One of my favorite true stories is that of Wisconsin Republican John Fox Potter.  A sarcastic and witty man who ardently opposed slavery, Potter was accused of inserting further remarks into the official record after a heated abolition debate in 1860.  Virginia congressman Roger Pryor, incensed over this, challenged Potter to a duel.  Potter accepted and, as the challenged party, stipulated Bowie knives of equal size, weight, and length.  Some accounts state that he went on to demand that the duel be held in a darkened room, the duelists lashed together by one arm each.

Pryor backed down in the face of such a duel.  For the rest of his life, Potter was known as "Bowie Knife" Potter.  Fans across the country sent him knives of all sizes, the largest a seven-foot presentation piece reportedly inscribed with the slogan, "I will always keep a Pryor engagement." 

Potter tripped over his pet cat in 1899 and died from injuries sustained in the fall.

We need more political leaders willing to duel each other.  It might cut down on the red tape in Washington.  If Pryor and Potter were alive today, they'd have something to which neither of them had access in the 19th century: a thick, coloring-book-sized duelist's manual written by Dwight McLemore.  Government functionaries contemplating the search for satisfaction on the Field of Honor would be well-served to tuck copies of this book into their briefcases.

Beautifully illustrated with drawings done by McLemore from photographs, Bowie and Big-Knife Fighting System is a 225-page softcover text published by Paladin Press.  McLemore, a retired combat arms officer with the U.S. Army and a blade instructor of some renown, makes no claims to have discovered or uncovered some official and historically accurate Jim Bowie Fighting Style.  Rather, he has applied his considerable research on the topic of Bowies and large-blade fighting to produce or reconstruct a system employing the methods and principles common to large-knife fighting across cultures.  Drawing heavily from Renaissance fencing and Western historical documentation, McLemore describes a style of fighting with big knives that presumes a dueling format.  That is, we are fighting in the context of two similarly armed opponents.

This is an excellent book for anyone interested in large knives in general and Bowie knives in particular.  It is visually pleasing and rich with information.  Regardless of your  opinion of the style espoused by McLemore, the book is a triumph of applied research.

After providing some historical analysis of Jim Bowie and his fabled knife (or knives), McLemore discusses large knife composition, advocates wooden training knives, and depicts saber, "universal," and foil grips.  Several different stances are described and illustrated, ranging from "Spanish" and "Italian" stances to the "Biddle" and "Styers" stances.  One nice feature of these descriptions is top-down look at the foot placement for each, as well as brief discussions of the stances' key aspects.

After discussing stance and the principles of selecting a good one, McLemore describes different guards and means of "presenting the blade."  A lengthy section is devoted entirely to the thrust, including movement, target, and specific thrusting techniques.  This is followed by a section on cutting, which includes multiple descriptions of the "back cut" and an eight-angle cutting system with obvious similarities to the Filipino Martial Arts.  Parries and counters are also included.

Throughout the book, McLemore's captivating illustrations and helpful diagrams bring his words to life.  I honestly considered breaking out a box of crayons and coloring in each illustration neatly, so clean and inviting are the drawings.

The next-to-last section of the book is titled "The Forever Principles," comprised of "a loose conglomeration of concepts and techniques that have prevailed as constants throughout the history of bladework." These include discussions of range, footwork and movement, angling, and other physical and mental concerns.  The last section of the book is a "portfolio of techniques, drills, and training notes."  The book also contains an extensive bibliography.

This is a book that must be seen and enjoyed to be appreciated.  There is much of value here, but the real innovation is in the artistic presentation.  Not really "formal" but eminently professional, Bowie and Big Knife Fighting System is truly a pleasure to read.