Product Description
Now available in paperback, Striking Thoughts: Bruce Lee's Wisdom for Daily Living is an unparalleled volume of Lee's own writings on the wisdom that he used to shape his extraordinary life. Editor John Little, in the tradition of Tuttle's other Bruce Lee Library titles, uses his unprecedented access to Lee's writings to cull the words of the legendary martial artist, actor, and philosopher into this soulful, personal collection.Striking Thoughts is a diverse record of the thoughts and observations that Bruce Lee put on paper in his lifelong quest for self knowledge. A voracious reader, Lee's personal thoughts on life are a unique blend of traditional eastern traditions and modern western ideals. John Little distills the essence of Lee's writings on all aspects of life, including Existence, Achievement, Art, and Personal Liberation. Consider some of Lee's elegant thoughts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

great philosophical advice for all of your life
Bruce Lee unloads a ton of powerful wisdom in the style of short concise one-liners at a time. The book is a very easy read, a great read, and one that can positively influence your life even if you only read a few lines at a time. Highly recommended!!!

Rediscover Your SELF Everyday
I purchased this book to supplement my MA library in the hope that whenever I'm stuck in a mental rut, bored or lacking motivation, Bruce Lee's words would help to illuminate the (possible) cause of the impasse and show me the way back to my own center.

This book covers a number of different areas of life and awareness and if you were to breeze through it in a store, you may be tempted to blow it off as a collection of 'fortune cookie' answers to questions you haven't bothered to ask yourself. I felt this way when I skimmed through it in a local store. Still mildly interested, I thought about what I had read and returned to Amazon to read the available excerpts and then ordered this book. In the week that passed, I had unearthed some issues that were inhibiting my training both in and out of the dojo and was at a loss for a complete solution. Thanks to Bruce Lee's insights, I saw these knots from a different perspective -sometimes slightly different, sometimes in glaring contrast to what I had wrongly assumed is more or less true at all times -the latter being an indicator of a stale mind and spirit.

Budo (whatever form or style) is a means to train the body to respond efficiently and economically. What is often forgotten is that in the beginning (of training), we pay a great deal of attention to the manner in which our mind, thoughts, feelings and body respond -singularly and/or as a whole. As skill improves, this awareness and interest wanes in favor of attention to being as good as or better than our peers -as a result, the wholeness experienced in the early days of training takes a backseat and due to neglect, creates that nagging sense that 'something ain't right'. That 'something' is malnutrition and poor diet -a condition of the mind and spirit as well as the body.

In the 30 minute bus ride to my dojo, reading Bruce Lee's view on Pre-conditioning of the individual by society -at present and throughout history -along with a couple of statements on attention and awareness -filled in the gaps and corrected errors in my own thought processes. Once in the dojo (and during quiet time before training), I decided to apply what I had read. The brain fog cleared quickly and training became a 'whole' experience again.This alone is worth more than the cost of the book.

While the entries are brief, the effect is like eating a power bar - just enough when you need it.The contents are arranged according to areas addressed and the viewpoints are short and to the point.

To make a short story long ("too late", I know), this is a good book to have around -especially when you need a 'thought for the day' and a great supplement toward a well rounded MA library in order to continue as a whole person on the complex path of budo.

daily life supporter
great book that can help you get through any day...bruce lee shows you the way.....this book is for anybody from warrior to worker....this book challenges your human nature....accept the challenge!!!!!!

This Book Is Great
I bought this book from the bookstore, after reading about all the positive reviews. I have a growing collection of martial arts books, and I thought that this book would be a great addition. And it is! I don't regret buying this book, because it makes you think about life more than ever before. Bruce Lee is great at inspiring and changing lives, he sure changed mine I can tell you that.

Great book
Bruce was incredibly wise beyond his time and years. This is worth reading for anyone. Go through with a piece of paper next to you and write down the pieces that resonate with you. I have a feeling that when i do this again in a few years many different pieces will resonate with me. ... Read more

Product Description
Beyond his martial arts and acting abilities, Bruce Lee's physical appearance and strength were truly astounding.He achieved this through an intensive and ever-evolving conditioning regime that is being revealed for the first time in this book.Drawing on Lee's own notes, letters, diaries and training logs, bodybuilding expert John Little presents the full extent of Lee's unique training methods including nutrition, aerobics, isometrics, stretching and weight training. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (83)

Not a complete book on exercise,but great for motivation
A friend of mine on Twitter mentioned this book,it looked interesting,and so I got it.

Although I've got a number of books on bodybuilding and fitness,this book really helped me make the resolution to lose an extra 40 pounds that I've been carrying around,and got me started on the path to doing it.

I always thought of circuit training as something girls do,but I discovered it's actually a great way to maintain or gain muscle while losing weight.Although I've been lifting for about six months (I've lifted seriously at two points in the past) I found I had a visible change in my physique after two weeks of circuit training + a high protein and whole food diet with almost no added sugar.

I like also that Bruce also explored some of the areas that often get overlooked in fitness programs,such as forearm development.(Most guys who work out at the gym have big biceps and triceps,and scrawny forearms -- although I'm looking into other books to learn more,this book got me started on the path of doing something about it rather than just complaining about it.)

This wouldn't be the only book you'd want to own about fitness,but it's the best one I own when it comes to morivating myself to get results and change my body.

Excellent
This book is Excellent..buy it,enjoy it, its a great read of how a legend did it his way, from pure hard work he became a master..We miss you dearly bruce..May we meet in heaven..x

Good stuff
Anything about Bruce Lee is magical. John Little, the official scribe for the post Bruce Lee era, has compiled a book of exercised supposedly done by Bruce himself. There are a few problems with this book that I would just like to warn others about for if they wish to buy this book or not.

1) A few, not all, of the exercises are confusing. You may need to look up a few of them online to get a clear understanding.

2) This book wasn't a masterpeice in terms of editing. It will say "Dan Inosanto says this on page 48" and you won't find it on page 46, 47, 48, 49, 50...so...idk.

The main thing I love about this book, as with all the Bruce Lee collections by John Little....THE BRUCE LEE PICTURES! Over 100 of the best photos of Bruce in each of the books in this series. I love them!!!

4/5
John McAdam
Author Of: Were Ancient Gods From Other Planets?

Bruce Lee as your Personal Trainer!
I just received my copy of Bruce Lee's "The Art of Expressing the Human Body".Feeling that too emphasis and involvement in weight training without a clearly defined path would do more harm than good, I purchased this book in order to have a reference for an effective and organized approach toward conditioning for martial arts applications and overall health benefits.

Like many others, I have admired Bruce Lee for his philosophies, dedication, skill, speed and overall physical condition which is in my opinion perfection -if not a damn good second.In my youth, his role as "Kato" in the Green Hornet TV series inspired me to become more acquainted and knowledgeable of eastern thought, culture and later, martial arts -a major turning point for a young man on the threshold of adolescence and in need of quality role models and `heroes' -likewise with David Carradine and his performance in "Kung Fu" and learning of his real life involvement in his art.

In addition to the detailed descriptions of his demanding daily routine(s), I can really appreciate the mind and methodology he applied to getting the most and the best out of diet, exercise, training and pushing beyond his own personal limits.

At present, I'm reading the first pages addressing weight training for general conditioning applicable to martial arts.Before receiving my personal copy, such training was limited to that used within my dojo and incomplete knowledge of how to maximize results with the free weights I have been using.In other words, serious, but clueless.

The first couple of chapters cover a `program for beginners' using easily available equipment and the foundation for building strength, speed and endurance.There is also a section detailing Bruce Lee's approach to developing a diet program that met his unique demands that will benefit not onlymartial artists in general but anyone who reads and applies it -valuable in itself.

The text is straightforward and points out what is important and why, what needs to learned and (for those such as me) what needs to be unlearned and relearned.

What is VERY encouraging is the section on Bruce Lee's vital statistics- height, weight and age. Anyone fitting this description (minus the muscular development) would be labeled `scrawny', a '98 Pound Weakling', (and other invectives) resulting in a negative self-image compounded by deepening emotional impact of such derision.

Whether involved in martial arts or simply looking for a path to attain a better physical appearance and attending health, this compilation lays it out straightforward and simply with plenty of photos and supporting records to encourage the reader -any reader -to press on.

Thank you Mr. Lee for being so meticulous.

Thank you Mr. Little putting such valuable information in one volume.

Special thanks to Ms. Cadwell, the Estate of Bruce Lee and all those who granted their permission for the publication of this book.

======== (Anecdote) ===========

Once upon a time, there was a TV show called "Kung Fu" with David Carradine that turned junior high and high school geeks into overnight Kung Fu experts. No longer were we to be stuffed into our lockers, we were transformed into Kung Fu Master Geeks overnight! The following day we were again stuffed into our lockers, but this time it was different! We `knew' Kung Fu! We were convinced our humiliation would end after watching a few more episodes (or so we thought)!

Lessons learned, the semesters passed and we waited among the shadows lest the bullies would see us and subject us to more vile and inhumane treatment.

We waited and waited until -Once upon a later time, Bruce Lee, through his first films, transformed the bullies we had so often feared into OVERNIGHT NUNCHUCK MASTERS! Tales drifted through the school halls that in less than 48 hours, our nemeses had beaten themselves senseless with sticks! We were FREE!

"What goes around, comes around" and faster than you think when karma takes the form of nunchuku in the hands of a bully with a lot of ego and little experience!

Thanks for the encouragement to be to remain joyful, full of hope, patient, attentive, dedicated, to remain free of ego and most of all, to see what is possible.

Great book great service
Bruce Lee dominates everyone.
John Little is a good author.
Amazon is a good vendor. ... Read more

Product Description

"Fighting is simple and total." --Bruce Lee

Customer Reviews (38)

A fair guide to some basic self-defense techniques by the late Bruce Lee
Like many martial artists, I have always had a lot of respect for the late Bruce Lee. I have read all his books, but I must say this one is NOT one of his best works.This was the first of a four volume series, but like one other reviewer, I think this one on Self-Defense techniques puts the cart before the horse.As a lifetime student of the martial arts I have always been taught that one must master the basics before learning self-defense and fighting techniques. The second point is that this text shows Bruce's preference for kicking techniques, but there are few martial artists who can kick as well as Bruce Lee, which makes some of the responses not practical for everyone.Finally, as Bruce has often emphasized in his writings, everyone must find their own way when it comes to effective combat.A good instructor can teach you basic principles and reactions to various combat situations, but in the end, you will use the techniques and tactics that fit into your own natural abilities and preferences. In conclusion, this book is for anyone interested in basic self-defense as taught by Bruce Lee.Rating: 4 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Monadnock Defensive Tactics System, Use of the Monadnock Straight Baton, PR-24 Police Baton Advanced Techniques, Combatives Vol. 1, 2, Martial Art Myths, Never Trust a Politician).

Don't mess with Bruce!!
I am going to make this review very simple and straight forward to the best of my knowledge. Bruce Lee offers step-by-step illustrations of just about every move in this book. Asfor someone who hasn't been in martial arts(myself)for the past 10+ years I am very confident that I could execute most of these moves efficiently with practice. They are not hard but they are very effective. Speed becomes an issue with some of these moves. The book isn't about blocking your opponents blows in any form. This book is about quick counter-attacks. Bruce Lee obviously did not intend on waiting around for a chance to be hit.. He would attack at the same time his opponent would but SMARTER!! Good book! With confidence in yourself and practice you also will benefit from Bruce Lee. Once again, these are not flying kicks, acrobatics, or anything professional in nature. These moves are about using your brain quicker than your opponents. I hope you find this review helpful.

A martial arts book well worth owning!
Being the author of several books on the martial arts and fighting, I am always looking for books of exceptional quality to add to my library. If I have a book in my library, it's definitely worth owning. One such book is Bruce Lee's and M. Uyehara's, "Bruce Lee's Fighting Method; Volume 1: Self-Defense Techniques."

