Review of "Wrath of the Dragon"

While I have never been much of a martial arts fan, whether in the heyday of kung fu or currently with UCF "mixed martial arts", I was intrigued by the synopsis of this book about Bruce Lee.  If a non-fan like me can thoroughly enjoy a book on Lee, imagine how his fans will feel once they read it.  Here is my review of "Wrath of the Dragon." 

 

Title/Author:

“Wrath of the Dragon: The Real Fights of Bruce Lee” by John Little

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

Thanks to the movie “Enter the Dragon”, Bruce Lee became a household name and helped spawn interest in the art of kung fu.  However, he had long been involved in martial arts long before he appeared in movies.  This book by John Little is an excellent read about Lee’s involvement in the sport as a student, teacher and fighter as well as an actor.

The book’s synopsis states that Little spent over 30 years researching information on Lee, including eyewitnesses to his fights.  There are two that are especially important in understanding the development of Lee’s mastery of martial arts.  One is what can be best described as a boxing match between schools in Hong Kong in which Lee’s small school only had three fighters, but one of them was Lee and he used martial arts techniques not seen by any other boxer to gain the only win for his school.

The other comes later in his life, after he has immigrated to the United States and that is a fight with Wong Jack Man, another martial arts master, in a match that was supposed to be in secret as unlike the other fights portrayed in the book that are in a controlled environment, this one was on a rooftop and a no-holds-barred atmosphere.  The attempts to keep it secret were so deep that reading about the means of getting to the rooftop were almost as exciting as reading about the match, which was an important milestone in the growth of the Bruce Lee legend.

His success in his business for teaching martial arts is also described in detail as well as his fights.  No matter the topic, Little does a masterful job of describing the life of Bruce Lee through his real-life fights and encounters. Anyone interested in the life of Lee or martial arts will want to add this book to their library.

I wish to thank ECW Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Link: Amazon.com: Wrath of the Dragon: The Real Fights of Bruce Lee eBook : Little, John: Kindle Store

 

Review of "Striking Distance"

I readily admit that I know next to nothing about the sport of martial arts. When this book was offered to me by the University of Nebraska Press, I was hoping to learn a little more about the sport and Bruce Lee beyond what Hollywood portrayed. This book did that and so much more.  Here is my review of "Striking Distance."

Title/Author:

“Striking Distance: Bruce Lee & The Dawn of Martial Arts in America” by Charles Russo

Tags:

Martial arts, history, teaching

Publish date:

July 1, 2016

Length:

232 pages

Rating: 

4 ½ of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

When one thinks of Bruce Lee, one usually thinks of Hollywood and the movies that the martial arts superstar made that became hits in the United States. However, Lee was much more than just an actor – he was a key figure in bringing the sport of martial arts to mainstream American and making them popular. How Lee assisted some of the pioneers of the sport in the San Francisco is the subject of this well written book by Charles Russo.

This book should be considered a biography, as only a short period of Lee’s life is covered, an approximately five-year period in the early 1960’s. Nor should the book be considered a complete history or a guide to the sport as the book concentrates on the sport as taught and participated in the San Francisco area.  But for the information that is written about, this book tells a complete picture and also lets the reader learn about some of the early pioneers of the sport. 

Drawing upon extensive research and numerous interviews, the reader will learn about the teachings of various forms of martial arts.  From the more popular and familiar forms like tai chi and ju jitsu and also some of the lesser known types as well.  Pioneers such as T.Y.Wong, James Yim Lee (not related to Bruce) and Master Choy Kam Man are introduced to the reader.

Bruce Lee’s adventure from being a dancing instructor to an eager martial arts student to a champion in various tourneys is also well documented and a fascinating journey. Not only did Lee participate in martial arts, but he was also a boxer – a sport with a strong connection to martial arts for both training and performance as Russo frequently mentions. 

Having little interest in either the sport of martial arts or the story of Bruce Lee before reading this book, it is one that any reader who is interested in any form of the sport should read.  Enthusiasts will enjoy the detailed stories about the sport in the Bay area and novices like me will learn a lot as well. 

I wish to thank University of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:

Hardcover

Buying links:

https://www.amazon.com/Striking-Distance-Bruce-Martial-America/dp/0803269609/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1471203555&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=striking+disstance+bruce+lee

http://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/product/Striking-Distance,677188.aspx

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/striking-distance-charles-russo/1122887941?ean=9780803269606