Bruce Lee Books

I had known of this book for a while, but it didn't sit very high on my reading pile list. In retrospect I guess it was because it was written by Linda Lee's ex-husband. It seemed to me it would either be an attack on Linda or just a money-making scheme. Both of which are probably partially true, anyway.

But I did finally get round to reading it. I started to read it late one night and, once started, I didn't want to go to bed until I had read it all. I enjoyed it. It's a very different approach to a Bruce Lee biography. Most biographies speak in a positive manner about their subject; Mr Bleeker seems determined to destroy the image of Bruce Lee that has built up over the many years since his death. Why has he chosen to do this? Apparently to show us all the "real" Bruce Lee. Why he feels the need to do this? I have no idea.

I am not going to sit here and tell you I believe everything in the book; nor will I say it is full of lies. This is basically a book written by someone who didn't particularly like Bruce Lee. What he has done has gone metaphorically through Bruce's rubbish bins, dirty laundry and is trying to prove to us we shouldn't respect him as much as we did before.

Nothing in this book changes my opinion of Bruce. He was a great - and still is - an inspirational character. I never believed that he was the best martial artist in the world, or that he was the perfect physical specimen. He was a man who achieved so much in so little time, because of his sheer determination and belief in himself and his abilities. And faced with a lot of obstacles along the way, he eventually prevailed.

Overall it was an enjoyable read, and a good insight into Bruce behind closed doors. It left me feeling kind of sorry for Bruce. That passed after a few days, and my interest in Bruce has gone up dramatically since reading it, which is a very good thing. Long live the memory of the wonderful Mr Bruce Lee!!!

The book Unsettled Matters provides shocking insights on the life and death of Bruce Lee. Tom Bleecker knew Bruce Lee personally, researched his life, married Linda Lee and wrote Unsettled Matters.

Will we ever know FOR SURE, what happened to Bruce Lee? I doubt it, but Bleecker's book offers you a well written and plausible alternative explanation than the "official" stories.

Have you ever wondered why a bully picks on some one smaller than himself? Maybe it's because he believes putting someone down will lift him up. Maybe it's his low self esteem, or his poignant past. Whatever the circumstances are, this book is appalling with nothing diminutive of lies, fantasy and outright pure jealousy. I believe that the author of this book is invidious of Bruce Lee and therefore just trying to dishonor his legacy. Save your money and save your time; this is not the truth - and nothing close to it.

First of all what is Mr. Bleecker's reason for writing this book. Is it because you want the fans to know the truth????? How is it that you know the truth having only taken one lesson from Bruce Lee. Everyone else that knew him and speak of him contrary to what is in this book must be lying right? How is it that you ended up marrying the widow of the man you obviously despised. Could you have had an hidden agenda from the very beginning? And how is it that you know the real cause of death, are you a doctor Mr. Bleecker? Why didn't you write this book while he was alive to defend himself??? I might also add that the one who supplied the drugs, and the women, your information cannot be verified because they are either dead or out of reach.

I wouldn't recommend this book unless you just want to read about Bruce Lee's skeletons (according to someone who hated him) but I'm sure that you have enough of your own.

Regardless of Mr. Bleecker says, Bruce Lee was a great Martial Artist and Actor. I have been a fan since I was a teenager and will continue to be one. I have no doubt that Bruce Lee made mistakes as we all do in life. Why don't you write a book about someone's skeletons that you really know about Mr. Bleecker, yours and then let everyone judge you.

I hope everyone can see this for what it is a money making (...). Just look at the price of the book.


Taneisha V.

".....In this specialized training manual, DeMile presents a simple but organized approach to one of Bruce Lee's dynamic techniques.

The materials is presented in such a way that ANYONE CAN LEARN THIS PUNCH EFFECTIVELY, regardless of his martial arts background."
[from the booklet of the back cover]

The 1-inch and 3-inch or Floating punches are real. They work. They are dangerous to your partner so FOLLOW the advice to use a METRO phone book and perhaps add a judogi (not a thin karate type).

I am buying another copy because my original one is lost -- when I first found this book I had some basic skill in karate, aikido, and fighting but in no way wish to claim any great expertise. I am moderately strong with fairly quick strong hands -- as a point of reference.

I read the book quickly (takes only a few minutes, to an hour or so if you read slowly); I did NOT spend weeks or months doing the exercises; I practiced for a few minutes solo. Then I tried it.

It worked first time (it worked too well really*), and has worked every time since, although I seldom demonstrate it and have ALWAYS done so in a static position (not moving around fighting or sparring.)