As is stated in the introduction to this and the other three volumes in the series, Bruce Lee never intended for these books to be published. However, since his untimely passing, his wife Linda decided that she would allow them to be published. Something we should all be thankful for.

What I will attempt to do in this review is to give you a well-rounded grasp of what Bruce has written and demonstrated for you in this series of books. Although nothing can replace the value of a qualified and competent instructor, a well written book can still provide you with a wealth of knowledge if you know how to realize it and obtain it.

1. Defense Against a Surprise Attack:

a. The best defense against a surprise attack is not to be surprised by an attack.
b. Awareness is the key and should be practiced at all times.
c. Bruce demonstrates 4 different scenarios in which an attacker attempts to surprise him with an attack.

2. Defense Against An Unarmed Assailant:

a. Bruce stated that he felt you are wasting your time and energy by studying set patterns of forms (kata). On this particular point I have to agree and disagree at the same time. If you are studying the forms and practicing them for their intended purpose it is definitely not a waste of time. However, if you are studying them incorrectly, then yes I would have to agree that for the most part it would be a waste of time.
b. Bruce demonstrates 9 different scenarios for defending yourself against an unarmed attacker.

3. Defense Against Grabbing:

a. The best defense against being grabbed is not to let them grab you in the first place.
b. However, once you have been grabbed the most practical defense is to use your hands.
c. Bruce demonstrates 16 different scenarios from which to defend from. These include wrist grabs, arm grabs, belt or pants grabs, etc.

4. Defending Against Choke Holds and Hugs:

a. Once again, the best defense against a choke or a hug is not to let them grab a hold of you in the first place.
b. However, once you have been grabbed the best defense is the most simple and effective.
c. Remember, awareness of you and your surroundings is the key.
d. Bruce demonstrates 11 different scenarios from which to defend from. These include various chokes, bear hugs with and without your arms being pinned, etc.

5. Self-Defense Against An Armed Assailant:

a. "You are at a disadvantage against someone with a weapon, so keep away from him."
b. You must constantly practice in order to have a chance in this type of situation.
c. Demonstrated in this section are 9 different scenarios for defending yourself against an attacker armed with a stick or staff.
d. Demonstrated in this section are 4 different scenarios for defending yourself against an attacker armed with a knife.
e. Demonstrated in this section are 2 different scenarios for defending yourself against an attacker armed with a handgun.

6. Defense Against Multiple Assailants:

a. Defending yourself against more than one opponent at a time is always harder.
b. However, having said that, just because there is more than one attacker doesn't necessarily mean you are at a disadvantage. Sometimes there is a disadvantage in numbers.
c. Bruce demonstrates 8 different scenarios from which to defend from when fighting against more than one attacker at a time.

7. Defense from a Vulnerable Position:

a. Always remember, "Anything goes when defending yourself."
b. Bruce demonstrates 3 different scenarios from which to defend from when sitting in a chair.
c. Bruce demonstrates 4 different scenarios from which to defend from when lying down.

Like any well written book, as much as you can learn from this book by reading it, you can learn just as much if not more by reading between the lines. I particularly enjoyed the simplicity of what Bruce was trying to relay throughout this and pretty much all of his books. What may work well for one person, may not work at all for another. Therefore, you as an individual needs to research the techniques that are out there and find those that work best for you and use them. Remember, there are no superior martial arts, only superior martial artists.

Best fighting book ever.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bruce Teaches you how to fight just like him in a hard cover book. It really is Bruce teaching you from 1966 when he made this book.After he died his wife released it .I learned so much from learning Bruce's self defense techniques.
This HArd Cover Book is truely amazing.

Best Beginner Series in Martial Arts
Who the hell is this who claims B.L. didn't write these books?
Go buy it, read it. Then judge for yourselves.
This is the best there is: The basics on Street Fighting and self defense.
Not the Basics as taught by traditional Chinese Boxing (KungFu)
... Read more

Product Description
During his lifetime, legendary martial artist Bruce Lee formulated a complex personal philosophy--a synthesis of Eastern and Western ideals--that extolled the virtues of knowledge and total mastery of one's self. However, most of his philosophical writings could be found only within the personal library of the Bruce Lee estate--until now. The Warrior Within is the most comprehensive volume of these teachings, meant to help you apply Lee's philosophies to your own life. This unique guide reveals such life-affirming secrets as:

• Seeing the totality of life and putting things into perspective
• Understanding the concept of Yin and Yang
• Defeating adversity by adapting to circumstances
• Tapping into inner spiritual forces to help shape the future

Customer Reviews (21)

"self help" book for people that hate that phrase as much as I do
There was a time in my life I was feeling very unsatisfied and unsure of the source of my angst. As fate would have it 13 years ago I received a copy of The Warrior Within as a gift. This book revealed to me several concepts and ideas I was not familiar with.Through reading,I learned how to get past ingrained harmful learned behaviors as well as the concept of "getting over myself."It is rough going at first, however, the more you practice methods revealed here the easier your life moves on it's merry way.There is a handy page reference guide in the back that I still refer to in trying moments.Great book for beginning philosophers and anyone looking for a brighter path through life.

Great Book
Have not had a chance to read all of this book,but what I have read has been really good...Just what I was hoping it would be...Motivating and Inspirational!

Great book, nothing new or mind blowing though.
I own quite a few Bruce lee books and Dan Inosanto books. This book was pretty cool but honestly it wasn't anything I didn't already know from reading the others, a lot of it was common sense. Most of what I read was about being a good person and not letting others get to you, stick to your goals, etc etc.I don't really feel its worth the money to me but I could see the benefit others might have buying it. I'd recommend just buying "The Tao of Jeet kune do", its much more detailed in the martial arts area/philosophy which I think is what most people are interested in when they think of Bruce lee.

The philosophy of Bruce Lee
This books shows why Bruce Lee deserves the title "The Greatest Martial Artists Ever" in addition to his great physical attributes Bruce Lee was a thinker an innovator someone who took the idea of martial arts and turned it not just into a devastating form of fighting aka JKD but a whole way of life. It makes me smile when I read articles about MMA being born in the 80's and the revolutionary training methods of MMA fighters today. When there was a man 30+ years ago who lived the life of a true master of MMA.

Learn the Art of the Master
I haven't gotten much into this book yet already it is very interesting to me to learn how the master of all times thought and felt for his passion of the martial arts.
Such and inspiring person. ... Read more

Product Description
"If you are going to train without the concept that this is the real thing, you are short changing yourself." --Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee's Fighting Method: Basic Training reveals how the iconic warrior attained his legendary speed, power and footwork. Included are practical, effective stretches for increasing flexibility, abdominal exercises that can be performed anywhere, and hard-hitting advice on running, biking, skipping rope and shadowboxing.

But Basic Training is more than just a fitness guide. This must-have manual also delves into the fundamental aspects of Bruce Lee's revolutionary combat philosophy, jeet kune do, including how to strengthen your firsts with iron-palm training, get the most out of your punches and kicks, camouflage your attacks, develop the footwork to evade almost any blow, cover distance rapidly, escape from a tight corner, conserve energy for countering, build muscles without sacrificing speed, fix flaws in your stance and improve your peripheral vision, leverage and timing.

As the second volume in Bruce Lee's Fighting Method, Basic Training contains detailed illustrations and vintage photos capturing Lee in his prime. This essential series, compiled and organized by his close friend, Mito Uyehara, is the perfect companion to Bruce Lee's classic text, Tao of Jeet Kune Do. The Bruce Lee's Fighting Method series is an integral part of the Bruce Lee canon and a necessary addition for collectors and martial arts enthusiasts alike. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (33)

Very well illustrated JKD fundamentals to develop the basics of Martial Arts.
I own all the 4 volumes of this series and I can say that this volume (Vol. 2), serves as a very good source book to enhance/develop the Good Habits of an aspiring Martial Artist.

Included are suggestions on Stamina Building, Footwork, Importance of a good Fighting Stance (JKD stance vs. other Traditional stances), etc.

Overall a book worth the price.

Very Interesting Read - Helpful Workout Tips & Hints
I'm not a martial artist. I don't know anything about Jeet Kune Do like most of these reviewers. I grew up only knowing the western style of fighting, boxing at it's simplest level. Put up your hands, jab with your left and punch with your right.

Bruce's style is totally different. Everything is predicated on speed. Strikes are used with the knuckles of the last 3 fingers (middle, ring, and pinky) instead of middle finger and forefinger. Instead of turning the wrist over to at the end of the punch the wrist is kept straight. He used southpaw stance because 80% of the work is done with the lead hand and foot (he was right handed). All these techniques run counter intuitive with western style of boxing.

I appreciate reading about Bruce's workout techniques. It's really the reason I bought this book. I wish there were more. He talked about riding his exercycle, jogging, skipping rope, and a few abdominal exercises. There are numerous other workout techniques that involve a wooden dummy, punching bags, speed bags, etc, however those do not concern me too much. I have already incorporated jump rope into my daily routine which includes situps. I plan to practice hitting an 8 X 11 piece of paper with my elbows to learn body control.

Thanks to Bruce, I now feel like I will have an opportunity to really improve my fitness and coordination but only time will tell as to the results I will achieve.

I give this book 4 stars because it contains information that I can actually use in real life. I docked it one star because it contained too much information on stances (the on-guard stance in particular) which was incredibly boring and not at all what I needed.

A good martial arts book that everyone should own!
Being the author of several books on the martial arts and fighting, I am always looking for books of exceptional quality to add to my library. If I have a book in my library, it's definitely worth owning. One such book is Bruce Lee's and M. Uyehara's, "Bruce Lee's Fighting Method; Volume 2: Basic Training."

As is stated in the introduction to this and the other three volumes in the series, Bruce Lee never intended for these books to be published. However, since his untimely passing, his wife Linda decided that she would allow them to be published. Something we should all be thankful for.

What I will attempt to do in this review is to give you a well-rounded grasp of what Bruce has written and demonstrated for you in this series of books. Although nothing can replace the value of a qualified and competent instructor, a well written book can still provide you with a wealth of knowledge if you know how to realize it and obtain it.

1. The Fighting Man Exercises:

a. The importance of aerobic conditioning and exercises to increase your aerobic capacity such as; running, bike riding, jumping rope, etc.
b. Most martial artists neglect their actual physical workouts, thinking that practicing their particular martial art of and by itself is all you need to get into and stay in shape. This is not true! One must supplement their martial arts training with various muscle building and flexibility exercises.
c. You must constantly push yourself to become better than what you already are. If it comes easy, it generally isn't worth it.
d. How to warm-up properly in order to prepare your body for harder workouts without risking the chance of unnecessary injury due to the use of a well designed and executed warm-up routine.
e. Various flexibility exercises are shown using the trampoline and various body stretches.
f. Several different abdominal exercises are demonstrated as Bruce always felt that the abdomens were the major source of power in the martial arts.

2. The On-Guard Position:

a. Bruce goes really in-depth on a good fighting stance.
b. Looks at the disadvantages of more traditional or formal stances.
c. Bruce also talks a good deal about balance and how important it is to being effective with your techniques.

3. Footwork:

a. The basic principles behind your footwork are discussed.
b. Demonstrated and explained are the Forward and Backward Shuffle.
c. Demonstrated and explained are the Quick Advance and Retreat.
d. Demonstrated and explained is the Burst Forward.
e. Demonstrated and explained is Sidestepping.

4. Power Training; Punching Power:

a. How to correctly make a fist for punching.
b. Various training exercises utilizing the heavy bag, punching mitts, force shields, etc.
c. The use of canvas bags filled with everything from sand to steel filings in order to toughen the hands for impact.
d. The use of hand weights when practicing your punches.
e. The use of a staff across your shoulders to improve your body's ability to work in unison when punching.
f. Talks about using KI when punching and how to punch through your target, not at it.
g. Also discussed is "Pulling Power" and how to develop it with hand and forearm exercises.

