Review
The updated, ultimate guide to the ultimate fighter
- Bruce Lee - Fighting Spirit
- Pan MacMillan
Bruce Lee - Fighting Spirit
Bruce Lee’s untimely death in the 70s raised him to an iconic status generally reserved for movie stars and rock gods. Not since Kennedy, Elvis or Marilyn Monroe, has a public figure’s controversial life, and even more controversial death, had such a detrimental effect on serious biographical examination of their achievements.
Hearsay, conjecture, sensationalism and conspiracy theories abound, but this book - re-released to coincide with the 35th anniversary of the release of Enter The Dragon (the last film Lee completed prior to his death) - is arguably the only real biography of the tragic star.
Thomas has written a complete account not only of Lee’s life and death, but of the fighting philosophy he developed (jeet kune do) which made him the greatest exponent of martial arts in modern times. In this updated edition, he reassesses Lee’s skills and examines the enduring impact of his legacy - on action films and martial arts today.
It is a cautionary tale of one man’s obsession with his art and his desire to spread martial arts and its philosophy to the west, coupled with a burning desire for fame and fortune. It is also an excellent analysis of the sometimes contradictory nature of Bruce’s character. This is the definitive guide to the life of the man who, more than three decades after his death, is still regarded as the greatest fighting star in the world. An essential for martial arts fans and a compelling read even for the uninitiated.
