Martial Arts Teach Talespower Paradox: Freeing the Mind, Focusing Chi and Mastering the Self Book

A full half of this slim little volume was preaching as opposed to stories.

The preaching had a few good moments, but only a few.
The author obviously practices Tai Chi (probably) or Aikido (possibly), and feels that other, more percussive arts are "corrupted" and "far from the true source". I practice Aikido. Even I find his attitude a bit overbearing and unfair. I think there's a place in this world for multiple styles, and that sometimes, tragically, hurting someone can be necessary.

The stories were better.
About half of the stories were familiar to me...these versions were different. Some of them I'd read three or four very similar versions, but this writer presented each story very differently. Details were added or changed -- as far as I can tell, according to the author's fancy.
Some of these changes I kind of liked. He's a good storyteller.
Some I had a bit less patience with. (Must every match end with the losing party running in terror? Never any defeats or admissions that they've lost?)
Half the stories I'd never read elsewhere. I quite enjoyed them, although I wondered what the original versions looked like.