Martin Deer reviews The Treasures of Bruce Lee: The Official Story of the Legendary Martial Artist….
Paul Bowman, author of The Treasures of Bruce Lee, has written several books of which this is the third on Bruce Lee. The first two, Theorizing Bruce Lee and Beyond Bruce Lee, take analytic looks at the cultural impact of Lee and his films and philosophy. The Treasures of Bruce Lee takes a very different route, combining the simple facts of Lee’s life in to a great and interesting read. It’s all of the documentaries you’ve ever watched condensed in to a concise and engaging read that covers everything from Lee’s early days to his lasting legacy.
This might make you think that you’ve heard it all before and that it’s not a worthwhile purchase, but nothing could be further from the truth. As well as providing a neat and tidy log of Lee’s life, of which you could pick up at any time and delve straight in to without too much commitment on your part, the book provides some new and interesting looks in to Bruce’s life that you will not see elsewhere. This is where the ‘treasures’ aspect of the book comes in to play. Throughout the book there are ‘pouches’ between the pages which house various items from Lee’s life. These include recreations of posters for each of his films, a print of a the poster for the now legendary Long Beach International Karate Championships (where Bruce demonstrated the one inch punch and one finger press up), Jun Fan Gung Fu membership and progress record cards and Bruce’s own personal letters and written notes on martial arts and scenes in his films. All of these are re-creations of the original items, and they provide the book with far more intimacy than a simple biographical account of his life.
The book itself is an ‘official’ publication with foreword by Shannon Lee, and whether a newcomer to the The Little Dragon or a hardcore fan, this book is well worth your time and money. A recommended purchase for all Bruce Lee fans.
Martin Deer
Originally published July 30, 2013. Updated April 11, 2018.