*The first time I tested it, I made what might have been a serious mistake in using a fairly small local phone book instead of a large metro area tome -- don't use anything less than 2 1/2-3 inches in thickness until you understand this. If in doubt, ADD more padding like a big folded towel or judogi.

Fortunately, even on that first attempt I "pulled" it somewhat (maybe 50%) by not reaching very 'deep' for the full effect. My partner was not permanently injured. However, my partner would NOT let me repeat the technique even after the offer of a larger phone book and more padding.

Later I showed it to my aikido training partners with full padding (New Orleans metro book and judogi) but even then I have always pulled it a bit. I am pretty sure that I have never let it go more than about 70%, maybe less. Still it works.

If it doesn't work for you then you either need to read and follow the instructions more carefully, practice more thoroughly, relax more completely, MAYBE do more push-ups (least likely but you do need some strength and speed), or all of the above.

Seriously it works. I have never taught it due to the responsibility, but the book does describe it accurately and completely (unlike many of the descriptions on web sites and forums**) and so there you are if you want to learn it.

** So far, every description I have read on the web has left out at least one component, usually such articles leave out a couple of key points. I would not be surprised if the punch works somewhat without all the elements, but I KNOW it works if you follow the instructions completely.

P.S.> I would like to practice it "moving/sparring" if I can find the right partner(s) to do this safely. My current Systema & Tai Chi instructor is likely up to the challenge -- he's a tough one.

This book is getting a lot of flak for not imparting Bruce Lee's devastating martial arts secrets, but of course the flaw here is that you're trying to learn martial arts from a book. It's fine as an overview if you're curious about the basic mechanics involved, but it's not the modern equivalent of the mystical ancient scrolls you've been taught to expect in those late night cable tv kung-fu movie marathons. At best, this book should only be used as a supplemental to formal instruction. If you bought this book expecting to learn this (or any) technique without real-life instruction, you have no right to whine after your friends beat you up.

Put simply, if you're serious about learning this technique you need to learn it from a person, not a paperback that you found on the internet.

Awesome book on the one and three inch punch. THESE punching techniques are deadly and needs a lot of practice to perform it the way De'mile does it. Buy it if you want to know how to keep inside yourself a very strong knockpunch[if used on the jaw or solar plexus}that can be usefull against an physical fight

Great book on these mechanics! I've learned similar mechanics in Wing Chun, similar but not the same. To a martial artist, the mind and breath exercises described herein are things that could be taken into other areas of training, rather than just this technique.
If such a technique can be learned from a book, it can be learned from this book, but one must build the skill patiently and a step at a time, as it is explained.
I don't know if this is a good buy for a regular person, but it's a treasure to an impassioned martial artist.

I will confess straight away that I have not read the book, but I find the title so misleading that I feel compelled to comment. None of these figures 'failed to see' that the Civil War was a great threat and possibly inevitable. See The Impending Crisis by David Potter, The Road to Disunion by Freehing, or Michael Holt's books.

1858: Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant and The War They Failed to See, Bruce Chadwick , Sourcebooks Inc., 355 pp., notes, bibliography, index, 2008, $24.95

1858 offers clear and concise descriptions of key political and social events that shoved the states into rebellion and resistance. Adventurous and even compelling at times, 1858 moves the reader through twelve months of political and social turmoil. Chadwick explores not the mundane but the exceptional.

Not familiar to most Civil War readers is Jefferson Davis' 1858 visit to Maine in order to recuperate from herpes and build a coalition of Northern Democrats in a bid to establish a presidential candidacy in 1860. The Southern press pilloried him to the point that when he returned he retracted his statements. Ironically, these retractions put him into a position where he would be offered a presidency in 1861, that of the Confederate States of America.

In one six page chapter, Chadwick offers a cogent and balanced description of the Dred Scott Decision, one of the most important U.S. Supreme Court event in U.S. history. His ability to put into place the origins, personalities, issues, and outcomes of this event is exceptional. As a Advance Placement U.S. History test reader, CWL reflected that this chapter would be a fine contribution to student resources.

Though CWL is quite familiar with the Lincoln-Douglas debates, the Oberlin Ohio Rescue and John Brown's escape with slaves from Missouri to Canada, Chadwick offers the essentials in a manner that captures the excitement and underscores their place in bringing the states to the brink of rebellion in 1860. After reading 1858, Civil War buffs may have a new appreciation for the events leading to the Secession Winter of 1860-1861. Some readers may need to keep in mind that all soldiers in the ranks had lived through and had argued over the events of 1858.

