A harrowing story detailing the path of a young boy from the East End of London who began his journey experiencing bullying, discrimination, racism, violence, crime, suicide, drugs, alcoholism, and being sent away for burning down his family home.
After his period in a children's home he began secondary education at the prestigious ‘London Nautical’ Naval Academy. From then on his life around violence moved to the next level with Jamie clocking up over 300 street fights before reaching adulthood.
Through necessity Jamie took up the martial arts and pressure tested his new found abilities through the 15 years he spent as a doorman plus 30 years within the fighting arts. It took over three decades for Jamie to come to terms with the cards he had been dealt in life and this book tells how this apprenticeship served to nurture the role model you see today.
For over three decades Jamie swam against the tide battling through every hurdle thrown at him, to become a leading authority within the fighting arts. Throughout this journey he achieved his 7th Dan Black Belt, had his own column in both leading UK Martial Arts magazines, and was inducted into the Combat 'Hall of Fame' three times for his 25 years of contribution to the fighting arts.
Read this book and discover how goodness can come from bad.
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After reading this book the late Reg Kray said ‘Jamie’s book Thugs, Mugs & Violence gives an insight into the violent times of today and should be read’.
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Garry Bushell says
"This gripping book tells the true story of one man’s triumph over adversity. I recommend it"
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Cass Pennant says
'Jamie O'Keefe is a one man Guide to Bouncers and the art of self-protection'
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UK prisioner Charlie Bronson says:-
'Jamie is the toughest nice guy I know. His best weapon is his ability to be able to make to think he knows nothing when all he is really doing is cleverly getting people to lower their gaurds - a clever man who Im proud to have as a friend. Reg Kray always spoke highly of him'
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Geoff Thompson says :-
'Jamie is probly the most realistic street martial artist that I know'
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Dave Turton says :-
I was once asked if Jamie had really had 300 fights... I have known Jamie for about 30 years and have to say its not correct. He had over 300 fight before even leaving school and Ive known him to have even more than that in the time ive known him as an adult - he is a handfull.
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Martin Cross - Lifer :-
I have been side by side with Jamie in some very serious fights. Many times largely outnumbered. He always said he was good at fighting because he was scared. I never really understood him at the time. Whatever it was, it worked for him. Im now serving life for taking another persons life over a few mis-judged seconds. I wish I would have listened more to Jamie. He knows his stuff and has really undersells himself - fighting and violence is not the way to go on in life - listen to Jamie and what he has to say about good role models'
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Dave 'Boy' Green says :-
Jamie really is a great guy. He spent a long time with me up in the Fens and he was always respectfull about other fighters but never about himself. He once said to me that he is so passive now that he dosent even like killing germs. He is a funny guy who dosent suffer fools'
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Mo Hussein :- former British Commonwealth boxing champ :-
I grew up with Jamie and we used to tear about the street in Canning Town. I went into boxing and he went into the martial arts. We worked together for years and both left the door about the same time. He is one of my best friends and we still live right by each other. We both have our own mini gym in our houses so we often pop round to each other to work on techniques. Ive just finished filming with him for one of his DVDs. He is a man who is honest and true to his word.
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This book for me deserves 10/10 being so brutally honest.........................
REVIEW:
Jamie kindly sent me this book in the post and i started reading it the moment i opened the envelope, normaly when i read books i take about one week, this book i read in one sitting.
From the days of Paul Weller the legendary leader of the mod band the JAM to horrific school bullys and a young boy with not a soul to turn to. Taken up the path of martial arts to survive and become the legend that he is today not just in the martial art world but everywhere. Some names get shouted out loud others get talked about in private and then there are the ones that are whispered through the fear of being heard JAMIE O'KEEFE is such a man. I know Jamie hates the word ascociated with hard men etc, i believe he become the hard man he was not by choice but by the hands of others...................
There is only one other book that this one reminds me off and that is of a famous author called Dave Peltzer who wrote the book a child called it. At one point in Jamies book i had to put it down and take five minutes, not through boredom and im not ashamed to admit this but it was through tears in my eyes and a huge lump in my throat, it took me back to a time i had long blocked out from my head.
Very powerful and emotional to read from the fighting days of the mods to then putting something positive back into society and becoming an authority in the martial arts world respected and admired by all.
I sometimes felt angry and at other times very sad reading this book, but by the end page was smiling and so proud to be able to call Jamie a friend, this book proves anything is possible and i would hope others would go to Jamies site and purchase this book and write a review and let me know what you thought?
I now know where Jamies signature comes from under his post........"anyone can do anyone you just have to find a way".
I have read many many books and would put this in the top 3 of them.
Remember behind every hard-man is a sad story.
Danno
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