Power in Kicking:

a. Flicky point style kicks are useless in self-defense.
b. How to develop striking power in your Side Kick.
c. The use of the heavy bag to develop power in your kicks.
d. The use of the kicking shield to develop power in your kicks.
e. How to add more power to your Front Kick by utilizing your hips correctly.

5. Speed Training:

a. Basic principles involved in training for speed in your techniques.
b. Developing punching speed.
c. Developing whipping speed for your Back Fist.
d. Developing speed in your Finger Jab by using a piece of paper.
e. Developing speed in your Lead Straight Punch.
f. Using equipment such as the double-end bag, punching mitts, and heavy bag to develop speed.
g. Developing a non-telegraphic punch.
h. Using concepts from fencing to enhance your speed and punching skills.
i. A very interesting use of a children's game to develop speed.

Speed in Kicking:

a. Principles and techniques of the Side Kick and Roundhouse Kick, which I find very interesting that Bruce calls the Roundhouse Kick a Hook Kick.
b. Various methods of developing speed in your kicks.
c. Awareness of your body and what it is doing when you are kicking.

Like any well written book, as much as you can learn from this book by reading it, you can learn just as much if not more by reading between the lines. I particularly enjoyed the simplicity of what Bruce was trying to relay throughout this and pretty much all of his books. What may work well for one person, may not work at all for another. Therefore, you as an individual needs to research the techniques that are out there and find those that work best for you and use them. Remember, there are no superior martial arts, only superior martial artists.

For martial artists it's worth reading.
Bruce Lee's Fighting Method: Basic Training Vol. 2

Chapter 1 is sort of an overview of a number of exercises and the benefits of each exercise in conditioning the body to be a fighter.There is not much in this chapter, which you cannot find in other exercise or workout books.Furthermore, the practice of receiving blows from a medicine ball or moderately controlled punches to the abdomen is no longer recommended because we now know that receiving even moderate, controlled blows over time can cause damage to internal tissues and organs.Never the less, I am not going to say that there is nothing worth reading in this book.It's just that this book was written before the fitness craze gained momentum to the extent of becoming a cultural practice in the United States.Many people back then were out of shape and did not know how to exercise for better health and physical performance.Some still don't.To beginners, this chapter can serve as an introduction of the types of exercise for a fighter.

Chapter 2 explains in detail and illustrates Bruce Lee's unique right lead Jeet Kune Do guard stance, posture and benefits.Then, there are a series of photos of Dan Inosanto, Bruce Lee's famous student, posing in various classical guard positions, some of which look more like illustrations of moves in kata or forms. The book persuasively criticizes the various weaknesses of the classical guard stances.In defense of some classical positions criticized, however, some martial artists argue persuasively that these classical positions found in katas and forms are symbolic representations of effective fighting techniques being executed and do not represent stationary guard positions.
(See books by Rick Clark, Guy Trimble III, Ashley Croft and George Dillman for more on better interpretations of kata's symbolic representation of effective fighting techniques."

The Chapter on footwork is very basic and simple.It is almost boring.However, the important point to take note of is that moving quickly and effectiveness in fighting begins with being quick on the feet.Bruce lee's books are unique in that they emphasize elements such as distance, timing, speed, creating openings in the opponent's guard and observing the opponent's reactions and habits rather than reliance on techniques for this or that situation.So, it begins with footwork to move into range quickly to strike, to move out of range or side-to-side to avoid being struck and being ready to counter when an opening does appear.The later volumes build on ideas that require good footwork.So, it does start with this book to create a foundation of good footwork.After all, good technique and power is wasted if you can't deliver your strikes or kicks due to lack of speed or improper timing or distance.

The beginning martial artist reading this book might get the quickest results from this book in studying the chapters on power training and speed training.Anyone who understands how to combine the elements such as closing to a proper distance to be able to punch through the target, using harmonious movement of the body while keeping the muscles relaxed until the instant your strike makes contact will discover an alternative, more effective way to deliver a powerful strike rather than using the strength of the arm and upper body alone.

The last chapter on speed training offers 7 different ways to train for developing speed.Most of these training methods require a partner.The reader has to look for these in the context of the writing. There is also an interesting technique suggested for psychologically developing a better sense of timing and quickness of reaction near the end of the last chapter.

Beginners and young martial artist might not fully understand the value of the information in the series of books on Bruce Lee's Fighting Method and in his Tao of Jeet Kune Do.

There is also a video adaptation of this book available on VHS or DVD which features Richard Bustillo and Ted Wong, one of Bruce Lee's students, who also is seen in the photographs of the books.

VHS:

Bruce Lee's Fighting Method

Bruce Lee's Fighting Method

DVD:

Bruce Lee's Fighting Method - by Ted Wong and Richard Bustillo

Fantastic often overlooked principles of training
Bruce Lee covers the basics and foundations of training.

All too often martial artists focus their energies on techniques without developing or preparing the body for such techniques.

This volume covers:

1) Aerobic Conditioning - running vs jumping rope
2) Stretching
3) Core muscle strengthening almost always overlooked. Namely abdominal toning
4) Proper stance and movement
5) Footwork
6) Developing power in your strikes
7) Increasing your speed

... Read more

Product Description
This book presents the advanced techniques. Chapters include hand techniques, attacks with kicks, counters, tactics. Fully illustrated BEST SELLER! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

A good martial arts book that everyone should own!
Being the author of several books on the martial arts and fighting, I am always looking for books of exceptional quality to add to my library. If I have a book in my library, it's definitely worth owning. One such book is Bruce Lee's and M. Uyehara's, "Bruce Lee's Fighting Method; Volume 4: Advanced Techniques." This book is a direct continuation of the previous volume and will continue where that one left off.

As is stated in the introduction to this and the other three volumes in the series, Bruce Lee never intended for these books to be published. However, since his untimely passing, his wife Linda decided that she would allow them to be published. Something we should all be thankful for.

What I will attempt to do in this review is to give you a well-rounded grasp of what Bruce has written and demonstrated for you in this series of books. Although nothing can replace the value of a qualified and competent instructor, a well written book can still provide you with a wealth of knowledge if you know how to realize it and obtain it.

12. Hand Techniques for Offense; Part One:

a. Set-up your primary attacks first.
b. Your primary attacks should be indirect attacks rather than direct attacks.
c. Basic principles involved in utilizing hand techniques effectively.
d. You should always be studying your opponent.
e. How to effectively utilize the Leading Finger Jab.
f. How to effectively utilize the Leading Straight Right.
g. How to effectively utilize the Leading Punch to the Body.
h. How to effectively utilize the Leading Straight Left Punch.

13. Hand Techniques for Offense; Part Two:

a. How to effectively utilize the Straight Left to the Body.
b. How to effectively utilize the Lead Jab.
c. How to effectively utilize the Backfist.
d. How to effectively utilize the Hook Punch.
e. How to effectively utilize the Uppercut.

14. Attacks with Kicks:

a. How to effectively utilize the Side Kick to the lead shin and/or knee.
b. How to effectively utilize the Leading Side Kick.
c. How to effectively utilize the Roundhouse (Hook) Kick.
d. How to effectively utilize the Turning Back (Spin) Kick.
e. How to effectively utilize the Turning Wheel or Hook (Sweep) Kick.

15. Defense and Counter:

a. How to effectively counterattack utilizing the Lead Finger Jab.
b. How to effectively counterattack utilizing the Leading Side Kick to the shin or knee.
c. How to effectively counterattack utilizing the Roundhouse (Hook) Kick.
d. How to effectively counterattack utilizing the Turning Back (Spin) Kick.
e. How to effectively counterattack utilizing the Leading Right.

16. Attributes and Tactics:

a. Discusses the importance of speed, attitude and tactics.

Like any well written book, as much as you can learn from this book by reading it, you can learn just as much if not more by reading between the lines. I particularly enjoyed the simplicity of what Bruce was trying to relay throughout this and pretty much all of his books. What may work well for one person, may not work at all for another. Therefore, you as an individual needs to research the techniques that are out there and find those that work best for you and use them. Remember, there are no superior martial arts, only superior martial artists.

Bruce Lee
If you like martial arts , than it's a great book and you can better unerstand Bruce Lee.

Straightforward discussion of good and bad habits....
This is not a cure all book of splendor that will make your street sojourns safe as can be.What it happens to be is a terse condensing of terms and applications.However, this can be a blessing in disguise if you've ever really fought someone for whatever petty reasons.But as is usual, petty fights can't be won by might alone.Moreover, a brief self-defense type situation not asked for nor expected in the least, will never ever count on you being able to muster Earnie Shavers-esque punches via hours and hours of your prior chopping of wood and winding up and hitting a hanging truck tire with sledge hammer in hand.But such is the world of Archie Moore.Anywho, Bruce Lee's Vol. 4 "Advanced Techniques" will give you insights into not so much what works, but what will keep you in the fight for the long haul.Pointers I took to liking and appreciating were:
Side kick from a distance.Hook kicks aimed roughly a foot in front of an advancing target for maximum impact (a late straight or hook kick results in you being taken down or knocked stiff; watch muay thai to appreciate).Straight kicks to the groin when in close (the power comes from the bending and straightening of the knee as when kicking a soccerball).For punching, what I found illustrative were comments on when to throw body punches and how to punch in disengagements.Many fights end after an attacker relaxes to early, stays too close, and then abruptly tastes a big hook or wild uppercut when flatfooted.Hook when countering, uppercut when the hook gets suffocated, throw high, low, high, low and so on when putting together combinations.Be careful though when body punching a big strong opponent - you open your face all to easily to both compact and loose hooks.Lastly, if you are facing someone who is in the reverse stance (opposite lead hand forward), be very cautious of straight punching both upstairs and down.Of course, if your opponent doesn't do this, you should be able to no problem as it is your first and best option (you beat a lefty by evading the straight left, but to do so, you'll have to square up on occassion and unleash your own straight right).Lastly, speed and defensive measure can be vastly overrated - you might quickly escape backward only to be launched further (watch UFC competitors who smell knockouts!it isn't one punch, two punch, three........it is a literal assault coming straight at you with a fierceness you'll have to somehow disrupt).Use your speed only for direct attack or blocking, however, try not to feint hyperactively as this will leave you wide open eventually!Learn to block, roll the punch, sharply turn, and lastly, if you can, duck and parry a straight punch and follow naturally with a leaning blow to the opponents already commited waistline.
The book is lacking in elbow and knee offensives.Knees are really only good from the clinch, while elbows are good against someone who comes in uppercutting or letting loose lowline hooks with both hands.It also does not teach you any grappling, takedowns, shoots, or chokeholds.Learn those elsewhere - I prefer Ken Shamrock's 'Beyond the Lions Den' with its emphasis on submission wrestling and manuevers that translate to the street if need be.
Other aspects covered that should be paid attention to are: keeping initial combinations (opponent not dazed nor hurt) to 2 to 3 blows; keeping hands projected further outward when feeling stuck (rear hand can almost touch lead shoulder to make for new angles and lessening of muscle tension); lead jab thrown with knuckles in the verticle and rear heal almost leap frogging toward lead heal to make a power-V for torque in rotation); also relying less on bobbing and weaving against a stronger opponent (as is thought to be so fruitful) and looking more to the stop-hit and cover-counter-cover-counter approach (bob and weaving works somewhat at a distance, and can help to avoid becoming frozen in action).Lastly, I'll give a few hints from my own minor scrapes, mostly on what to avoid from the opponent:
1) Learn to stop or get away from rear shots.These include overhands, straights, thrusts, etc.Either jump straight back (chin down hands high), move to a side (again hands high), or jump forward at an angle (duck!).It is very easy to get overconfident with straight punches.The good news is, you opponent begins to open himself to his own weapon of choice - the rear straight!Once you start countering straight for straight, be preparred to duck and then uppercut in anticipation of the opponents tendancy to start trading straights.If you can collapse the gap, short hooks and body punching can become overwhelming to a once strident attacker.
2) Do not lunge in to far, called reaching, to land a straight body punch or blow to the head because if your opponent is well seasoned, you will get tagged repeatedly by hooks arriving in all directions.Thus, if your opponent starts getting desperate and throws long overhands, either step right in with two rapid one-two uppercuts; or, step back and let the attackers momentum shift them right into range for your wild hooks.One or two of these is plenty, but a third and forth can be sprung on them if they are stunned or cover excessively.
3) Long hooks and sharp, in-close body punching can be the only way to open up a stubborn defensive fighter.No matter the situation, if you do 3 daily exercises, your strength for self-defense becomes two-fold within a month or two - pushups, situps, and squats.And if you wish, shoulder presses and pullups.
Bruce Lee was a master.In a real boxing match, he may not have been big enough to tackle the heavyweight devision, crowned champ.But when there are no rules out on the street, and if your initial move or instictive reaction fails (groin kick, knee kick, side kick to sternum, carotid strike, eye jab) then it becomes imperative to have a reserve of strong boxing/kickboxing know-how.Thank goodness for people who devoted their lives to helping innocents withstand perilous circumstance.Maybe not as beautiful as Euclid's Elements Book 13, enlightening just the same.