Though a Pennsylvanian, CWL has not be able to work up any enthusiasm for James Buchanan, 15th president of the United States. Chadwick's 1858 covers the Buchanan presidency in nine chapters that fall between chapters on Davis, Lee, the Lincoln-Douglas debates, the Oberlin Rescue, Seward's Irrepressible Conflict speech, and John Brown's rescue of slaves from Missouri. Read consecutively the Buchanan White House chapters make the case for this Northern Democrat holding Southern Democrats' interest higher than his own section and possibly allowing the conflict to become truly irrepressible.

Some quibbles: The subtitle is unclear; nine of 17 chapters deal with the Buchanan White House, two deal with Lincoln and Douglas, and single chapters deal with Lee, Davis, Seward, Sherman, The Dred Scott Decision, John Brown's Raid on Missouri and the Slaveholder's raid on Nicaragua. Mysteriously, U.S. Grant is mentioned only on four pages in the book but is in the subtitle. Buchanan has nine chapters but has no mention in the title at all.

CWL suggests that the subtitle be changed for the paperback edition: 1858--The Year the Civil War Became Inevitable for Davis, Lee, Douglas, Lincoln, Seward, Sherman and John Brown. Or 1858--Blood Before The Civil War's Dawn: The Men Who Pulled the Trigger on the War.

Chadwick assumes the reader has no detailed understanding of the period; 1858 is written for the general audience. For the paperback edition, a chronology for the year should be added as well as a brief chronology of the 1846-1860 era. A list of characters would also be helpful for the general audience. Also, the index needs some attention. The entry--Forney, John--lists 6 pages with three subtopics. John Forney has a whole chapter, Number Nine, pages 135-140 but these pages are not listed under the entry--Forney, John--in the index. Some proofreading needs to be done. Notes 159, 160 and 161 are the same font size as the text font; these note number should be the superscript font size, just like the other 744 notes.

I have to admit that I can't quite place this book. I would say on the one hand I was disappointed because while it did a good job of portraying the year 1858 it could have just as easily been 1856 or 1860, both of which would have been more interesting. The book spent a lot of time focusing on personal rivalries to the detriment of painting the national picture. Also certain figures who would rise to prominence in the Civil War were given great exposure yet others were barely mentioned. (Like Grant)

So all in all if you like the period, there are worse reads out there but I still think that James McPherson's Battle Cry of Freedom does a much better job at portraying the period.

Reads like a novel, but its pure history and gives a perspective on the Civil War which has been lacking. The war wasn't about slavery in the south, but more so about slavery in the new states of the west....

Why 1858? I found myself asking that question repeatedly the entire time I was reading this book. What made 1858 THE year to look at in regards to the coming of the Civil War. Author Bruce Chadwick tries (largely unsuccessfully, in my opinion) to argue that 1858 was the year slavery became THE main issue facing the United States and events which occurred in 1858 played a large role in bringing about the war. In his Foreword, Chadwick tells the reader he will attempt to accomplish this by weaving together seven stories of people and events, linking these disparate stories together with looks into James Buchanan's "spectacular failure" as President.

1858 weaves together seven stories all (loosely) tied together by Buchanan's Presidency. These stories are, in no particular order:

1. Jefferson Davis
2. Robert E. Lee
3. William T. Sherman
4. The Oberlin-Wellington Slave Rescue
5. William H. Seward
6. John Brown
7. The Lincoln-Douglas Debates

At first, I was intrigued by the author's decision to abandon a traditional narrative and use what I thought would be an interesting change of pace. The idea works better in theory than in the pages of 1858, however. Stories are broken up into different chapters with little regard for continuity or chronological order. For readers new to the subject, this may very well be misleading as far as a time line of these events goes.

As I stated in my introduction, my main and overriding question while reading the entire book was "Why 1858? What makes this year so special?" Unfortunately, although the author does claim he chose 1858 because it was THE year slavery became the overriding issue facing the United States, he doesn't give nearly enough reason WHY, and thus doesn't really answer my question. In essence, he argues FOR 1858, but he really gives no arguments AGAINST other years. To me, slavery had been THE issue for quite some time. A post concerning the Compromise of 1850 at Elektratig shows that slavery was very much at the forefront of the country's concerns as the 1850s opened, and that the Civil War may well have started a decade earlier had the Compromise of 1850 not happened. I can agree with the Lincoln-Douglas debates and the Oberlin-Wellington Slave rescue as two MAJOR events involving slavery and an acceleration towards war. However, other events outside of this year, especially John Brown's Harpers Ferry Raid in 1859 and obviously the Presidential Election of 1860 were major events which did much to hasten the Civil War. Chadwick does argue that the seeds were sewn for these events in 1858. He stresses that John Brown's raid into Missouri and successful escape with slaves into Canada in 1858 and the Lincoln-Douglas debates led to these other events. That may be true, but the MAIN events happened in years other than 1858. Without belaboring the point too much, I believe you simply cannot make a strong case that 1858 was any more important than many other years in causing the Civil War or having slavery become THE issue facing the country. Chadwick's failure too largely explain WHY or argue against other years only drives home the point for me.

