To Peter Westbrook, "harnessing anger" means controlling one's fury and channeling it in a positive direction. Westbrook's success in what he once called "that strange white sport" is really just one expression of the self-discipline that has led him to beat the odds, again and again. In Harnessing Anger, Westbrook tells how he came to be the first African American to win a national gold title in sabre fencing. The son of an African-American father and a Japanese mother, Peter was aised by his mother alone in poverty in a Newark ghetto. Becoming a fencer at an early age gave him the confidence and the discipline to use an ancient martial art to his advantage both in swordplay and when facing the vicissitudes of daily life in the inner city. The autobiography of this six-time Olympian, 13-time U.S. National champion and the only book on his amazing life, Harnessing Anger tells us how Westbrook has overcome strong adversaries on and off the fencing mat.
The book was a page turner,finished in 3 hours. It tells the tale of peter shifting his energy into a sport instead of getting in to gang activities. It also speaks of the racism that Peter experienced avancing as a black fencer in a mostly whitesport. I especially enjoyed his adventures on the subway andhow he reacted in confrontational situations! A must read forsubway travelers!
The pen and the sword cooperate.
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 27 years ago
Peter Westbrook is one of the true gentlemen of fencing. He is also one of the great competitive fencers of the twentieth century. Needless to say, his rise from tough "street kid" to Olympic medal winner makes interesting reading. This book is a definite must for all fencing enthusiasts, but it should also have appeal for anyone who likes personal stories of challenge and perseverance
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