Requires re-reading and reference to the other volumes also
Review of Bruce Lee's Fighting Method, Volume 4,Advanced Techniques

This Volume has Chapters XII thru XVI

The main idea for this volume is that 4 elements that make for a good attack include strategy, deception, timing, speed.The inconsistent or fragmentary structure of Bruce Lee's writing almost mutes the main idea stead of supporting it.

Being able to adapt to change quickly is an important strategic quality.Bruce Lee expressed it in other words in his writings.He recommends that the fighter should vary his attacks and defenses ostensibly to prevent the opponent from anticipating what comes next and to be able to fight with fighters from other styles.

Bruce Lee recommends a number of ways to deceive the opponent such as using feints, drawing the opponent's attack by using footwork or leaving a target open to the opponent, using circular and semi circular parries and strikes: hooks and uppercuts that come from out side the field of the opponent's visual field, and broken attack rhythms.

Timing and speed are more important with use of more advanced techniques: good counter strikes, trapping, evasion techniques to allow the fighter to counter strike with more than one blow without blocking or parrying, and being able to sense and harmonize with the opponent' moves and the rhythm of his moves to strike him the moment he makes an opening in his guard are all advanced skills in timing and require the ability to move quickly to seize a moment and make use of it.

Some techniques have the potential illusion of speed built into them simply because the hand or food used might be closer to a target on the opponent.Eliminating moves that reveal your intent to the opponent also creates the illusion of speed by reducing or elimination of warnings.

In Chapter XIII, Bruce Lee mentions thattoo many fighters emphasize too much on speed and blame their failure to make contact on the opponent with their strikes on the lack of speed instead of not using the correct strike for the moment.This statement would have been better placed on the first page of the volume because it helps to preserve the main idea of this volume as you read about all the tactics and striking and kicking techniques that follow.

This volume covers each of the various basic striking and kicking techniques.The body mechanics of performing each strike, the practical uses of each technique, and quality ofeach type of strike is covered.So, in this volume, strikes are written about in such a way that a punch is not just a punch.A kick is not just a kick.But, each strike's characteristics makes it suitable at a particular instant, a particular type of scenario in fight.In a fight each striking technique becomes a tool for an instant, for the right moment: lead jabs to intercept and keep the opponent busy or at a distance, hooks and upper cuts to follow straight punches to catch an opponent off guard in close fighting, reverse punch or rear counter for a powerful, damaging strike when the opponents guard is open.

I think that these 4 volumes were originally intended to be published as one book; not in volumes.Each of the volumes has different range of chapter numbers.Sometimes while reading some topic, something will make more sense if you had read the previous volume or a related topic in the Tao of Jeet Kune Do.

If you like this series of books and the Tao of Jeet Kune Do, you might also like Paul Vunak's "street Fight" series of videos or former kickboxing and karate tournament champion, Hector Echavarria's3 video series on Kickboxing.Many of the principles Hector Echavarria talks about and demonstrates are the same or very similar as those in this series of volumes on Bruce Lee's Fighting Method.

Street Safe I by Paul Vunak

Street Safe II by Paul Vunak

Street Safe III by Paul Vunak

R.A.T. Fighting System by Paul Vunak

Jeet Kune Do: Its Concepts and Philosophies (Jeet Kune Do) by Paul Vunak

Anatomy of a Street Fight by Paul Vunak

Required reading
IN MEMORY OF MARIO PONTILLO
Since the late 1970's, I have studied Mr. Lee's "Way of the Intercepting fist."
This book will walk you through the physical aspect of his methods. It is the last in a volume of 4 books. I recommend you get all the volumes from this series. You will need to start from the beginning; and you do that by emptying your cup so Bruce may fill it.

My favorite quote: "Knowing is not enough, you must apply; willing is not enough, you must do." -Bruce Lee

Please do not hesitate to check out my Poetry book that I published while in the U.S. Navy in 2003; "Under the Rose: Poetry of Tragedy, Essence, and Romance" ... Read more

Product Description
An expanded sequel to the bestselling The Tao of Jeet Kune Do, this landmark book will serve as a complete presentation of Bruce Lee's art of Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do. The development of his unique martial art form, its principles, core techniques, lesson plans, and illustrative sketches are presented in Bruce Lee's own words. 100+ illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

Twitters from the Grave
This book is really quite interesting. It is very good. But it is almost entirely short quotes from Bruce Lee's notes. The editors have taken these quotes and organized them by topic and then organized those topics into chapters. And they did a very good job with this.

But really, the book reads like a Twitter Feed. You could probably take this book in its entirety, and write it out, quote by quote, to twitter.

What this means is there is no depth. You get Lee's thoughts on a topic, but no concrete examples or additional expository text. Like reading The Book of Five Rings and trying to think about how it applies to your life.

I like that, and enjoy it. But I wanted to write this review so other people would know what to expect. There are other books that explain JKD much better by using Lee's quotes, and then adding additional exposition to further explain what the quote means. This book is more a philosophy book than a martial arts book.

The art if JKD
If you are not experienced in the Martial Arts this book may get a little confusing. But as Bruce Lee said when he was alive JKD is something no serious martial artists can ignore. As I was reading this book there was one thing going through my mind. "Just what is so new about MMA?"

Sure sure techniques may have changed and while Bruce Lee was alive BJJ was nowhere to be found but Bruce Lee's idea and approach to fighting does make him as Danna White said the Godfather of MMA. In fact JKD might as well be called MMA. After all JKD is just a name so do not fuss over it. If you do not understand why I bought MMA into this review read this book and you will find that MMA started with one man, and Bruce Lee was that MAN!

My favorite of the series!
This is my favorite of the John Little/Bruce Lee series.

If you are looking for real, honest-to-goodness Bruce Lee principles of JKD, then this is the book. Even though the book is organized into categories, I think the best way to study it is to take a random page (any page will do) and apply it to your martial study for a full practice session. Just the one page will be packed with ideas.

And your martial arts will improve.

Digest the book, one piece at a time, and you will improve every aspect of your martial arts ... speed, reaction time, attack and counterattack, rhythm and timing, and on and on.

This really is a value-packed book.

Remember, savor the advice and don't gloss over any of the writing. This "stuff" is important.

--Keith Pascal, martial arts author

The Jeet Kune Do Manual for the JKD student.
I study Jeet Kune Do in Denver Colorado. My Sifu referred me to this book. I do wish the book had more diagrams of some of the techniques. Overall it is the geatest book on JKD. Of course it is,it was written by the man who created JKD.
In one place in the book, Bruce Lee had written the pros and cons of different arts and what he liked about them technichly. This allows you to see how Lee was percieving martial arts and what he was looking for. You also get possible insight to where his art was going.
Near the end of the book are Lee's training routines. He even writes how to teach a class. There is much more info in this book than the original. Just don't forget the same author wrote them both.
Also don't forget to check out Bruce Lee's 4 volume Fighting methods to see how Lee trained.
JKD Pupil

Wonderful book, not the key to martial art though.
I see that a lot of reviewers that gave this book low ratings seem to think that you can learn martial arts from a book. I will give you this warning now, you can't and never will be able to learn a martial art from a book, but this is a good starting place for beginners to see some of the techniques and ideas put forward in Jeet Kune Do. If you're someone with martial training as I am you can learn a number of things from this book. Most martial arts that are taught today are for exercise, fun, or competition, rarely are they taught for safety or other more historical reasons. This book can help you get back to those roots of your art.

I have studied various forms of martial arts for around ten years now and would consider this book an invaluable edition to my library, which is always growing and always changing and I still rank this book as one of the better ones in my collection. Inside you will find sections of philosophy and sections on technical work. The reason I gave this only four stars is that if you are not a martial artist or if you don't at least have some basic training, the technical section of the book is worthless and will do you no good. However, if you have practiced, you can learn a lot from the technical section of this book as Bruce goes over individual moves and how to use them to their best in a fight. He also explains how to close space between yourself and an opponent, how to mix up the rhythms of a fight, and how to make your attack and defense more effective.

If you haven't studied martial arts then you will find some sections of this book to be quite interesting while others are utterly worthless. If you have, however, this is one of the better technical manuals that can be purchased that is also veined with the philosophies behind this physical and mental art. It is a wonderful resource and a useful tool for any martial artist.
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Product Description
Beginning with Bruce Lee's high school years in Hong Kong, this collection of correspondence offers readers an intimate glimpse into the life of Lee as artist, husband, father, and friend. 60 illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

be water my friends
Bruce Lee books or papers about him and his success are the best basis for every serious training martial artist. BL & his JKD are open minded, only truth development we can join this world.

A Peek into Lee
This collection of correspondence gives the reader a chance to peek into the mind and life of Bruce Lee. We get to tag along on his first trip to the US since his birth, his friendships, his marriage, his children, what he thought of the jet set, how the dog was eating, father-son bonding, etc. His heart went into every word, as his hand interpreted the flow of his mind.

Bruce's widow, Linda Emery Lee Cadwell, mentions in one of the forwards that until the last year of his life, Bruce didn't have enough money to make excessive long distance phone calls. I'd hate to sound selfish, but, lucky for us.

the real Bruce Lee....
I thought this book offered a completely different perspective of Bruce Lee and offered quality reading into the personal life of a famous martial artist. His letters were very honest, thought-provoking, and genuine from beginning to end. There was one very short and disturbing letter towards the end of the book which, in my opinion, was a significant clue as to why he passed so early and I hope other readers can understand this clue as well.

John Little did an extraordinary job of presenting the letters in order and importance as with all of his books on Bruce Lee.Highly recommended!

Great
Great book.I liked reading about Bruce Lee's thoughts and ideas

Another view of the man
This book provides another view of the legendary Bruce Lee. I really enjoyed reading his thoughts on the martial arts, his work (film and books) and his family. The letters to Linda showed how much he loved his wife andchildren. I know this is part of her life too and she may want to keep itprivate, but I would have liked to see some of the letters she wrote backto Bruce. ... Read more

Product Description
In this companion volume to his critically acclaimed first book, The Tao of Muhammad Ali, Davis Miller turns his attention to a second iconic figure of the twentieth century--and another of Miller's own seminal influences: film star and martial arts legend Bruce Lee.

Just weeks after completing Enter the Dragon, his first vehicle for a worldwide audience, Bruce Lee--the self-proclaimed world's fittest man--died mysteriously at the age of thirty-two. The film has since grossed over $500 million, making it one of the most profitable in the history of cinema, and Lee has acquired almost mythic status.

Lee was a flawed, complex, yet singular talent. He revolutionized the martial arts and forever changed action moviemaking. But what has his legacy truly meant to the fans he left behind? To author Davis Miller, Lee was a profound mentor and a transformative inspiration. As a troubled young man in rural North Carolina, Miller was on a road to nowhere when he first saw Enter the Dragon, an encounter that would lead him on a physical, emotional, and spiritual journey and would change his life.

