Mastering Jujitsu — Renzo Gracie & John Danaher

A foundational text that explains why techniques work, not just how. Danaher and Gracie map the phases of a fight (standing to ground), strategic decision-making, and core mechanics like base, posture, and leverage, then connect those ideas to techniques and training.

It doubles as history lesson and systems primer, making it a common recommendation for coaches and students who want conceptual depth.