Customer Reviews

American Shaolin: Flying Kicks, Buddhist Monks, and the Legend of Iron Crotch: An Odyssey in the New China

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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.

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.

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.

I read this on a whim, and was very glad I ended up doing so. I have very little interest in martial arts, and normally stick to fiction and science fiction, but found this book to be incredibly entertaining. There were at least a dozen times I laughed out loud while reading the book, and found myself on a couple occasions reading deep into the night as I couldn't put the book down. The book also has some great insight into what rural Chinese citizens think of their American counterparts on the other side of the planet.

I am the last person who'd buy and devour a kungfu book! I bought it for my husband who needed some reading for an upcoming trip. But, desperate for something to read one day, I thought I'd suffer the first chapter. I could barely put it down! I found myself wondering how a particular story would end on those days when my 14 month old wasn't allowing any mommy-reading time. Don't get me wrong: it is definately more for the macho reader! Polly's humor and his description of Chinese personality makes up for the "guy stuff." Other than making me think a little about how different cultures are, (I am a rather nationalistic American afterall), it was simply a fun read.

I'm 63 and I really enjoyed this book which for some reason reminded me of the pleasure I got from reading "Catcher In The Rye" many years ago. Seldom do I burst out laughing while reading but this occured many times. By writing this narrative, Lao Bao has served his master well. I can think of no higher praise.

As a martial artist I bought this book as a new source of info on the arts and also an interest in Buddism made it seem a good choise. Neither avenue was really satisfied in full. What I did get was one of the most humorous reads I've ever had which touched on the above subjects plus it added, travel log, relationship building, people watching and a sarcasm how to. I've read a few American out of his element books before, but never so close to the way I see things as this. Having said that I think these things I'll have to admit that I would never be able to get those thoughts onto paper in any readable way. Polly makes it intellectually interesting, funny and an escape at the same time. If forced to describe his style, I would say it's kind of like if Dave Lowry and Will Farrel morphed. Read this book if you have any of the above interests. The rest of you read this book.

As someone who as a teenager took martial arts classes and dreamed of being Kwai Chan Kaine or Bruce Lee I related right away to this book. Yet it contains so much more. I also gave up up the martial art dream and spent a few years as a Zen Buddhist monk and later lived in other cultures. Polly shows incredible insight into the adapting to another culture very opposite our own. He also shows the realities of living within monastic conditions, which vary from place to place, but unfortunately never lives up to the fantasies we have of them. A great book on so many levels. extremely funny stories, great cultural insights into the chinese mind. A must read if your going to do business with Chinese. Great insights into the reality and history of the Shaolin and its degeneration process. One of the best books ive read this year!

This book will appeal to anyone who likes a good story and a good laugh. On the surface, the book seemingly appeals more naturally to men, but it is great book for anyone who welcomes adventure, likes rooting for the underdog, and loves great writing ala PJ O'Rourke and Christopher Buckley. Matt Polly is a great new writer -- I'm hooked.

Polly wrote a great book and obviously had a wonderful experience in China, dysentery aside... The book is factual and shows what life in the Shaolin temple with the "monks" is like.

I am a teacher of Tai Chiu and Shaolin KF. For years I keep telling people that the Shaolin temple died a long time ago and that most of what the pseudo-monks teach is nothing but modified modern WuShu. They are great athletes, but they're not monks and the spiritual aspects of the training, as Polly explains, are basically nill.

A fun book and Polly is a very humorous writer who is down to earth. A valuable insight into the Chinese mind-set back in the '90s and probably today as well...