To me, deciding to include William T. Sherman was an odd choice other than to allow the author/publisher to get Ulysses S. Grant's name into the subtitle of the book. Grant is barely mentioned, and Sherman had hardly anything to do with the author's assertion that 1858 was the year slavery became the most important issue in the country. The only reason I can see to include Sherman is to show an example of a Northerner who had no strong feelings towards slavery, much like Robert E. Lee was personally opposed to slavery as a Southerner. In reading the chapters covering Sherman, I was puzzled as to what purpose his antebellum life story served to the narrative as a whole.

The subtitle of the book is especially puzzling to me. U.S. Grant is listed and he is barely mentioned in the book, pretty much only in relation to the Sherman portion of the story. Putting a famous figure into your title or subtitle only to barely mention them isn't going to win points with this reviewer. Another issue I have with the subtitle is "The War They Failed to See." Huh? Lincoln's "House Divided" speech is mentioned. So is Jefferson Davis' ascension in late 1858 as the leader of the Secession Movement. John Brown not only saw war coming, he was determined to start it himself! And lastly, Seward's "Irrepressible Conflict" speech is also stressed. It seems to me these men at least had an inkling that war was at the very least very possible if not imminent if some drastic steps were not taken with regards to slavery. I don't want to pin this on the author at all. Marketing sells books, and the subtitle screams MARKETING from a tall building. Blame the publisher here folks.

If you have lasted this long, you might believe I hated 1858. This is definitely not so. My policy is to get the bad out of the way first and move on to the good. Let's start with the author's style. Bruce Chadwick is definitely a good storyteller. Despite some continuity issues in his narrative choice as mentioned earlier, I read this 300 page book in only two sittings. I could not put it down.

Chadwick's chapters on the gross ineptitude of James Buchanan's Presidency were my favorite portions of the book. Rather than focus on the slavery issue and try to resolve it in some way, Buchanan instead completely ignored slavery when possible and blinded himself to the enormity of the problem the rest of the time. His "Don Quixote-ish schemes", as Chadwick calls them, to annex portions of Central and South America by any means possible while ignoring slavery was just one issue. In addition, Buchanan chose to fight petty feuds with two powerful men, Senator Stephen Douglas and newspaper editor John Forney, and these feuds were disastrous for the Democratic party in the elections of 1858 and the Presidential election of 1860. More than any other man, Buchanan had the power to slow or even prevent radical developments with regards to the slavery situation. Instead, says Chadwick, he did nothing while radicals on both sides led the nation to the brink of war.

I was also pleasantly surprised with the bibliography and notes. Chadwick uses a nice number of endnotes, including 747 in exactly 300 pages of text. He did use quite a few secondary sources, but for what was obviously to me a "pop history" book aimed more at the masses than to deep readers, Chadwick also looked at the papers of many of those involved in the events of the year 1858 and around 90 newspapers published at the time. A serviceable index rounds out the book.

Bruce Chadwick's 1858 sets out to prove that year was the year slavery became THE issue in the United States, but was rather unsuccessful in this regard. His arguments for 1858 as the year were sparse and his arguments against other years were non-existent. The story's continuity suffered somewhat as a result of some conscious choices on the author's part. Despite these flaws, 1858 is an enjoyable read aimed at the masses which I would be happy to recommend to readers new to the subject. Deep readers will find this material covered elsewhere in much greater detail.

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?

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.

This is basically a step by step series of attack/defenses. It acts as a sort of overview of kung fu in about 50 pages or so.. so it misses a lot and is not in depth. The text is short so there is not much for the advanced student but it is not aimed at the beginner either. Spend [a little] more and get some book on Jeet kune do or a different kung fu book.

This book should not be considered as a complete or even accurate portrayal of the chinese martial arts. Originally published in 1963, it must have been one of the few books in print on "gung-fu" and novel at the time (if it ever sold significant copies). Witness the introduction written by James Y Lee (Lee's good friend) in which Lee is described as "one of the highest authorities in the Chinese Art of Gung Fu in the United States today." Compared with what is available today, this book is rather basic and idiosyncratic. There is some Chinese philosophy, a listing of styles, some waist and leg exercises. A larger part of the book consists of photographs of Lee demonstrating responses to various attacks by opponents - the usual fare of martial arts books. The book ends with a some apparently "filler" photos of Lee's visit to a karate studio. The book has a homemade, hodge-podge feel to it and would appeal to Bruce Lee fans.

