Customer Reviews

The Bruce Lee Story

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Like many Bruce Lee fans, I was dubious when picking up this book, suspecting it would be too sentimental and one-sided, glossing over the "true facts." However, don't be misled-- this book is GREAT. Easily among the two or three best Bruce Lee biographies, if not the best. Very well written, well organized, great rare photos. Linda does a fantastic job of giving us an idea of who Bruce Lee was, from the singular perspective of the person who truly knew him best. Sure, it glosses over the more controversial topics that have surfaced over the years (e.g., alleged drug use, personality problems, the circumstances surrounding his death). But you'll come away with a profound respect for the integrated depth of Bruce's genius, his commitment to his family, and his profound sense of integrity and character. And you'll notice that the qualities Linda chooses to highlight are in fact the ones that come out in his art as well as his screen persona. For example, here's a man who, feeling the weight of racial prejudice against himself, was nonetheless willing to physically fight a fellow Chinese for the right to teach Kung Fu to whites! That story is well-known, but the way Linda captures it illustrates Bruce's commitment to principles and his global perspective. Linda does a great job of balancing Bruce Lee as a profound philosopher as well as a uniquely gifted physical specimen. She makes you understand that it was more than simply his physical gifts that made him who he was. Perhaps Karate master Ed Parker said it best: Bruce was "one in two billion." In Linda's book, you'll be amazed at how disciplined, far-seeing, and erudite Bruce Lee was-- at such a young age. He was simply WAY ahead of his time. One could easily say that, through the medium of film, Bruce Lee singlehandedly effected a paradigm shift in the world's perception of martial arts, Asian males, eastern philosophy, and action films. This book is a very illuminating and satisfying read.

As a UK housewife with young children I have virtually no martial arts knowledge and read the book out of curiosity. I found a truly real book about an amazing marriage and an amazing couple. I think Linda Lee is as extraodinary as her husband. I am left feeling inspired about my own life and shall pass on little nuggets of knowledge to my own kids. This book is for people interested in fellow human beings and not just martial arts followers. It is testimony in itself that nearly 30 years after his death Bruce Lee has inspired an ordinary British woman.

An OK book, as far as propaganda biographies go. But if you want to read one genuinely great book about Bruce Lee, make it THE TAO OF BRUCE LEE by Davis Miller, which I recommend over any other biography of Lee. Davis Miller's book is beautiful, funny, sad, a pageturner, and it's the only book to sort through all the hokum and myths to give us something real-world and true.

A must for any martial artist who professes to be a Bruce Lee enthusiast. This book was also used for the script of "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story", but trust me when I tell you that that movie barely touches on the true story. Mrs. Lee's interpretation of her husband should dispell all myths of the legendary martial artist/philosopher/action star. Here, Bruce Lee is shown as the man he truly is. Don't rely on hearsay; find out about the real Bruce Lee and his thoughts in this book.

Bruce Lee. Some things the average reader will not know about this man: Bruce Lee only made four movies in his lifetime. Bruce Lee was an intellectual. Bruce Lee revolutionized the martial arts. Bruce Lee brought the martial arts to the masses.

This book is written by Bruce Lee's wife. It is a short and loving memory to an extraordianry man who is still famous. Why exactly is a mystery. Perhaps it is the outstanding artistry Bruce Lee brought to the martial arts.

Bruce Lee had been a child actor in Hong Kong before coming to the United States and studying at the University of Washington. Ironically, he was a philosophy major. However, Lee transformed himself into a tremendous human specimen through his physical discipline, and a intellectual regarding his sport. He introduced "the way of the moving fist," which was a new methodology in the training of martial arts. He also dared to tech the subject to non-Asians, a idea which was tremendously disturbing to many and resulted in a fistfight with a young challenger in Lee's studio in Oakland, California.

Linda Lee comes across as a traveler who feels luck in being able to travel (for a brief while) on the road with Bruce Lee. He was convinced to move to Hollywood, where he began training stars like James Coburn, and later Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Unfortunnately, Bruce Lee had to fight racism and stereotypes. At home, his wife's family rejected him because of his Asian heritage. Hollywood rejected him because he didn't want to play the 'chop-suey' roles Hollywood routinely put forth in portraying Asians in film and television. However, a searing performance in the late 1960's on a detective show cemented his star quality,and he made some appearences on "the Green Hornet."

Finally, he made some pictures in the Hollywood system such as "Enter the Dragon."

Unfortunately, his most interesting and allusionary work, "The Game of Death," which was supposed to be a representation of his philophy of his art was never completed. I believe an assembled film was cobbeld together after his death, but the film was never finished. Interestingly, Kareem Abdul Jabbar played the ultimate obstacle in the movie.

Linda Lee's book has many interesting pictures, and I think gives an interesting look at Bruce Lee's life and impact that will have even the most casual reader satisfied.

If you are looking for lurid details, conspiracies and the like this book is not for you. Understandably, Ms. Lee does not cover the topic of Bruce Lee's supposed drug use and the unusual circumstances of his death, but what would you expect, this is a loving portrait by a woman who obviously loved Bruce Lee very much. Cheers for her!

Interestingly, several weeks ago, I watched a Turkish film in which a charecter kept repeating the line, " I will chop them up like Bruce Lee." In a Turkish film for crying out loud.

Obviously, Bruce Lee ahd a great impact on the world for his incredible talent which was taken from us before Bruce Lee could intepret it for the rest of us. In this way, he reminds me of Jimi Hendrix; Bruce Lee was a shooting star across the heavens.

This is a good book, and I believe you will like it as well.

I enjoyed this book thoroughly. I also developed another level of respect for the man. This book develops a clear picture of how confident Bruce was in his abilities as a martial artist and an actor. It also illustrates how much courage and confidence it took to brake away from tradition and take martial arts to another level. Linda Lee does not address some of the controversies of Bruce's life, but what do you expect.

I learned more about the man behind the legend from this book than I have from any other source. I highly recommend The Bruce Lee Story for any and all Bruce Lee fans.

Ted Weimann, author of Warrior Speed.

I wish this book could have been longer and more in-depth, but I still enjoyed it immensely, primarily for the countless pictures from the Lee family albums. Fans who are hungry for sordid details about Lee's mysterious death may be disappointed, as this was not meant to be a controversial or sensationalistic book. It's simply Linda Lee's tribute to her late husband, a man who was extraordinarily gifted in disciplines of both the body and mind. That, in and of itself, makes this a worthwhile read.

Not factual? How can someone say that! It was written by Linda Lee, Bruce's wife! How can it not be factual? I personally found this book very good. It is an easy read, and it is very informative. This book changed my perception of Bruce. Where I once saw a wonderful martial artist, which I still saw, I now see someone who was of profound mind and good heart. His intentions were great, his mind and philosophies greater, and his legacy shall live on forever. If you are a Bruce Lee fan, three words for you: READ THIS BOOK!

I have read this book twice, what a great book! Anyone intersted in the masters life should definitly get this book. It is written by his ex-wife, the only person in the world who knew him best. There are great photos, and great detail about their lives together. I have been a fan for over 15 years, and this one is one of the best biographies I've ever read about the greatest martial artist, and philosipher who ever lived. Highly recommended!

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+