There is a unique quiet that descends upon a shopper the moment they step through the sliding glass doors of a Barnes & Noble. It is a hush of reverence, the smell of paper and ink, and the promise of knowledge stacked floor to ceiling. For the martial artist, this environment offers a different kind of training ground. While the dojo is where we sweat, bleed, and refine our physical technique, the bookstore is where we cultivate the mind, history, and philosophy behind the art.

For parents, Barnes & Noble has a brilliant selection of illustrated books for kids. The Three Little Pigs and the Secret of the Dojo or Bubbles the Karate Bunny are fantastic ways to teach perseverance and respect to a 5-year-old who is nervous about their first belt test.

Frustrated, he returned to Barnes & Noble. Not for a new book, but for a refund. He was done with the secret world.