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WORK TITLE: Muay Thai: Peace, at Last
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://www.michaelgoodison.com/
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY: Australia
NATIONALITY: Australian
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born in Australia.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Author and world traveler.
WRITINGS
Also author of other books under pseudonyms.
SIDELIGHTS
Australian-born author and travel writer Michael Goodison has written both fiction and nonfiction. “His love affair with history and all things philosophical,” wrote a contributor to the author’s home page, the Michael Goodison website, “is evident in his passionate pursuit of great stories.” Goodison’s novel All Is Fair in Love and War is set in a near-future Australia that is reeling following the impact of an alien invasion that has led to the collapse of government and the rise of mercenaries and gangs. In the midst of all this chaos a journalist named Mathew O’Donnel decides to try to piece together the story of how this state of affairs came to pass.
Goodison’s second book, Muay Thai: Peace, at Last, is nonfiction and is a memoir concentrating on spiritual enlightenment—and, at the same time, it is a story about training in one of the world’s most brutal martial arts and a travel narrative detailing the author’s journey through Thailand in search of training. “This book is a real-life account of the author’s one-month stay in Chiang Mai, Thailand, training Muay Thai that culminated with a fight at the Loi Kroh Stadium,” stated Kay Last in the Muay Thai Citizen. “Goodison,” explained a Publishers Weekly reviewer, “describes travels through the area, as well as sharing his intense training regimen, which is where he shines.”
Muay Thai is based on the national Thai style of boxing. Originally it was a form of unarmed combat, but during the twentieth century (with patronage from the kings of Thailand) it began to be practiced for self-defense and presented before large crowds as mass entertainment. By the end of the century Muay Thai had spread internationally, and the first international sanctioning organization, the World Muaythai Council, was established by the authority of the Royal Thai Government in 1995. Today Muay Thai is practiced all over the world by men, women, and children. Because the sport involves striking the opponent with knees and elbows as well as hands and feet an attacker can inflict significant harm on an undertrained adversary—one of the reasons why the sport has been tightly regulated by the Thai government. At the same time, like other martial arts, the practice of Muay Thai can be contemplative and enlightening, as Goodison’s was. “Part fight literature, part travel story; part spiritual, part humor,” said Last, Muay Thai “… is an exhilarating ride to live the Muay Thai experience vicariously through Goodison’s writing.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, February 26, 2018, review of Muay Thai: Peace, at Last, p. 81.
ONLINE
Michael Goodison website, https://www.michaelgoodison.com/ (August 29, 2018), author profile.
Muay Thai Citizen, http://www.muaythaicitizen.com/ (July 9, 2017), Kay Last, review of Muay Thai.
Born and raised in Australia, Michael Goodison is an intrepid traveller and a prolific writer, with an insatiable appetite for adventure.
Citing his family, Michael puts a high value on "old-fashioned" mannerisms and says that discipline and patience are his driving force.
Michael has fought as a Thai Boxer and trekked the Nepalese Himalayas.
Having discovered a love for writing at a young age, Michael has previously published four books under a pen name before placing his own name on the cover of All Is Fair In Love And War, in 2014. His love affair with history and all things philosophical is evident in his passionate pursuit of great stories and he believes that the opportunity to listen to a great story far outweighs the opportunity to tell one.
Muay Thai: Peace, at Last
Publishers Weekly. 265.9 (Feb. 26, 2018): p81.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Muay Thai: Peace, at Last
Michael Goodison. CreateSpace, $12.99 (192p) ISBN 978-1-5238-0787-1
Australian Goodison (All Is Fair in Love and War) narrates the month he spent in Chiang Mai, Thailand, studying and training in Muay Thai, "the most brutal, most effective martial art in the world." Stating that his central philosophy is "to be surrounded by the madness of life," he picks Thailand not only because of what * he sees as its "melting pot of heritage, violence, culture and visitors," but also because he is able to participate in an actual stadium fight, which he headlines due to the novelty of his being a "farang" (foreigner). Goodison describes travels through the area, as well as sharing his intense training regimen, which is where he shines, describing the fight tactics of Muay Thai in what he clearly shows is "an exceptionally technical art form." His description of the final stadium fight is powerful--"imagine getting hit on the bones of your forearms by somebody swinging a baseball bat." Goodison's writing can rely too heavily on cliches ("Loneliness is the price of rebellion"), but he effectively describes how the fight gave him a sense of inner peace. This is a powerful narrative of a physical and spiritual journey that also illuminates a fascinating martial art. (BookLife)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Muay Thai: Peace, at Last." Publishers Weekly, 26 Feb. 2018, p. 81. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A530637485/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=ab522728. Accessed 28 July 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A530637485
A Muay Thai Book Review
By Kay Last updated Jul 9, 2017
I received Michael Goodison’s “Muay Thai: Peace, At Last” in the mail one Friday evening. Ripped the envelope apart and read the book, and I honestly could not put it down. Read, and re-read the entire book within a span of a week. This is a page-turner from start to the end!
To be frank, I find it pressurizing in writing a book review as compared to gear reviews. To write and attempt to critique a writer’s work just seems rather ill-mannered to me. As if I am much better a writer! But because this was so enjoyable a read, and Muay Thai literature like it is few and far between, it warrants a review and article. But it will be a short one, as I would rather you get your copy of the book and read that, instead.
Without giving too much content away, and without over-sensationalizing the story as most copy-writing do: this book is a real-life account of the author’s one-month stay in Chiang Mai, Thailand, training Muay Thai that culminated with a fight at the Loi Kroh Stadium. Part fight literature, part travel story; part spiritual, part humor; it is an exhilarating ride to live the Muay Thai experience vicariously through Goodison’s writing. For me, what I find most captivating about Goodison’s writing is his candidness and genuineness that really comes through as he openly shares his thoughts.
From the blurb on the book:
“Battling an ever-present disinterest with the western way of living, Michael throws off the shackles and dares to live, confronting killer cobras and conversing with Buddhist monks as he prepares for a professional fight in one of the most violent martial arts in the world: Muay Thai.
From elephants lumbering along lush mountainsides to the rowdy backpacking scenes of northern Thailand, and culminating in an adrenalin-thumping confrontation, Peace, At Last is escapism in its classic form, transporting the reader to a world of misadventure, intrigue, culture, and violence.”
Great summary of the book, and I really couldn’t have said it any better.
As far as I know, this is the only book written from a Muay Thai fighter’s perspective on his Muay Thai experience. Another book that is regularly cited among fight fans is Sam Sheridan’s acclaimed “A Fighter’s Heart”. There is a brief chapter that mentions Sheridan’s experience with Muay Thai in Thailand but is to a lesser degree, as the book focuses more on the mixed martial arts scene. And maybe it’s just a personal preference, but Goodison’s writing style feels more fluid, natural, and more engaging with the touch of humor.
There is a serious dearth of Muay Thai biographical accounts in literature, and it is a real pity. While there is no shortage of Muay Thai fighters, finding one who also writes can be a real challenge. “
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Muay Thai: Peace, At Last” does a great job of filling this gap and hopefully more fighters (both amateurs and pros) can be inspired to come forth and share their tales too.
Whether you have fought in the ring, or plan to fight, or relish in just being a spectator of the sport, this is a book that every Muay Thai lover should read once. Or maybe twice. It feels sacrilegious that not enough people know about this book. Get your copy and spread the word about this Muay Thai classic now!