American Shaolin: Flying Kicks, Buddhist Monks, and the Legend of Iron Crotch: An Odyssey in theNew China | 
 enlarge | Author: Matthew Polly
Publisher: Gotham
Category: Book
List Price: $15.00
Buy New: $2.60
You Save: $12.40 (83%)
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Rating:  54 reviews
Sales Rank: 45338
Media: Paperback
Pages: 384
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5.2 x 0.9
ISBN: 1592403379
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.8155
EAN: 9781592403370
ASIN: 1592403379
Publication Date: December 27, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
The raucously funny story of one young Americans quest to become the baddest dude on the planet (and possibly find inner peace along the way)
Growing up a ninety-eight-pound weakling tormented by bullies in the schoolyards of Kansas, Matthew Polly dreamed of one day journeying to the Shaolin Temple in China to become the toughest fighter in the world, like Caine in his favorite 1970s TV series Kung Fu.
American Shaolin is the story of the two years Matthew spent in China living, studying, and performing with the Shaolin monks. The Chinese term for tough training is chi ku (eating bitter), and Matthew quickly learned to appreciate the phrase.
This is both the gripping story of Matthews journey and an intimate portrait of the real lives of the Shaolin monks, who struggle to overcome rampant corruption and the restrictions of an authoritarian government. Laced with humor and illuminated by cultural insight, American Shaolin is an unforgettable coming-of- age story of one mans journey into the ancient art of kungfuand a poignant portrait of a rapidly changing China.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 49 more reviews...
 Great Read September 4, 2008
Rush Limeball (Salisbury MD)
I really enjoyed this book. Not only
did I learn about the culture of China
and Shaolin, but it was a gripping
funny book. Truly a gifted author.
I wish he would write more.
 Excellent, Excellent Book August 18, 2008
Donald W. McFarland (San Francisco, CA USA)
I just loved this book. It's such a useful glimpse into Chinese life of the period, and a really entertaining story of an ordinary American kid who just one day up and says, "I'm going to China and study at the Shaolin Temple"....and does it! Every boy's Walter Mitty fantasy come to life.
The one major regret I have with it, and why I only gave it four stars instead of five, is that it comes to a stop rather abruptly. He comes home, goes to school, and years later comes back to visit the Shaolin Temple and remark on the changes that have taken place.
But not a word on how his experiences may have affected his later life in any meaningful way. Maybe they didn't, but that would have been a shame since he put so much effort into the journey. Just a word on how he might have used his amazing powers for good back home would have been nice, or how it might have changed his attitudes and perceptions as he grew older.
Well, it's still a great read and very rewarding. Maybe there's a supplement somewhere that fills in the gaps. If anyone knows of one, please let me know. Thanks.
Very Inspirational and Entertaining August 18, 2008
A. Grant Sherrick (Amherst, MA)
I read American Shaolin over the past two days while visiting my brother in Austin and found the book to be incredibly inspiring. At no point while reading the book did I want to put it down. The anecdotes describing the Chinese mindset and language idiosyncracies were both amusing and educational. I would recommend the book to many Chinese language instructors to improve students' cultural understanding. The phrase "eat bitter" has become my personal mantra whether exercising or reviewing mathematics/statistics. I look forward to more books from this exciting author.
You'll gain insight into the Chinese mindset, but you'll be so entertained that you might not notice. August 6, 2008
M. Strong (Milwaukee, WI USA)
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
What a great, unique book. Matthew Polly is a gifted storyteller. In American Shaolin, he shares the true story of his decision (with just one year remaining until his graduation from Princeton) to take off to China, locate and train with the Shaolin monks until he can cross off "coward" from his "Things that are wrong with Matt" list. This list figures prominently in the book and proves a wonderfully entertaining and useful literary device.
What Polly gives us is a very good, well-written personal memoir. If that's all this book were, it would be enough. You find yourself fully engaged in the journey of self-discovery and personal development and you find yourself constantly laughing at Polly's stories. What's great though, is that you get a lot more from this book while you are being entertained.
At a time when China is emerging onto the world scene in a huge way, Polly provides a completely accessible glimpse for the average American into the Chinese mindset. You come away from the book with a much greater understanding of and appreciation for the way the Chinese live, the goals they share, how their culture is like ours, how it is different and how they think. It's a truly valuable education, but without the trouble of slogging through a dry social sciences book.
Congratulations to Mr. Polly, who was clearly aware of the opportunity to educate while entertaining. He accomplished his goal in spades. Highly recommended for anyone who likes a great story and/or wants to know more about China.
Wonderfully Entertaining! July 26, 2008
Phillip Starr (Omaha, NE)
Mr. Polly has penned a very entertaining, playful book that brings back memories of when I was in China many years ago (some things haven't changed much and some have changed rather dramatically). Although the Shao-lin boxing practiced at the legendary Shao-lin Temple is not at all the original version (nor are the monks truly "monks"), the book was a wonderful read and I very thoroughly enjoyed it!
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