As in The Tao of Muhammad Ali, Miller brilliantly combines biography--the fullest, most unflinching and revelatory to date--with his own coming-of-age story. The result is a unique and compelling book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (52)

My book was judged a top-ten sports book by BOOKLIST Magazine
I apologize for being this directly self-promotional.I recently learned that TAO OF BRUCE LEE was judged one of the ten best sports books the year that it was published.The following is the mini-review that was published in BOOKLIST at that time.

All best, Davis Miller

"Miller, Davis. The Tao of Bruce Lee: A Martial Arts Memoir

Miller combines a biography of Bruce Lee with his own coming-of-age story as a "karate kid" in the early 1970s. Whether describing how a viewing of Lee's Enter the Dragon changed his life or dispelling many of the myths behind the Lee legend, Miller manages to turn the story of two lives into a fascinating study of the nature of the hero in popular culture.

BILL OTT, Editor"

Bruce And The Truth
The subtitle, A Martial Arts Memoir, describes what this book is really about. It's not a biography about Bruce Lee - though various "facts" and "myths" about him are detailed or debunked. Rather, it's a tale of how Bruce Lee's movies, athleticism, martial arts prowess, focus and determination, philosophy, and larger-than-life persona awoke the dormant soul of a ninety pound weakling. The Tao of Bruce Lee details Davis Miller's transformation from sad, loner, directionless, teenage failure into an accomplished martial artist, writer and, most importantly, vibrant, purposeful human being. The misery of Miller's life before seeing Bruce Lee explode on the screen in Enter the Dragon is, in places, gut-wrenching. But the sadness and despair are replaced by optimism and an the urge to yell, "`atta-boy!" as the young Miller slowly wriggles out of his cocoon. Miller's is a story of possibilities; if he can discover himself, find meaning and contentment in life, anyone can. Beside the quasi-spiritual autobiographical stuff, Miller touches on Bruce Lee's martial arts skills and reputation, his meteoric rise to superstardom, particularly in Asia, the facts surrounding his death and his enduring worldwide impact. There is a lot about Muhammad Ali and comparisons and contrasts between these two very talented men (and what they gave to the world.) Miller brings up Ali so much, one may wonder why he didn't simply write one book, The Tao of Muhammad Ali and Bruce Lee. This book is better on reflection than when actually reading it. I like it more now - and would rate it higher - than I did when I turned the last page this morning. It has a good aftertaste.

The Tao of Self-Awakening
The subtitle, A Martial Arts Memoir, describes what this book is really about.It's not a biography about Bruce Lee - though various "facts" and "myths" about him are detailed or debunked.Rather, it's a tale of how Bruce Lee's movies, athleticism, martial arts prowess, focus and determination, philosophy, and larger-than-life persona awoke the dormant soul of a ninety pound weakling.The Tao of Bruce Lee details Davis Miller's transformation from sad, loner, directionless, teenage failure into an accomplished martial artist, writer and, most importantly, vibrant, purposeful human being.

The misery of Miller's life before seeing Bruce Lee explode on the screen in Enter the Dragon is, in places, gut-wrenching.But the sadness and despair are replaced by optimism and an the urge to yell, "`atta-boy!" as the young Miller slowly wriggles out of his cocoon.Miller's is a story of possibilities; if he can discover himself, find meaning and contentment in life, anyone can.

Beside the quasi-spiritual autobiographical stuff, Miller touches on Bruce Lee's martial arts skills and reputation, his meteoric rise to superstardom, particularly in Asia, the facts surrounding his death and his enduring worldwide impact.There is a lot about Muhammad Ali and comparisons and contrasts between these two very talented men (and what they gave to the world.)Miller brings up Ali so much, one may wonder why he didn't simply write one book, The Tao of Muhammad Ali and Bruce Lee.

This book is better on reflection than when actually reading it.I like it more now - and would rate it higher - than I did when I turned the last page this morning.It has a good aftertaste.

Another great book by Davis Miller
When I first read the Tao of Bruce Lee, I was expecting another biography of Lee (and being a die-hard fan of Lee, that would have been perfectly fine), but this book turned out to be a lot more than that.

The first half of the book deals with the life of Davis Miller himself - growing up as a scrawny, ninety pound kid in North Carolina - and the profound impact Lee had on his life. Inspired by Lee, Miller finds the motivation to try and better his meaningless life by practicing hard to become the greatest Martial Artist alive (or as he puts it: "lightning on limbs"). I am sure the discipline and dedication he learnt while practicing Martial Arts helped him later in his life as a writer.

The second half of the book focuses more on Lee, and tries to remove the "thick mist of money making" that has obscured the true story of Bruce Lee by presenting a very honest and well researched account of Lee's life. Overall, an extremely well written and readable book.

Fun reading
"I desperately need something to read", I suddenly recalled when I was heading for my favourite coffeshop. So, I popped in and started to look for something, and this book sort of beamed at me. I got it under the impression that it was a biography about Bruce Lee, but it turns out that it is more a book about Davis Miller's relation to Bruce Lee and how Lee has influenced him. It is very easy reading and a quite nice book, and at page 97 and onwards a small biography about Bruce Lee (or Li Jun Fan, which was his real name) appears. Apparently it is hard to find any books with true facts, Davis Miller claims that this one shall be rather close to truth, and you will learn that Bruce Lee wasn't the lonely martial arts master that one thinks. If you like martial arts in general, and more specifically Bruce Lee, get this book, you will finish it within a couple of days and it is fun reading.

... Read more

Product Description
Bruce Lee went from a skinny, sickly child to the supreme exponent of martial arts--and the highest-paid movie star of his time. Two decades after his mysterious death, this new biography looks past the myths to create one of the most realistic portraits available of this extraordinary man and his art and philosophy. Photos, many in color. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

Bruce Lee lives on!
When I was about 15, I was not a reader. I bought this book because I loved Bruce Lee, and everything about Bruce Lee would be in my buying range. I finished the book in 2 days! Excellent book with information you won't find anywhere else!

5/5

Without a doubt, the BEST Bruce Lee bio out there!!
I, like most guys who grew up in the 70's, was and am a huge Bruce fan, and I've read just about everything ever written about him. I agree with other reviewers in that this bio is the most informative and heartfelt account of Bruces' life, written by a musician by the way! Bruce Thomas does an excellent job conveying to the reader his views on what made Bruce Lee such an electrifying human being, without it being blind hero worship. Bruce's supreme confidence and his normal human fears are explored. For fans like myself who are interested in Bruce's extraordinary martial arts abilities, Mr.Thomas delves into this aspect better than it's ever been done! Just the BEST Bruce Lee book you can get - get it and "Be WATER my friend".

Solid
Nice overview of his life. Also some decent martial arts info, but mostly from the mental side. Decent concepts to apply to life/coaching.

Clowntime is over...
In a recent article for The Daily Mirror Tony Parson's wrote that "not all the Chinese have a stake in the country's new found prosperity but every single one of them has a stake in the Beijing Olympics". A cursory glance in the year-view mirror reminds us that, up until these last few post-empire decades, the Chinese, viewed through these now dimming lens of colonialism, were rendered a nation of waiters, laundry workers and villains; so it's hardly surprising that this global scale event should be embraced so passionately with a view of saying to the world "Look how far we've come." But the true genesis of this particular brand of pan-cultural re-calibration had already taken place back in 1971 with a movie called Tang Shan Da Xiong (The Big Boss) and an actor called Bruce Lee.

To describe Lee as a cultural phenomenon is an understatement and inevitably legends are built on myths which grow more fantastic with every telling. His four completed works defined martial arts movies for all time and his unfinished opus Game of Death is basically the template for computer gaming which now, of course, informs much of modern action movie making; add `visionary innovator' to Lee's curriculum vitae.

This oft maligned icon has suffered much in deathbut has been redeemed somewhat by the sober and highly respectful biography `Fighting Spirit' from Bruce Thomas who is perhaps better known as the geeky and underrated bass player with Elvis Costello's Attractions. Thomas, as it turns out, is also a disciple of Lee's own fluid style of Kung Fu known as Jeet Kun Do (Way of the Intercepting fist) - clearly not a geek to be messed with.
Thomas' Fighting Spirit is the story of Siu Lung (Little Dragon) and his metamorphosis from child actor to teenage hoodlum; from martial artist to international superstar and media martyrdom at thirty two. It deals extensively with Lee's personal philosophy and the constant evolution of his art - and on reading Fighting Spirit you do come to appreciate that beyond the `chop socky' conventions of the movies which defines the form - Kung Fu is indeed an art.
Chapters examining Lee's philosophy inevitably verge into `ah Grasshopper' territory; "Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water my friend." But much of Lee's impish humour comes through with the no less insightful "A punch in the mouth is a punch in the mouth."

As much as that now iconic image back in `89 of a lone student hindering the progress of a tank in Tinneman Square, the mise-en-scene that we most associate with China is Bruce Lee streaked with blood in a hall of mirrors from Enter the Dragon. As the political sturm und drang of the Tibetan conflict threaten to engulf the event, Parson's assertion that Olympiad 2008 is a demonstration of national pride and a chance to say to the world "You can't look down on us anymore" - the fact of the matter is - the world hasn't looked down on China since Bruce Lee.

Well-done biography
A good biography that tells the story of Bruce Lee and the development of his martial art Jeet Kune Do. I give it 4 stars instead of 5 due to the excessive number of grammatical errors in the book. ... Read more

Product Description
In this companion volume to his critically acclaimed first book, The Tao of Muhammad Ali, Davis Miller turns his attention to a second iconic figure of the twentieth century--and another of Miller's own seminal influences: film star and martial arts legend Bruce Lee.

Just weeks after completing Enter the Dragon, his first vehicle for a worldwide audience, Bruce Lee--the self-proclaimed world's fittest man--died mysteriously at the age of thirty-two. The film has since grossed over $500 million, making it one of the most profitable in the history of cinema, and Lee has acquired almost mythic status.

Lee was a flawed, complex, yet singular talent. He revolutionized the martial arts and forever changed action moviemaking. But what has his legacy truly meant to the fans he left behind? To author Davis Miller, Lee was a profound mentor and a transformative inspiration. As a troubled young man in rural North Carolina, Miller was on a road to nowhere when he first saw Enter the Dragon, an encounter that would lead him on a physical, emotional, and spiritual journey and would change his life.

As in The Tao of Muhammad Ali, Miller brilliantly combines biography--the fullest, most unflinching and revelatory to date--with his own coming-of-age story. The result is a unique and compelling book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (52)

My book was judged a top-ten sports book by BOOKLIST Magazine
I apologize for being this directly self-promotional.I recently learned that TAO OF BRUCE LEE was judged one of the ten best sports books the year that it was published.The following is the mini-review that was published in BOOKLIST at that time.

All best, Davis Miller

"Miller, Davis. The Tao of Bruce Lee: A Martial Arts Memoir

Miller combines a biography of Bruce Lee with his own coming-of-age story as a "karate kid" in the early 1970s. Whether describing how a viewing of Lee's Enter the Dragon changed his life or dispelling many of the myths behind the Lee legend, Miller manages to turn the story of two lives into a fascinating study of the nature of the hero in popular culture.

BILL OTT, Editor"

Bruce And The Truth
The subtitle, A Martial Arts Memoir, describes what this book is really about. It's not a biography about Bruce Lee - though various "facts" and "myths" about him are detailed or debunked. Rather, it's a tale of how Bruce Lee's movies, athleticism, martial arts prowess, focus and determination, philosophy, and larger-than-life persona awoke the dormant soul of a ninety pound weakling. The Tao of Bruce Lee details Davis Miller's transformation from sad, loner, directionless, teenage failure into an accomplished martial artist, writer and, most importantly, vibrant, purposeful human being. The misery of Miller's life before seeing Bruce Lee explode on the screen in Enter the Dragon is, in places, gut-wrenching. But the sadness and despair are replaced by optimism and an the urge to yell, "`atta-boy!" as the young Miller slowly wriggles out of his cocoon. Miller's is a story of possibilities; if he can discover himself, find meaning and contentment in life, anyone can. Beside the quasi-spiritual autobiographical stuff, Miller touches on Bruce Lee's martial arts skills and reputation, his meteoric rise to superstardom, particularly in Asia, the facts surrounding his death and his enduring worldwide impact. There is a lot about Muhammad Ali and comparisons and contrasts between these two very talented men (and what they gave to the world.) Miller brings up Ali so much, one may wonder why he didn't simply write one book, The Tao of Muhammad Ali and Bruce Lee. This book is better on reflection than when actually reading it. I like it more now - and would rate it higher - than I did when I turned the last page this morning. It has a good aftertaste.

