Bruce Lee

A Life

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Bruce Lee

By: Matthew Polly

Narrated by: Jonathan Todd Ross

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About this listen

The “definitive” (The New York Times) biography of film legend Bruce Lee—the martial arts icon who made kung fu a global phenomenon, shattered Hollywood stereotypes of Asian and Asian American actors, and became one of the most influential pop culture figures of the 20th century.

Forty-five years after Bruce Lee’s sudden death at just thirty-two, journalist and bestselling author Matthew Polly delivers the authoritative account of his extraordinary life and legacy. Meticulously researched over a decade and informed by more than one hundred interviews—including with Lee’s family, friends, colleagues, and the actress in whose bed he died—Bruce Lee is both sweeping and intimate.

Polly traces Lee’s evolution from Hong Kong child star to troubled teen, from charismatic martial arts teacher to trailblazing Asian American actor navigating a whitewashed Hollywood, to international superstar in Enter the Dragon, Fist of Fury, and The Big Boss. He explores Lee’s family dynamics, his struggle to break through in the US entertainment industry, his intense work ethic, and the enduring mystery surrounding his untimely death.

Dispelling myths and revealing the man behind the legend, Bruce Lee is a deeply humanizing, page-turning biography of a boundary-breaking actor, father, fighter, and icon whose cultural impact endures across generations and continents.

Matthew PollyJonathan Todd RossSimon & Schuster Audio

Combat Sports & Self-Defense

Entertainment & Celebrities

Entertainment & Performing Arts

Film & TV

Martial Arts

Celebrity

Inspiring

China

Funny

Thought-Provoking

Combat Sports

Marriage

Sports

Biography

Imperial Japan

Combat Sports & Self-Defense Entertainment & Celebrities Entertainment & Performing Arts Film & TV Martial Arts Celebrity Inspiring China Funny Thought-Provoking Combat Sports Marriage Sports Biography Imperial Japan

Most relevant

Like a lot of people who have read/listened to this book, we know who Bruce Lee is but we want to know more. I think there are very few fans who's first taste of Bruce wasn't 'Enter the dragon' and so although i had a great deal of interest in Bruces upbringing and early movies, it was all building up to 'Enter the Dragon'. The who's and the why's....how the movie was filmed, the interacting of the actors....how the actors came to be in the film etc etc. Unfortunately for me the crescendo was extremely timid. There seemed to be more emphasis on Bruces fathers career and Bruces childhood scrapes with the law than how Jim Kelly got his part as Williams, and what bruce thought and felt about Kelly and Saxon etc etc....that is all missing even though the story is full Bruces thoughts and feelings about pretty much everybody he ever came into contact with.
So all in all a very thorough, well written (and very well narrated) story but was lacking when it mattered.