Bruce Lee: A Life

Review

'For anyone interested in Lee's legacy, this is a roundhouse kick of a biography.' (Sunday Times)

'Proper biographical investigation … From his early street fights to his friendship with Steve McQueen, from his cha-cha to his one-inch punch, Bruce Lee was made to be Bruce Lee. And Matthew Polly was made to be his biographer.' (The Spectator)

'The first in-depth account of Lee's journey from a street-brawling teenager to a global icon … Lee's charisma, ambition and relentless appetite for combat leap off the pages.' (CNN)

'Matthew Polly’s new biography is long overdue but does Hong Kong’s most famous son proud ... engaging, enthusiastic and empathetic.' (South China Morning Post Magazine)

'The first noteworthy of its subject – and a definitive one at that ... Fascinating.' (New York Times Book Review)

'Proof that dogged research and sharp in lie at the foundation of any successful biography … a definitive work to satisfy Lee’s fans and spark curiosity in a new generation.' (Associated Press)

'This thorough, well-sourced biography from Polly is an engrossing examination of the life of a martial arts movie star and his shocking, early death ... Polly wonderfully profiles the man who constructed a new, masculine Asian archetype and ushered kung fu into pop culture.' (Publisher's Weekly)

'At last, Bruce Lee has the powerful biography he deserves. Matthew Polly’s book is packed with new information and sharp ins. It will thrill Lee’s fans and fascinate the unfamiliar. Bravo!'
—Jonathan Eig, author of Ali: A Life and Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig

'You won’t find a better match for a biographer with his subject than Matthew Polly and Bruce Lee. From Lee's early days as the self-procled Cha-cha Champion of Hong Kong to his final, fiery years as the iconic, fist flashing, kung-fu master, Polly tells Bruce Lee’s story with clarity and empathy, tearing away the myths to reveal Lee’s most interesting persona yet: the man himself. A definitive biography, told with passion and punch.'
— Brian Jay Jones, author George Lucas: A Life and Jim Henson: The Biography.  

'Believe it or not, Bruce Lee has never been the subject of a truly in-depth biography—until now. With this meticulously researched, beautifully realised work, Matthew Polly has written the definitive account. It moves with the authority, grace and economy of Lee himself. I was hooked from the first chapter.'
—Jimmy McDonough, author Shakey: Neil Young’s Biography and Soul Survivor: A Biography of Al Green

About the Author

Matthew Polly is the national bestselling author of American Shaolin, Tapped Out, and Bruce Lee. A Princeton University graduate and Rhodes Scholar, he spent two years studying kung fu at the Shaolin Temple in Henan, China. His writing has appeared in The Washington Post, Esquire, Slate, Playboy, and The Nation. He is a fellow at Yale University and lives in New Haven, Connecticut.