The Tao of Self-Awakening
The subtitle, A Martial Arts Memoir, describes what this book is really about.It's not a biography about Bruce Lee - though various "facts" and "myths" about him are detailed or debunked.Rather, it's a tale of how Bruce Lee's movies, athleticism, martial arts prowess, focus and determination, philosophy, and larger-than-life persona awoke the dormant soul of a ninety pound weakling.The Tao of Bruce Lee details Davis Miller's transformation from sad, loner, directionless, teenage failure into an accomplished martial artist, writer and, most importantly, vibrant, purposeful human being.

The misery of Miller's life before seeing Bruce Lee explode on the screen in Enter the Dragon is, in places, gut-wrenching.But the sadness and despair are replaced by optimism and an the urge to yell, "`atta-boy!" as the young Miller slowly wriggles out of his cocoon.Miller's is a story of possibilities; if he can discover himself, find meaning and contentment in life, anyone can.

Beside the quasi-spiritual autobiographical stuff, Miller touches on Bruce Lee's martial arts skills and reputation, his meteoric rise to superstardom, particularly in Asia, the facts surrounding his death and his enduring worldwide impact.There is a lot about Muhammad Ali and comparisons and contrasts between these two very talented men (and what they gave to the world.)Miller brings up Ali so much, one may wonder why he didn't simply write one book, The Tao of Muhammad Ali and Bruce Lee.

This book is better on reflection than when actually reading it.I like it more now - and would rate it higher - than I did when I turned the last page this morning.It has a good aftertaste.

Another great book by Davis Miller
When I first read the Tao of Bruce Lee, I was expecting another biography of Lee (and being a die-hard fan of Lee, that would have been perfectly fine), but this book turned out to be a lot more than that.

The first half of the book deals with the life of Davis Miller himself - growing up as a scrawny, ninety pound kid in North Carolina - and the profound impact Lee had on his life. Inspired by Lee, Miller finds the motivation to try and better his meaningless life by practicing hard to become the greatest Martial Artist alive (or as he puts it: "lightning on limbs"). I am sure the discipline and dedication he learnt while practicing Martial Arts helped him later in his life as a writer.

The second half of the book focuses more on Lee, and tries to remove the "thick mist of money making" that has obscured the true story of Bruce Lee by presenting a very honest and well researched account of Lee's life. Overall, an extremely well written and readable book.

Fun reading
"I desperately need something to read", I suddenly recalled when I was heading for my favourite coffeshop. So, I popped in and started to look for something, and this book sort of beamed at me. I got it under the impression that it was a biography about Bruce Lee, but it turns out that it is more a book about Davis Miller's relation to Bruce Lee and how Lee has influenced him. It is very easy reading and a quite nice book, and at page 97 and onwards a small biography about Bruce Lee (or Li Jun Fan, which was his real name) appears. Apparently it is hard to find any books with true facts, Davis Miller claims that this one shall be rather close to truth, and you will learn that Bruce Lee wasn't the lonely martial arts master that one thinks. If you like martial arts in general, and more specifically Bruce Lee, get this book, you will finish it within a couple of days and it is fun reading.

... Read more

Product Description
Bruce Lee went from a skinny, sickly child to the supreme exponent of martial arts--and the highest-paid movie star of his time. Two decades after his mysterious death, this new biography looks past the myths to create one of the most realistic portraits available of this extraordinary man and his art and philosophy. Photos, many in color. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

Bruce Lee lives on!
When I was about 15, I was not a reader. I bought this book because I loved Bruce Lee, and everything about Bruce Lee would be in my buying range. I finished the book in 2 days! Excellent book with information you won't find anywhere else!

5/5

Without a doubt, the BEST Bruce Lee bio out there!!
I, like most guys who grew up in the 70's, was and am a huge Bruce fan, and I've read just about everything ever written about him. I agree with other reviewers in that this bio is the most informative and heartfelt account of Bruces' life, written by a musician by the way! Bruce Thomas does an excellent job conveying to the reader his views on what made Bruce Lee such an electrifying human being, without it being blind hero worship. Bruce's supreme confidence and his normal human fears are explored. For fans like myself who are interested in Bruce's extraordinary martial arts abilities, Mr.Thomas delves into this aspect better than it's ever been done! Just the BEST Bruce Lee book you can get - get it and "Be WATER my friend".

Solid
Nice overview of his life. Also some decent martial arts info, but mostly from the mental side. Decent concepts to apply to life/coaching.

Clowntime is over...
In a recent article for The Daily Mirror Tony Parson's wrote that "not all the Chinese have a stake in the country's new found prosperity but every single one of them has a stake in the Beijing Olympics". A cursory glance in the year-view mirror reminds us that, up until these last few post-empire decades, the Chinese, viewed through these now dimming lens of colonialism, were rendered a nation of waiters, laundry workers and villains; so it's hardly surprising that this global scale event should be embraced so passionately with a view of saying to the world "Look how far we've come." But the true genesis of this particular brand of pan-cultural re-calibration had already taken place back in 1971 with a movie called Tang Shan Da Xiong (The Big Boss) and an actor called Bruce Lee.

To describe Lee as a cultural phenomenon is an understatement and inevitably legends are built on myths which grow more fantastic with every telling. His four completed works defined martial arts movies for all time and his unfinished opus Game of Death is basically the template for computer gaming which now, of course, informs much of modern action movie making; add `visionary innovator' to Lee's curriculum vitae.

This oft maligned icon has suffered much in deathbut has been redeemed somewhat by the sober and highly respectful biography `Fighting Spirit' from Bruce Thomas who is perhaps better known as the geeky and underrated bass player with Elvis Costello's Attractions. Thomas, as it turns out, is also a disciple of Lee's own fluid style of Kung Fu known as Jeet Kun Do (Way of the Intercepting fist) - clearly not a geek to be messed with.
Thomas' Fighting Spirit is the story of Siu Lung (Little Dragon) and his metamorphosis from child actor to teenage hoodlum; from martial artist to international superstar and media martyrdom at thirty two. It deals extensively with Lee's personal philosophy and the constant evolution of his art - and on reading Fighting Spirit you do come to appreciate that beyond the `chop socky' conventions of the movies which defines the form - Kung Fu is indeed an art.
Chapters examining Lee's philosophy inevitably verge into `ah Grasshopper' territory; "Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water my friend." But much of Lee's impish humour comes through with the no less insightful "A punch in the mouth is a punch in the mouth."

As much as that now iconic image back in `89 of a lone student hindering the progress of a tank in Tinneman Square, the mise-en-scene that we most associate with China is Bruce Lee streaked with blood in a hall of mirrors from Enter the Dragon. As the political sturm und drang of the Tibetan conflict threaten to engulf the event, Parson's assertion that Olympiad 2008 is a demonstration of national pride and a chance to say to the world "You can't look down on us anymore" - the fact of the matter is - the world hasn't looked down on China since Bruce Lee.

Well-done biography
A good biography that tells the story of Bruce Lee and the development of his martial art Jeet Kune Do. I give it 4 stars instead of 5 due to the excessive number of grammatical errors in the book. ... Read more

Product Description
A rare, never-before-seen collection of Lee's private letters and writing, offering insight into the many facets of his life, including his poetry, life philosophies, and his thoughts on martial arts, love, fatherhood, friendship. A fascinating look at the man behind the myth. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Bruce Lee Is the Best
loved the book, everything you want to know about his life not as a martial artist but as a philosopher.

A true artist of life
This is an excllent collection ofBruce Lee's thoughts on art, martial art, acting, psychology & life in general. It captures the evolution & refinement of Bruce Lee's thought process from his Gung Fu days to his Jeet Kun do days.

Good Addition to Library
I enjoyed many portions of the book, especially the evolution of his article on Jeet Kune Do.Even the section on acting revealed how naturally Lee applied his self-knowledge approach in martial arts with other facets of his life.I dog-eared pages and underlined a few passages and see that Lee's writing frequently gave me pause for thought.Sad that Lee's life was cut short and it would've been fascinating to see where maturity and added life experiences might've taken his efforts.

Bruce Lee Artist of Life
Bruce lee Artist of life

Bruce lee Artist of Life is probable the bestbook I have everread for several reasons. For oneit is written by probably the best know and most talented Martial Artist of the twentieth century. This book consist of personal journal entries made by Bruce Lee. It contains topics such as Gung fu, Philosophy, Psychology, Poetry, Jeet Kune Do, Acting, Self-Knowledge then it ends with personal letter written by Bruce Lee.

Gung Fu section lee begins the article by saying ,"Gung Fu is a special kind of skill, a fine art rather than just a physical exercise or defense." Couldn'tagree more as a participate in the fine art of martial arts. Really if your some what intrigue by Bruce lees philosophy you should read this book. In the Gung fu chapter of this book ,taken from handwritten notes by Bruce lee, he cover such topics as The center of the Oriental arts were he goes into deep discussion about such things as philosophies of Taoism, Cha'an (Zen),Meanings of gung fu, and what they mean to him. Other articles deal with his personal reflections on how he views and interrupts Gung fu and it's teachings. The chapter goes on with other essays he's written such as
Reflections on Gung Fu - Deep views on the stages of a "Gun Fu Man"
Teach yourself self-defense -Tips on self defense, for example "expect to get hurt", "Ignore the pain, instead of giving up use it as a spur to counterattack and victory"
Psychology in defense and attack -Explain how to overcome the mental aspects of a fight and the advantages and disadvantages of size.
How to choose a martial arts instructor -"Believe half of what you see and definitely nothing that you here" Before choosing an instructor you must see if he has what it takes to back his statements.
The unity of Gentleness/firmness -What's necessary for combat in terms of gentleness to firmness ratio.
My (Bruce Lee's) views on Gung Fu -Essay on how he views Gung Fu.
The next chapter consist ofessays regarding philosophy. Lee's philosophy are more refined than those of lets say Socrates. He tends to deal with more humanizingissues dealing with matters pertaining to the inner self ofhumans being. For example human understanding, then he gets into really advanced philosophy which ,you really must be quite intelligent to decipherthe meaning. Some examples of that are his essay on "Living in the oneness of things" , The unity of firmness and softness, Taoism, Yin - Yang, Wu-Hsin(No-Mindedness),Wu We(non-action),The letting go(must read essay). He also goes into his opinion on Plato, Plato's "Gorgias" and Socrates. After that in this chapter there's a essay entitled The nature of human beings in which he is truly inspiring. To me Bruce Lee is much more than a martial arts superstar he's probable one of the most genius thinker of the 20th Century .After that he writes about meditation and what it means to him (how he applies it to his life). Part 3 is the psychology section which is as genius as the philosophy section with topics such as The Relationship of the Organism to its Environment. Not only is Bruce lee a brilliant thinker he's an excellent poet. Here's an example of one such poem :

The Dying Sun
The dying sun lies sadly in the far horizon
The autumn wind blows mercilessly.
The yellow leaves fall.