To the dude who said it was not good for the beginner in martial arts, I totally disagree. In fact, as a new student of Choy Li Fut gung fu and not the wing chun that bruce lee practiced this book has greatly enhanced my training and knowledge. I have the Choy Li Fut kung fu book by Doc Fai Wong and it lacks many details on footwork and punches. Bruce Lee covered the basics which are essential for mastering any style of martial art or fighting for that matter. Yes, it is not 100% complete on wing chun and martial arts like for example it never mentions chau sau (sticky hands) or weapons training but it is great way to learn how to do the correct footwork, stances and core basics. A must for Bruce Lee fans and martial artists. Get this and the Tao of Jeet Kune Do for a wonderful training aid.

The "Jeet Kune Do Experience: Understanding Bruce Lee's Ultimate Martial Art" by Jerry Beasley incorporates material from Beasley's "In Search of the Ultimate Martial Art" and "The Way of No Way." It addresses the subject of training in the system of jeet kune do (JKD). The book is not about Bruce Lee, but rather the art that he created.

In this book, Beasley attempts to provide an acceptable definition to the term jeet kune do, based on the principles that compose the conceptual framework. He does this by recognizing the views and values of individuals who studied with Bruce Lee directly, or as second hand participants. Beasley's knowledge of JKD comes primarily from his study with Dan Inosanto and Joe Lewis, two very accomplished martial artists in their own right. There will most likely always be contention among jeet kune do practitioners regarding what true jeet kune do is or how it differs from jeet kune do concepts and other training philosophies that use the same term JKD. Because of this, there may be readers that disagree with Beasley's definition of jeet kune do and his version of Bruce Lee's art. All I can say about that is that I do not study or teach JKD, or any version of it. I tried to read this book as Beasley wished, with open-mindedness and without burdens of preconceived opinions and conclusions. And from that standpoint, I found this book to be an educational and entertaining read. I found things in this book that I could relate to my own martial art training and teaching.

The first half of the book was Beasley's "In Search of the Ultimate Martial Art" that he wrote in 1988. The chapters include Finding the Path, Going to the Source, The Next Generation, The Skills of Jeet Kune Do, and Conclusions. I especially liked the chapter Going To The Source witch contained interviews with Dan Inosanto, Larry Hartsell, who we unfortunately lost just recently, and Joe Lewis. I enjoyed reading the words of those that have been such an influence with not only JKD but martial arts for so many years. The weakest part of this section of the book for me was the chapter on JKD skills. This chapter showed a small sampling of techniques illustrated with sequenced photographs. The chapter was okay in showing a small sampling of JKD techniques, and that was its main purpose. It is not meant to teach you JKD, and that is good. I just enjoyed the rest of the book more than this chapter. The conclusions chapter provided some concepts that anyone in the martial arts should be aware of and study. It was enlightening the way Beasley presented his thoughts his book gave me more to think about in my own jouney.

The second part of the book is Beasley's "The Way of No Way," originally published in 1992 and based on a number of Beasley's magazine articles from that time period. It consists of chapters titled Developing a Science for JKD, Utilizing the Principles of JKD, The Matrix, Basic Training, and Conclusions and Observations. Again, I enjoyed the conceptual writings much more than the techniques accompanied with photographs. I felt the weakest chapter in the book was Basic Training. It provided a few basic weight lifting exercises and training drills shows through pictures. This chapter was no where near as useful as the chapter on utilizing the principles of JKD. I especially liked the reprinting of the article written by Beasley and Joe Lewis, "Beyond the Angles of Attack" that was originally published in the July 1988 issue of Black Belt magazine.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I do not study or teach JKD, but I still found a lot of wisdom and value in some of the concepts Beasley wrote about. I also enjoyed learning more about Jeet Kune Do and those that have pioneered the art since Bruce Lee's passing. I especially connected with how Beasley closes the book in reminding us of the ending of the movie "Circle of Iron" where the main character opens the book of "truth" to find a reflection of himself. Each of us represents our own truth. Beasley's JKD might not be like other's JKD, and Beasley himself acknowledges and accepts that. However, Beasley's "The Jeet Kune Do Experience" is a very good book for those that want a better understanding of the art of JKD and quite possibly a better understanding of their own training.

