This is one of the best Ninja books I've read! Kirtland Peterson describes in depth why the public still views ninjas as violent, deadly, assassins. He describes other various ninja stereotypes. There is a lot of ninja history in this book. Kirtland refers to Masaaki Hatsumi, Stephen K. Hayes, Jack E. Hoban, Bud Malmstrom, Glenn J. Morris, and Christopher Hunter/Ashida Kim. Stephen Hayes does a excellent foreword in this book. I won't spoil the rest of book for you. If you like this book, I suggest reading anything by Masaaki Hatsumi, Stephen K. Hayes, Jack E. Hoban, Doron Navon, Glenn J. Morris, Charles Daniels, Bud Malmstrom and Richard Van Donk