From the mountain peak,
Two streams parted unwillingly

One to the West, one to the East
The sun will rise again in the morning
The leaves will be green again in spring.
But must we be like the mountain stream,
Never to meet again?
-Bruce Lee

His poems alone could have made him an incredible voice in the world of literature. However, Lees writing ability surpasses the creative mind to which poets need to write. Lee's genius transcends that of an average human being into the realm of a religious figure. Which is probable why he is worshiped in some tribes in the forest of Asian (True!).Part 5 is entitles Jeet Kune Do - The Liberation. It includes essays on the meaning of Jeet Kune Do: The way of the intercepting fist. It also contain multiply drafts of his essay entitled Toward Personal Liberation (Jeet Kune Do).Part 7 is on Acting. This is a list of essays in whichLee philosophies about the meanings, job, self-actualizing, self-made actualization, and the Art of Acting. Part 7Self-Knowledge. It contains eight different draft oflee's personal essay entitled In My Own Process. The book ends with Part 8,Letters. There are six letter in this chapter written to

-Pearl Tso A friend of the lee familywritten in September 1962
-Taky Kimura An assistant instructor for Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do.
-2 to Jhoon Goo Rhee the farther of Tae Kwon Do in North America
-Larry Hartsell a student of Bruce Lee's Los Angeles Chinatown school.

If any of these topics interest you ,you should order this book right now. I was amazed at howphilosophicallee was. The amount of detail and time it would of taken him to write all these essays on all of these topics to better understand himself. This is a man who truly wanted to get the deep meanings of his self ,Martial Arts, and the things in theenvironment around him. I have read this book 3 times straight through and I often pick it up to read certain essays which pertain to what I'm looking for. If you do decide to give this book a try I would suggestthat you really take a thorough approach to reading this book. As in explore the meanings and how they apply to you and your life as an individual. Good bye until we meet again.

.

The most revitalizing book that has ever came my way!
This book is seriously a very influential masterpiece brought to you mostly by Bruce Lee's essays, poems, quotes, and personal experiences throughout his existence with us. This all came together with the help of John Little too though, so some regards should be left to him as well.But as far as a compeling book goes this one should leap off the shelves into your arms!Don't miss this opportunity to read into who Bruce really was and not just another book on martial arts and how to become a so called, "Master!" This is one to read and fully grasp for sure! ... Read more

Product Description
The new edition of Bruce Lee's classic Chinese Gung Fu: The Philosophical Art of Self-Defense rejuvenates the authority, insight and charm of the master's original 1963 publication for modern audiences. It seamlessly brings together Lee's original language, descriptions and demonstrations with new material for readers, martial arts enthusiasts and collectors that want Lee in his purest form.
The new edition includes digitally enhanced vintage photographs, previously unpublished pictures with Lee's original handwritten notes, Chinese characters written by the author and painstakingly scanned for this book, and contemporary introductions by Lee's widow Linda Lee Cadwell and daughter Shannon Lee.
This timeless work preserves the integrity of Lee's hand-drawn diagrams and captioned photo sequences in which he demonstrates a variety of training exercises and fighting techniques, ranging from gung fu stances and leg training to single- and multiple- opponent scenarios. Thought-provoking essays on the history of gung fu, the theory of yin and yang, and personal, first-edition testimonials by James Y. Lee, the legendary Ed Parker and jujutsu icon Wally Jay round out this one and only book by Lee on the Chinese martial arts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

View this as a historic document.
The significance of this book is it's historical value in the development and growth of Bruce Lee and of the martial arts community in America. In a modern context, some of the discussion and techniques may be outmoded, but the book serves as a historical reference for everything that came after it.

Bruce Lee A True Master
A lot of people have their opinions on Bruce Lee books. Some are fans and some read the books for the wealth of knowledge you can tap into on martial arts and self defense. I belong to that second group! Bruce Lee is a true master in the martial arts. His fighting skills are incomparable, and his way of life, is one that we wish we could all live. "Chinese Gung Fu: The Philosophical Art of Self Defense" is a treasure that all martial artists should have on their book shelves. Bruce kept with his simplistic style while writing this book, making the basic techniques you learn in this book, executable by anyone who reads the book. You will also get this basic crash course on Chinese Gung Fu, without the ego that some other martial artist authors seem to have. Those people are more interested in plugging their art/system, than they are in actually teaching it. You won't get any of this with Bruce Lee! I was very happy to learn that this book was made available to the public again, after it was pulled off the shelves, after Bruce's unfortunate death. The information in this book is well written, and worth learning. This book is more than one you put on your coffee table to collect dust and do nothing else. This book will teach you the basics of an ancient art, that may well be extinct in the world of martial arts today. All I've got left to say now is....


BUY!!!!!! BUY!!!!!! BUY!!!!!!

Be Water...
There are quite a few books out there about Bruce Lee. This one was authored by him in 1963. The original book had a yellow cover, and was quite understated in it's design.This was because the book was meant to have its pages ripped out, put up on the wall of your workout area and practiced repeatedly. It is simple, and easy to follow. Bruce Lee provides step-by-step instructions through photo's and drawings (his own). I suggest finding a work out partner and recreating the moves outlined in the book. Stretches, exercises and more are included. Everything except the dedication required to learn...

"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee

First Edition- bought it, don't want it.
I bought this book a few months ago. It's a first Edition from 1963, not a reprint.It's not too informative. What's it worth?

A few comments
Compared to the books out now on kung fu this book probably wouldn't rate much of a mention if it weren't for the fact that it's Lee's first published work, at least in the west. It gives a basic overview of kung fu, including some philosophy, exercises, basic style info, and a number of techniques. As far as technical knowledge goes, probably the most interesting thing there is the photo sequences showing Lee defending against multiple assailants, which are good.

But at just under 100 pages, it's small although the overall quality for the time was probably pretty decent considering this was probably one of the few books in English on kung fu at the time. But by current standards it's more than a bit on the light side. Even so no doubt Bruce Lee fans will want to acquire the book to have a complete collection of his works, since he only wrote six or seven books.

Probably the most interesting thing about it is Lee says the material and techniques in the book derive from the period before he started studying Wing Chun. In that sense the book is more important for its historical value in showing an earlier phase of Lee's kung fu development. Danny Inosanto also said Lee had studied northern long fist and learned all the empty-handed forms there (of which there are about a dozen), so this material could have been drawn from that.

Many of the photos are a little dark and lacking in contrast but they're still viewable and not bad. You can still see what's going on. But they're not up to the quality of more recent books.

One thing Lee says that still resonates today is his statement that a good martial artist will take all the knowledge that he's acquired and simplify it to get the true, distilled essence of the art. At the most advanced levels, the principles and techniques then become "simple" after being "complicated." Of course, it takes a very advanced and knowledgeable martial artist to be able to see and accomplish that, and perhaps most of us will never get to that point, but Bruce Lee did, which is why he was and still is one of the greats.

By the way, many people aren't aware that Lee combined both karate and kung fu techniques (not to mention Indonesian Pentjak Silat, which most people in this country have still never heard of, although there are at least 300 different styles), so his style is truly synthetic and eclectic. However, because of that many traditional and classical kung fu masters don't consider Lee a true kung fu practitioner. Whether that is true or not I leave up to the reader to decide, although Lee himself once stated that, "There is nothing traditional in my kung fu."

So overall, not a bad book for its time although at this point it looks sort of old-fashioned and dated and will probably be mostly of interest to amateur martial arts historians like myself or serious Bruce Lee fans. ... Read more

Product Description
Get to know the true Bruce Lee through the eyes of the author. Pound for pound, he may have been the greatest fighter who ever lived. Cocky and full of confidence, Lee was also compassionate and witty. Read about the dreams and destiny shattered by his early death. The author, a student of Bruce Lee’s and one of his best friends, is the co-author of the best-selling Bruce Lee’s Fighting Method. Fully illustrated. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good, but not enough
You can't blame this book for not being able to capture Bruce Lee'stechnique.Why?Because he had no technique. ... Read more

Product Description
The first compilation of Bruce Lee photographs published in association with the Bruce Lee estate. This book reveals the full range of Lee's talents. It includes rare photos spanning from his early stage career in Hong Kong to his worldwide success as an actor and martial arts phenomenon. Selected with the assistance of Lee's widow, Linda Lee Cadwell, Bruce Lee expert John Little presents a photographic record, accompanied by descriptive commentary, of all facets of this fascinating man, from the start of his career to his untimely death a quarter century ago. Included are photos from Bruce's personal family photos, from his childhood years, through the early years in Hollywood, to the peak of his career as an international star. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

The Way of the Intercepting Fist
Many of the documentaries and biographies out there about Bruce Lee were unauthorized and created by shysters trying to cash in on his sudden death. This book, based on the recent video documentary "Bruce Lee: In His Own Words" is not only superior because it really is based on the master's own words, but the book and video are also endorsed by Bruce's widow and daughter. Here we get plenty of great photographs from Bruce's films, training, and family life. Meanwhile, Bruce's thoughts on acting, family, and his martial arts style (or, according to him, its dismissal of style) are true revelations for any fan of Bruce's classic movies. His thoughts on being a serious actor, rather than a martial arts "superstar," are quite a surprise; while his personal philosophy and attitudes toward martial arts mastery are both fascinatingly Eastern but surprisingly down-to-Earth and accessible for Western enthusiasts.So instead of fighting your way through all the frauds and fakes out there, get it from the master himself. [~doomsdayer520~]

Life and times of the true master
There are no limitations , save those that we create for ourselves... Bruce Lee

This is a great book if you are looking for a compilation of rare photos and facts.. Unlike most books out there that beat around the bush , This book showcases the man as he wanted to project himself to the world .The perspectives are variable throughout the book , giving the reader a vast panoramic view of the life and times of the much hyped martial arts superstar..

Frankly, if you're looking for a detailed description of his persona , you will find exactly that and more.. Full of great photos that give a realistic insight on the master , this book is a good buy if you are interested in the glam..

If you are a martial artist however , I would strongly suggest that you do not buy this book . There are various other books that will serve your purpose, books like 'The Tao of JKD'.

Informative. Great Pictures. A Great Addition.
This book is a great addition to my collection of Bruce Lee books of pictures, filmography, philosopy and techniques. It has one of the best picture collections of all the books I've seen. The content isn't bad either. Talking about the life of the Little Dragon and some of the deep thoughts he had in his short life in this world. My fan-ography of the Jeet Kune Do Sifu is just starting, even if I have been a follower for years. This book is not a dissapointment. It will be a great addition to any collection.

a must
Bruce Lee was his own man.he had so much style&smoothness about him.this book highlights his world in front of the public&behind it.very detailed&very upfront.you get a very insightful look into his world&vision.a man who forever changed the world with his talent&craft.a man who was trying to make sense of his surroudings&the things that were in placed around him.He will never be forgotten.

Like looking through a family photo album
What an intimate look at the man behind the image!The book is highly visual--the text is very limited--but the photos are like none that I've ever seen in other books on Lee.I'm talking about the baby pictures of Bruce and Brandon, photos of Lee from behind the scenes in his movies (a kind of spooky one of him and Sharon Tate from what must have been just before she was killed), and pictures of he and his wife just sitting on the couch at home.It makes you realize that there's a man and father behind the superhero that appears in his films.I loved it. ... Read more

Product Description
Theorizing Bruce Lee is a unique work, which uses cultural theory to analyse and assess Bruce Lee, and uses Bruce Lee to analyse and assess cultural theory. Lee is shown to be a major 'event' in both global film and global popular culture - a figure who's central to many intercultural encounters, texts, and practices. Many key elements of film and cultural theory are employed to theorize Bruce Lee, and Lee is shown to be a complex - and consequential - multimedia, multidisciplinary and multicultural phenomenon. Theorizing Bruce Lee is essential reading for anyone interested in Bruce Lee in popular culture and as an object of academic study."Bruce Lee is a complex and contradictory figure, and it's a formidable task to take on the multiple facets of his legacy - fighter, film star, philosopher, nationalist, multiculturalist, innovator.With an approach as multidisciplinary and iconoclastic as Lee's approach to martial arts, Bowman provides an original and exhilarating account of Lee as 'cultural event'.No one has done a better job of explaining why the martial arts 'legend' remains such an important and provocative figure."- Leon Hunt (Brunel University), author of Kung Fu Cult Masters: From Bruce Lee to Crouching Tiger.- "Taking on Martin Heidegger and Slavoj Žižek as well as drawing on Jacques Derrida, Michel Foucault, Guy Debord, Jacques Rancière, Rey Chow, and Stuart Hall, among others, Bowman shows how Bruce Lee 'speaks' to the philosophical debates that frame our understanding of global popular culture today.Although Bowman may not be able to resolve the philosophical battles surrounding our ability to 'know' Bruce Lee, he does a remarkable job of articulating why Bruce Lee remains an essential force within not only world cinema but global culture - both 'high' and 'low.'Armoured with his philosophical nunchakus, Bowman goes to battle with anyone who may doubt Lee's ongoing importance, and this book will undoubtedly become essential reading for everyone (from philosopher to kung fu practitioner) interested in popular culture and Asian cinema." - Gina Marchetti (University of Hong Kong), author of Romance and the "Yellow Peril": Race, Sex and Discursive Strategies in Hollywood Fiction, and From Tian'anmen to Times Square: Transnational China and the Chinese Diaspora on Global Screens, 1989-1997. ... Read more

Product Description
Here is the complete story of the great martial artist/actor Bruce Lee, told with great personal insight by Linda Lee with hundreds of photos from Lee’s personal albums. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Great for Bruce Lee fans
This was a gift for my son-in-law who is a huge Bruce Lee fan as well as a martial arts student and he couldn't put this book down.