Reviewed by Alain Burrese, author of "Hard-Won Wisdom From the School of Hard Knocks" and the dvds "Hapkido Hoshinsul," "Streetfighting Essentials," "Hapkido Cane" and the "Lock On Joint Locking Essentials" series.

Martial arts scholar and teacher Jerry Beasley draws upon his many years of experience and expertise to provide a definitive study of the Bruce Lee jeet kune do, an effective and dramatic form of martial arts that combines both Eastern and Western fighting styles. Included along with a profusion of illustrations are interviews with martial arts masters who worked closely with Bruce Lee, including Dan Inosanto, Larry Hartsell, and Joe Lewis. The Jeet Kune Do Experience will prove to be a very welcome addition to any personal, professional, academic, or community library martial arts reference collection.

This is the Original Book written about Guro Dan Inosanto and the JKD Concept. The author interviewed Mr.Inosanto between 1983 and 1988 and recorded the very best interviews. Interviews with other JKD instructors are included. What is so unique about this book is that the information dates back to the early 1980's so readers get a first hand account as to what actually happened as the JKD Concept was being developed. The author also includes a very original, honest and revealing review of the practice of JKDC. This book is endorsed by Guro Dan Inosanto on the back cover. If you practice the JKD Concept you need this historic first ever published book on the subject! Good job Paladin Press.

First of all, Bruce himself says thart JKD is not a martial art, he did not invent a new style in his video the way of intercepting the fist.

Clearly Jerry is not Bruce Lee fan nor does he know anything about JKD. If this wern't amazon.com I would have called Jerry a disgrace and a no count for giving WRONG information about Bruce Lee's work.

Get Tao of JKD instead.

In reading this I got the notion that not much effort was put into research, only money for seminars. The opinions are narrow and the author rarely has a discovery we haven't already heard. I do give him credit on making people aware of "concepts".

Many times the chapters contain the same information presented earlier.

Very outdated and will not be regarded as a "timeless classic".

I bought this book recently for $2 because Tuttle is dumping a lot of old titles. The discounted price reflects the book's limited market: people interested in martial arts stories; specifically, martial artists who are able to recognize that mastery of physical forms is not enough; and more specifically, martial arts teachers who have come to a point of dissatisfaction with technique and are open to deeper teaching.

Basically, it's the story of a Master who is summoned from his native Vietnam to help a disheartened student now living in the US. The Master travels across the ocean and teaches a diverse band of martial arts teachers, primarily by urging them to let go of form and seek substance. Lots of quotes from Lao Tzu, which is always a tricky way to go because that sage continually insisted that words are not enough.

In one sense, the book is a success if it has served as key input for a few individuals to transform their lives, and thereby those of their students. But as general reading, it's mostly fluff with lots of old cliches (e.g., boat crossing to the other shore, p. 109), New Age cliches (e.g., "the movements somehow embraced all styles", p. 130), and repeated admonitions about the sorry state of western civilization.

At some points, the book even reads like a badly written novel, where the author is oblivious to the fact that polysyllabic words inserted in the dialogue sound forced because nobody speaks that way naturally. And in Chapter 10, the Master basically tells one of his students, "You are in duality but I am not" (p. 141), which is really quite funny if you are not mesmerized by the author's claim to an exalted state.

I'm sure some people feel the book is very helpful. But the only part that I found inspiring and original was the tale of Usefulness and Uselessness in Chapter 2.

This very interesting book, marvelously writen by Tri Thong Dang brought me a deep understanding about the oriental aspect of the martial arts; as today we all look for self defense 0nly, some spiritual aspects were lost nowadays.

Thw words of this book, bring me back to the days when we care about Master and disciple dialogues; and made me take the dust from my old I Ching book.

One of the most interesting part of this volume is exactly that - each chapter starts with an I ching hexagram. And if you are clever enough, you'll relate all the history with the symbols.

It's not the best book I read, but it worth it; I read it all in one afternoon.

This very interesting book, marvelously writen by Tri Thong Dang brought me a deep understanding about the oriental aspect of the martial arts; as today we all look for self defense 0nly, some spiritual aspects were lost nowadays.

Thw words of this book, bring me back to the days when we care about Master and disciple dialogues; and made me take the dust from my old I Ching book.

One of the most interesting part of this volume is exactly that - each chapter starts with an I ching hexagram. And if you are clever enough, you'll relate all the history with the symbols.

It's not tje best book I read, but it worth it.

