Well illustrated in photos, even if you mind the space spent on exercise and obstacle courses, the down-and-dirty fighting techniques are excellent. Notable for a section on how a woman who has to hitchhike can defend herself from a driver. Includes defense against knives, clubs, and guns, which will help your character get out of a jam realistically.

Done like many a military manual, with minimal verbiage, which is okay when it goes with a class. This doesn't, but you can figure out the basics. Covers both unarmed combat and hand weapons like knife, stick, bayonet, and many expedient weapons. Very good for the descriptions of what happens to an opponent when struck. The illustrations are a bit crude but usually clear enough. Also covers how to hold a prisoner for a search and how to securely tie someone.

The stories are great, but what really counts are the two essays by Reinhardt on armor and swords. Hank bailed out of the SCA because it didn't allow for enough real re-creation, and is now the head of Museum Replicas and Atlanta Cutlery, providing fine reproduction arms and totally workable fantasy ones.

By a woman for women. Okay, so she's one of the tougher Guardian Angels with all sorts of belts. She's also nearly been raped despite this, and her techniques can be used by anyone in moderate condition with her wits about her. These can apply in any culture. If your female characters are cream-puffs unable to defend themselves, this is just as much your choice about them as their looks: it is not an inevitable result of being a woman up against a man.