It's okay
I was surprised at how poor a quality the actual book was. It's large, but the paper that it was printed on just made me think how cheap it was.

The content of the book was alright. It's a nice short read, but there are parts that are kind of slow.

Bruce Lee story is really good!
The Bruce Lee story is really good! Linda Lee's book about her husband, the legendary Bruce Lee is a great biographical story! Linda Lee shares her private moments and her thoughts about the man she loved so much! Bruce Lee is the Chinese-American who would eventually become the greatest Martial Artist of all time! The photos from Linda Lee's personal collection are great! Bruce Lee is at his best when pictured on the set of his movies, like the Big Boss, Fist of Fury, Way of the Dragon, Game of Death, and Enter the Dragon!I do recommend this book because Linda lee is the only person who knew Bruce lee better than anyone because she was his wife! their is no information on the death of Brandon Lee because this book was published in 1989.A+

be water my friends
Bruce Lee books or papers about him and his success are the best basis for every serious training martial artist. BL & his JKD are open minded, only truth development we can join this world.

Fascinating!
Bruce Lee was an "original" no doubt..He was an innovative martial artist who created an eclectic style of Gung Fu called Jeet Kune Do, an assimilation of many fighting styles...Bruce didn't believe in systems..he always believed that if you could use something to achieve a result use it!Bruce had many followers and "famous" students..such as Steve McQueen, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Chuck Norris, Joe Lewis, Mike Stone, James Coburn and many others...Bruce would be the first to admit that he was first and foremost a martial artist...He used the movies to bring his "art" to the masses and what an impact he made!His films today are quintessential examples of what a martial arts film should be!This book by his wife Linda Lee is a beautifully written biography that offers worlds of insight into who Bruce Lee was as a person..Linda writes lovingly of their relationship and brings a history of Bruce from a baby to his death at the too young age of 32 to you..Bruce lived his life to the fullest and was not only a great martial artist but a very profound philosopher as well...This is a wonderful book and highly recommended, not only to fans of Bruce but to anyone seeking inspiration in their lives.... ... Read more

Product Description
The modern era can claim few heroes as powerful and enduring as Bruce Lee. His philosophy transcended the world of martial arts he dominated, and his thoughts and beliefs have inspired and influenced individuals from all walks of life for more than half a century. To some, Lee was the outsider who crashed Hollywood's gates and introduced Americans to action films. To others, he was the bold and capable pioneer who successfully challenged centuries of martial arts tradition. Still others revered him as a contemporary philosopher and visionary. Today, a new generation has discovered Lee as a model of discipline, strength, and wisdom. Within these pages, the reader will find insight and inspiration in Bruce Lee's own words, in rare interviews never before published in book form, with all-new commentary by the original interviewers. More than twenty-five years after his death, Lee's words still resonate, speaking truths that are as essential today as ever before. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Okay
I wouldn't wbuy this unless you're'a die hard bruce less fan. buy the warrior within by john little. it covers far more of bruce's philiosophies then this book.

An insight into the personality of Bruce Lee
This book gave me a further insight into the kind of person Bruce Lee was. This is due to my reading a couple of others about him. The impression that was most re-inforced was that he was a positive minded person. The other thing I picked up here was that he was the kind of person who always evaluated himself on a regular basis to see how he could improve etc.
The bad thing about thing about this book is the interviews with the interviewers; these are nothing more than opinions about Bruce by men who, in my book, didn't know Bruce long enough to warrant their opinions to be worth printing in a book. I think these were included to give volume to the book. Because I was only interested in Bruce's own words, I learned nothing from these bits.(It is because of these wasteful bits I only given 3 stars)

The really own words of the master are excellent
One at the front: The really own words of the master are excellent. One must make sure that only 43 sides of the only 7 x 5 inch small book are interviews with Bruce Lee. The rest consists of interviews with the formerinterviewers. However, as a paperback this book costs not really a fortune.But the words of the master are absolutely worth-while, as alreadymentioned at the beginning.

THE PROTOTYPE OF ALL FUTURE BRUCE LEE BOOKS!
I purchased the hardcover edition of "Bruce Lee: Words From A Master" several months ago and enjoyed it thoroughly. The fact thatthis book is the ONLY book in existence that is based upon actual andverifiable transcripts of Bruce Lee speaking about his life, art andphilosophy make it the only unimpeachable source of information from BruceLee. I was at an airport the other day and spotted the new paperbackedition of this book. I wasn't going to buy it, since I already had thehardcover edition, but I couldn't help myself! I like the paperback editionthat much better as it is less awkward than the hardcover (particularly forsuch a comparatively small book). I think that this book will serve as thetemplate or prototype of all future Bruce Lee books as it isn't a photobook -- it's a serious presentation of the thought and opinions of one ofthis century's greatest philosophers and martial artists, Bruce Lee, and ispresented in a serious and engaging format. The book is chock full ofvaluable and practical information on life, combat, racism, yin-yang,dealing with challenges in life, and so on -- but all of it comes DIRECTLYfrom Bruce Lee himself. It's such a great and powerful little book that Iwill probably end up buying another copy for myself, along with additionalcopies for friends this Christmas. Thank you John Little and ContemporaryBooks for this masterpiece! I also bought John Little's "The WarriorWithin" (perhaps the greatest Bruce Lee book ever written) and hopethat Contemporary and Mr. Little will be bringing us more Bruce Leephilosophy books in the near future! It's the perfect tonic for ourtroubled times.

ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!
"Bruce Lee: Words From A Master" is the most insightful and revealing book on Bruce Lee, his martial art and his personal philosophy that I have ever read. The beauty of it is that these incredible interviews provide unquestionable authority as they are the only three interviews thatcan be verified through audio and video tape as being legitimately BruceLee and expressing his honest views and beliefs. Every other book containsquotes from Bruce Lee (I exclude the Tuttle series of books which are basedupon his original writings)but never the context from which they are taken.The format of this book is also very agreeable; John Little (the editor andworld's foremost authority on Bruce Lee) has actually tracked down thethree individuals who recorded these interviews with Lee and obtained theirinsights and recollections on their dialogues with Bruce Lee. Absolutelybrilliant! I have never -- ever -- seen this done in a book before. I hopethat Mr. Little (who's other book "The Warrior Within" is withoutquestion the best presentation of Bruce Lee's philosophy I have everread)is planning on continuing to write more books on Lee's thought asthese books have only whetted my appetite for more authentic teachings ofBruce Lee. I highly recommend that you buy this book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the book that Bruce Lee had intended to publish as an in-depth follow up to his Chinese Gung Fu. Prior to his death, he had written the majority of the text, which explores such topics as yin-yang as it applies to martial arts, Eastern and Western fitness methodologies, and martial arts and self-defense techniques. The manuscript was completed by martial arts expert John Little in cooperation with the Bruce Lee estate. 100+ photos. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

only the best
Ich bin ein großer Freund von Bruce' Lehre. Sein freies Denken sollte in der Tat eine Vorbildwirkung besitzen. Es ist daher wirklich erfreulich, dass John Little die Schriften von Bruce gesammelt und nun herausgebracht hat. Um diesen hervorragenden Kämpfer richtig verstehen und würdigen zu können, ist es sinnvoll auch einige unkriegerische Details über ihn zu erfahren, oder wie im vorliegenden Werk, etwas über seine Entwicklung zum Kämpfer.
Das Buch ist fuer mich ein Muss.

The Tao of Gung FU
well I own this book and it gave me a little bit more insight to Wing Chun and I think martial arts altogether. And it also help me learn the terminology as well.

Who knew such a great entertainer had such great knowledge?
To describe this as merely a martial arts book or fighting techniques is a tremendous underestimation of the wisdom that pervaded the mind of Mr. Lee. The indelible impression that Bruce Lee left upon the world is only becoming more pronounced as time goes by.

In the spirit of Jeet Kune Do, the most efficient and natural fighting technique and philosophy, I will simply say this: A must-read for anyone interested in either improving anything about their life, or simply their understanding of life. Whatever you do for a living, or if you are a student, do yourself a favor and get this book.

If you are looking for a synopsis or further description from me - I'm sorry in this case I can't do that. You will just have to get the book for yourself and experience the cream of a culture which is thousands of years older and wiser than our own.

We are lucky Bruce Lee came to the U.S. Another reason to not take for granted, even in these dark times, the tremendous freedoms of the United States.

Bruce Lee's timeless resonance will continue to live on in the hearts and minds of millions for as long as humanity has access to these great materials. Be proud you are allowed access to this kind of tremendous accomplishment.

I would also like to personally thank the authors and contributors to this book, and others in the series, for publishing and otherwise making Bruce Lee's work available posthumously. One of the most interesting and useful contributions to the best of the best list of all time.

A philosophical look at a physical art.
Bruce Lee was an amazing person, able to blend the physical beauty of the body with the philosophical beauty of the mind and create the true essence of martial art. In the Tao of Gung Fu, Bruce Lee devotes individual attention to philosophical and physical aspects of his form. His main attention is on Wing Chung, the style of Gung Fu that he himself studied under a Chinese master. Bruce devotes most of the first part of the book to basics and philosophical principles of Gung Fu, including the redirecting of the opponents energy to use it against him.
I would recommend this book to most practitioners, and those that are considering getting into martial arts. The second half of the book covers some basic techniques, stances, stretches, exercises, and practices, while the last twenty or thirty pages include personal quotes, answered questions, and biographies of some of the old masters.
This book is good for beginners because it gives them an insight into the art and some of the things it will take to be successful. It also allows them to understand some of the basic philosophies of the martial arts.
Those with practice will enjoy this book because it goes into some of the more interesting aspects of the art and is written eloquently by one of the greatest martial artists in history.
This should be added to most martial art libraries. I've practiced multiple styles for nearly ten years and find that this book is an invaluable resource to study and train with.

Bruce Lee Tao of Gung Fu
The book Bruce Lee the Tao of Gung Fu was a good book because Bruce Lee hiself teaches you how to protect yourself from dangerous people. Also the style is gung fu a weapon to becoming a great skill fighter. Bruce Lee is one of the best in teaching
When and where to srike a person that is trying to take you down. But Bruce Lee doesent want his learners to just be using the style on any body just use it when needed. Their is three types of Gung Fu you can learn but to do so you have to be very fucus to learn step by step. Reading this book told me alot I didnt know.

I recomend this book to anybody or everybody because this book was good it taught me stuff that I never knew befor. I now that if somebody read this book they will feel the same way as me. If you like book that teaches you things then I recomend that you just give this book a try beacuse Bruce hisself puts hard work in makeing the reader's relax and enjoy the book. So yes I would recomend this book once again.








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