Unlikely Teachers: Finding the Hidden Gifts in Daily Contact

Judy Ringer
OnePoint Press (2006)
ISBN 13: 9780977614905, 10: 0077614905
Reviewed by Nina Larson for Reader Views (8/06)


As a self improvement book I rate “Unlikely Teachers: Finding the Gifts in Daily Conflict” by Judy Ringer, 3 stars.  However, as a book inspiring interest in Aikido, it goes to 4 stars. 

“Unlikely Teachers” draws from Judy Ringer’s time spent in a dojo learning and teaching Aikido.  She uses these lessons as a speaker and seminar leader.  I believe this book grew out of those inspirational and training seminars.  As such, the book is very organized and each chapter and subchapter is self contained, yet connected to the next.  Logical and yet while reading “Unlikely Teachers,” I never lost that vision of teacher/ speaker in front of me.  This “speaker” vision persisted, even during the Aikido stories that ground each chapter and subchapter and their lesson. 

However, while I found the stories fascinating, the lessons are basic conflict resolution skills.  So, her lessons are very helpful to someone new to conflict resolution, but a reminder otherwise.  And while a reminder of the basics, starting with BREATH, is always useful, it doesn’t inspire to read & re-read.  She did attach those basic tenants to real life and dojo situations, and the pictures she drew were strong and humorous enough I that can still remember some of them a week later with a smile.  I also liked quotes she included.  Thanks to those quotes and the resource section in the back, I now have a couple more book titles to investigate.  All in all though, this is a good starter book and a great inspiration to investigate Aikido. 

I highly recommend this book to people new to conflict resolution or very experienced in conflict.  I also recommend this book to students of any martial arts discipline.  For Aikido students, it explains clearly how they can apply the dojo lessons to their life.  And I would think people studying other types of martial arts would resonate with Judy’s experience. It has the basic lessons that are key to peaceful and rewarding interactions with other people. 

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