Toward the Unknown is the sequel to Beyond the Known, which was for some of us, a work of art. Master Tri Dang responded to a few comments that Beyond the Known reflected so much of the traditional martial artist's mind that it was difficult for some contemporary practitioners to follow. As was his occasional practice, if artistry wasn't clearly understood, the point was made directly, like using a two-by-four to move a mule. Toward the Unknown was Master Tri Dang's last effort, and again tells parables of the student, teacher and master. These characters teach and learn through life's journey of transitions set in more modern situations. The book is more explicit about developing character through practice and discipline. If Beyond the Known is poetry, then Toward the Unknown is prose. These books are meant for the martial artist to reflect upon their goals, contributions and purpose.

As a Martial Artist of 15 years, I found the ideas in this book to be amazing. As a whole, it altered my perception of what the Martial Arts are in relation to each other and to life. After 15 years of practice, I have a long way to go, and this book has provided me with the direction I need.

I feel that even non-practitioners can absorb so much from this book. They will come to understand what mastery is of any sort, and can strive to improve themselves using that understanding.

For those who are reluctant because it is a "self help book" rest easy. It is written as a series of parables, not lectures, which are entertaining and easy to follow. Be warned though, such simple stories lead to complex ideas... enjoy!

It was a pretty good book, however, like people have mentioned, some of the stuff is repeated. A lot. I don't know how many interviews he did in that period of time, but I wish they had done better choosing what they did instead of repeating so much of the same stuff. The one I really wish they had put in there was his most famous interview. The one they video taped, where he talks about everything while trying out for a tv show. If you've seen the new Enter the Dragon 25 year anniversary, its the one before the movie that lasts like 15 minutes. They should have included a text version in this book.

If you find this book on sale at a used book store or something, pick it up, it's worth it. But don't go spending full price for this, because it isn't worth it. If you find it on Amazon here along with another book (like Tao of Gung Fu and this together) then go ahead and get them. To buy this book solo though would just be a waste, you would have it done within a couple of hours.

I heard several of these interviews from other sources. If YOU haven't then the book might be worth your time and money, but then again even the interviews in the book get old. Each interviewer asks the same questions and Bruce gives the same answers. It's less thrilling than other Bruce Lee books.

This book gave me an insight into the personality of Bruce Lee. it is the second book about him i have read. The only thing i do not like about this book is one peice of information which it gives without correcting it in the notes. He didn't die in hospital; he died in the house of an actress which he and Raymond Chow had gone to see about offering her a role in the film Game of Death. While they were there, Bruce got a headache and took a pill and retired to the bedroom. That's where he died.

for lee fans and martial arts fans alike, "words of the dragon" provides a unique perspective on the life of an extraordinary man. through newspaper articles, tv and radio interviews, etc. mr. little (with kind cooperation of linda lee cadwell)has pieced together a media history of bruce lee. readers find a chance to get to know the lighthearted and the intense mr. lee, the fighter, the artist, the family man. though we all realize how the media can turn words around, or add them, etc., the author has included corrections at the end of each chapter, which, in themselves, must be read to understand the full story.very well-crafted, and intelligently pieced together, "words of the dragon" will take the reader to a new level of understanding of the mind and heart of the great bruce lee.

The title of the book „Words of the Dragon, Interviews 1985-1973" reflects a little bit a wrong impression of the book. A better title would be „Words about the Dragon, Press Report 1958-1973". At the beginning of the book a few things are repeated over and over again. It seems that it would be difficult to investigate e.g. how old Bruce Lee was when his parents returned to Hong Kong. Only at the end of this book one could catch a small impression of Bruce Lee's philosophy. His carrier as an actor comes primarily up. The US Press didn't understand until Bruce Lee's death that his art wasn't Karate. I expected more philosophically thoughts and background knowledge of his martial art. The Bruce Lee connoisseur gained no really news and I thing the book isn't stimulating for beginners. I was impressed by the letter of Brandon Lee, which is printed at the end of the book.

This is a very good biography. Most of the other books regarding Bruce's life are more into his films and don't get into much more than that. This book has very detailed accounts of his life. There is some great stuff in here about how Bruce and his Chinese friends would goad the English boys into fights when he was young (to test their skills). Also he staged all kinds of practical jokes on people! He had a great sense of humor! I was very happy to read about his trips to India (attempting to film The Silent Flute). Absolutely great stuff in here. Some very touching stories in here, too. He attempted to marry a Japanese girl several times, but it didnt' work out. She wasn't interested in marrying him. There is some very good stuff in here. They have some great pictures in here, too, but sometimes they spread them over two pages where it doesn't make sense to do that because the spine of the book is over his head or something, so I wish they would have done a better job laying out the pictures. I also would have liked to see the book in color, and I don't know why they put an artists drawing of him on the cover when there are so many excellent actual pictures of him. But that's ok the material here is very good.

