776 Titan Drive NW
Salem, OR 97304

Studio of American Fencing *
Len Carnighan, maestro
4048 NE 42nd Ave
Portland, OR 97213-1012
(503) 249-2884

* Denotes a sister club of SYFS. SYFS members do not pay floor fees at sister clubs, and vice versa.

A listing of additional clubs in Oregon can be found at the web site of the Oregon Division of the United States Fencing Association.

Below are fencing equipment suppliers that SYFS has dealt with. When ordering equipment for the first time, we strongly recommend that you CALL the supplier directly on the telephone in order to get the best fit possible.

American Fencers Supply
1180 Folsom Street
San Francisco, California 94103
Phone: (415) 863-7911
Fax: (415) 431-4931
Web site: http://www.amfence.com
AFS sells pretty much anything you could want for fencing. They also have an excellent selection of fencing books and videos, including those of Maestro Charles Selberg. Their quality is good, and their reputation is excellent.

Triplette Competition Arms
101 E. Main Street
Elkin, North Carolina 28621
Phone: (336) 835-7774
Fax: (336) 835-4099
Web site: http://www.triplette.com
TCA has a very good selection of fencing equipment. Their prices are good. The club’s newer equipment is mostly from TCA. However, several students this spring (2003) had a series of problems, mostly relating to poor quality control on the part of TCA (foils, bags, masks, gloves).  

Blade Fencing
We have also had several students purchase equipment from Blade Fencing and be happy with it, but I have not had any personal experience with them.

The Fencing Post
One of my teaching assistants purchased her equipment from The Fencing Post and is quite happy with it, but I have not had any personal experience with them.

Many more fencing resources can be located on the Internet. 

A good place to start is at the United States Fencing Association, as well as:

Fencing.net: comprehensive online fencing resources

Page created 12/23/99.
Last updated 11/22/03 at 16:07.

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