American Shaolin: Flying Kicks, Buddhist Monks, and the Legend of Iron Crotch: An Odyssey in theNew China [Mass Market Paperback]

Matthew Polly (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 27, 2007

The raucously funny story of one young American?s quest to become the baddest dude on the planet (and possibly find inner peace along the way)

Growing up a ninety-eight-pound weakling tormented by bullies in the schoolyards of Kansas, Matthew Polly dreamed of one day journeying to the Shaolin Temple in China to become the toughest fighter in the world, like Caine in his favorite 1970s TV series Kung Fu.

American Shaolin is the story of the two years Matthew spent in China living, studying, and performing with the Shaolin monks. The Chinese term for tough training is chi ku (?eating bitter?), and Matthew quickly learned to appreciate the phrase.

This is both the gripping story of Matthew?s journey and an intimate portrait of the real lives of the Shaolin monks, who struggle to overcome rampant corruption and the restrictions of an authoritarian government. Laced with humor and illuminated by cultural insight, American Shaolin is an unforgettable coming-of- age story of one man?s journey into the ancient art of kungfu?and a poignant portrait of a rapidly changing China.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this smoothly written memoir, 98-pound weakling Polly makes the age-old decision to turn his nerdy self into a fighting machine. Polly's quest for manhood leads this guy from Topeka, Kans., to the Shaolin Temple, ancient home of the fighting monks and setting for 10,000 chop-socky movies. As much a student of Chinese culture as he is a martial artist, Polly derives a great deal of humor from the misunderstandings that follow a six-foot-three laowai (white foreigner) in a China taking its first awkward steps into capitalism after Tiananmen Square. Polly has a good eye for characters and introduces the reader to a Finnish messiah, a practitioner of "iron crotch" kung fu, and his nagging girlfriend. We get the inside dope on Chinese dating, Chinese drinking games and a medical system apparently modeled on the Spanish Inquisition. The last hundred pages of the book lose focus, and Polly doesn't convincingly demonstrate how he transforms himself from a stumbling geek to a kickboxing stud who can stand toe-to-toe with the highest-ranked fighter in the world. Although Polly may fall short in sharing Shaolin's secrets, as a chronicler of human absurdity he makes all the right moves. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

“I loved American Shaolin.”—PJ O’Rourke

“An original and insightful book.”—Boston Globe

“Polly is an easy amateur to root for.”—Entertainment Weekly

“It takes a special kind of person to leave the comforts of Princeton University and move to rural China to smash his forearms against tree trunks. Meet Matthew Polly.”—NY Post

“I picked up American Shaolin and read it straight through. It is first rate. Polly’s book tells more about what''s going on in China and has more insights into the real China than anything in recent years. It is a wonderful true-life story with profound, behind-the-headlines observations about Chinese life. A tip of the Stetson to Matthew Polly.”—Dan Rather

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Gotham; First Edition edition (December 27, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592403379
• ISBN-13: 978-1592403370
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (84 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #62,411 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #92 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Individual Sports > Martial Arts

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating, one of a kind read..., February 1, 2007

By 

Jeffrey P. Wachs "jephre75" (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: American Shaolin: Flying Kicks, Buddhist Monks, and the Legend of Iron Crotch: An Odyssey in the New China (Hardcover)

A must-read for armchair travelers and martial arts buffs alike, in AMERICAN SHAOLIN readers are sure to enjoy a memoir as unconventional as its author, Matthew Polly. For the uninitiated, Polly-- fed up with his 98 lb. weakling existence and bored with Princeton-- chucked the Ivy League life in order to pursue his dream of studying kungfu at the fabled Shaolin Temple. His time in China coincided with the crumbling of the walls that had kept the nation isolated, making the environment one particularly friendly to having a tall and gangly Midwesterner genially (if awkwardly) attempting to insert himself into the often mystifying local culture.

The result is a travelogue exploring the dawning of the "New China," combined with a memoir of a remarkable personal experience-- Polly's determination and sense of humor proved essential in his efforts to win over the skeptical Shaolin monks, who soon see the promise in their guest; the story evolves into a classic underdog story as Polly's martial skills develop, eventually taking him to national tournaments on the Shaolin team and earning him the honor of being invited to become a monk himself (reportedly the first and only time such an invitation has been made to an American).

Along the way, Polly wryly observes the peculiarities of Chinese culture and the Shaolin path, elucidates the storied history of kungfu, and introduces the reader to unforgettable personalities ranging from disgruntled Chinese gangsters to a monk whose "Iron Crotch kungfu" demands a daily training discipline that must be seen to believe (Polly helpfully includes his own photos to make this possible).

As entertaining and funny as it is educational and informative, AMERICAN SHAOLIN is a treat for fans of off-beat travelogues, anyone who loved "Crouching Tiger," Sinophiles in general, and just about anyone looking to take a trip off the beaten path. Don't miss it.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Funny and Insightful Look at the Chinese Mind, March 16, 2007

By 

D. Buxman "A Seeker of Truth" (Pueblo, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: American Shaolin: Flying Kicks, Buddhist Monks, and the Legend of Iron Crotch: An Odyssey in the New China (Hardcover)

This book was a joy to read! No, it's not a book about martial arts, and it's not really about Buddhism either, although you will learn something about both. This book is about the author's personal journey on a physical, mental and spiritual level. Parts of it are almost hysterically funny, but what I found to be most interesting was the deep degree of insight that was developed with respect to the perspective of the Chinese mindset and culture in the early 1990's.
Entertainment value aside, this book would be excellent for the world traveler or executive that wants a feel for the differences between our cultures.
The portions of the book detailing "Iron Crotch Kungfu," were excruciatingly funny.

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Amazing Book!, February 6, 2007

By 

Jeffrey (NY, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: American Shaolin: Flying Kicks, Buddhist Monks, and the Legend of Iron Crotch: An Odyssey in the New China (Hardcover)

I just finished reading American Shaolin and it really is a fantastic book! I haven't been that engrossed in a book for a while (I missed my subway stop two different times while reading it). It is exciting, funny, and moving. Plus quite amazing - I could hardly believe some of the stories and I kept putting down the book to tell my girlfriend about them. Also, it's excellently written. This is not just a retelling of interesting stories; the book really respects the subject matter, putting the people at a higher level of importance then the events, and lets the reader find a lot of meaning and depth.

You don't have to be interested in (or know anything about) the martial arts to enjoy this book. You just have to be interested in reading about someone who goes on an unbelievable journey to learn about himself, find his limits and his potential, and discover how an ancient tradition has become part of the modern world.