This book presents an excellent pictorial biography of Bruce Lee. It lacks detailed information on his life but compensates for this by presenting excellent pictures of Bruce in his daily life and in his screen endeavours.

I think Bruce Lee Biography is a exelent book. It tells what Bruce Lee did from when he was a kid from when he was an adult and it also had his feelings on things. I definently think this would bee an exellent book to read if you study Jeet Kun Do

Is Robert Clouse capable of writing above the 8th grade level? After reading "The Making of Enter the Dragon" and then the first two-thirds of this one (I couldn't take anymore) I have my doubts.

He isn't a bad director. He IS a bad writer, unless he is a master sandbagger.

I have been a Bruce Lee fan for more than 20 years so I naturally thought I would love this book. I didn't. It was one of the few books that I was unable to finish. After 125 pages, I just couldn't bear to have my intelligence insulted any longer. Neither will you.

Buy this for your 12 year old nephew who watches Kung Fu theatre and who takes Tae Kwon Do lessons at the YMCA. He will love it.

THIS BOOK REALLY GAVE ME THE FEELING THAT I AM ONE OF THE STAFF THAT HELPING TO MAKE THE FILM,AND ALSO THE FEELING THAT I AM A TURIST THAT ALOUD TO ENTER TO SEE THE FILMING OF ENTER THE DRAGON.THE BOOK IS EXPLAINED BY THE DIRECTOR OF ENTER THE DRAGON. HOW DIFFICOULT WAS THE MAKING OF THE FILMS AND WHAT KINDS OF TROUBLES THE PRODUCERS HAS WHILE FILMING. A LOT OF BRUCE'S QUATATIONS AND HARD WORKING IN STARING,FIGHTING- SCENES DIRECTOING,PLUS OF MANY KNOWN,AND MOSTLY NOT KNOWN PICTURES TO THE PUBLIC.A VERY NICE BOOK AND FULL OF PHOTOS THAT GIVES A REAL INSPIRATION TO THE FILM,(I READ THE BOOK,AND KNOW 50% OF THE FILM BY HEART).VERY HIGHLY RECOMMANDED TO EVERY BRUCE LEE'S FAN!

This book is a must have for anyone who has ever been dazzeled by the movie enter the dragon, it shows how much effort went into making it and gives and insight into what goes on, behind the scenes when the cmaera's stop rolling, if you have enter the dragon then this is a must have companion for it

Robert Clouse was certainly trying to appeal to the lowest common denominator when he wrote this piece of garbage. What a shame that such an important story should be given such a hack job.

It is valuable for the behind the scenes information and the great photographs. It is a story that needed to be told. It is valuable as a history, but nearly every sentence that Clouse penned is an insult to your intelligence.

I do recommend buying this book, however. Hopefully one day, Mr. Clouse will write the same story, except for grownups, and this sloppy, rushed, middle school kid version will be forgotten.

Bruce Lee fans or cinematic enthusiasts will find this book interesting. There is not much depth of the insight into Bruce, however, when Robert Clouse provides it, it's quite revealing. Examples include Bruce's method of developing his concentration skills and how he practiced for a possible fight against Mohammed Ali.

Most of the book is about the hurdles Clouse overcame producing the movie. Considering the obstacles he had, which included the budget, lighting, props, gang fights, and challenges toward Bruce, etc., he and Bruce did a remarkable job. The book is full of photographs, however there aren't any great pictures of Bruce that you probably haven't already seen.

Ted Weimann, author of Warrior Speed.

The Hunter game is a nice addition to anyones WoD collection. This book can help one to build better characers. You know onesa that can actually live for past 60 seconds.

When I purchased this book, I was expecting something along the lines of a a player's guide or such. What I got, on the other hand, was a sourcebook chock full of information on supernaturals around the world. Be careful that you know what this is before you purchase it. It's an excellent book and I liked it very much, but it was not what I had in mind for a survival guide.

I liked this book. Its written from the point of view of the hunters, a different one for each section. The book does not have any game mechanics, its pure story. It begins with a few tips for novice hunters, something you should get your players to read through. Then it goes on to describe each continent. It spends a lot of time discussing the world outside of North America, so if your planning on running a game in a different country then this is the book for you. I liked the fact that since the information is given out by hunters, it is full of various facts that are completely not true, so your players can read through the book and still not have any of the real information. Full of great story potential and well written. A good buy if your going to run a hunter's game.