American Shaolin: Flying Kicks, Buddhist Monks, and the Legend of Iron Crotch: An Odyssey in theNew China

One boys journey to becoming a man

Amituofo Matt
Even if your not well acquainted with martial arts. you soon will be. Matt Polly's incredible descriptions of the Shaolin Temple and its inhabitants not only open your eyes but also jump out of your seat right into the book. American Shaolin truly is a book that you don't want to just blaze right through but read as if your in the story.

Matt is boy who is as skinny as a stick, and if you punch him, seems like he is going to break in half like a tree being cut down. Matt was always the one being bullied at the school yard and constantly picked on by his peers for his weak stature.

Matt being in martial arts growing up loves to watch kung fu movies, anywhere from Bruce Lee to Jet Li, it didn't matter as long as there was action. Then Matt being as crazy as he is decides to take a break from Princeton University and head to the Shaolin Temple to train with the Buddhist monks he always saw in the chop-socky flicks he used to watch.

Expecting to find a little hidden city of its own, he comes up to a tourist infested, communist run down town with many kung fu academies. Finally when all this craziness is behind him he ends up in the wushu center, this is where Zen Buddhism and Kung Fu were invented, this was his salvation in order to find himself.

Matt being a 6'3 man isn't the best selection to being a martial artist but he pushes through. His willingness to eat bitter ( lots of pain) is truly incredible and awe inspiring to anybody of any age. His first months at Shaolin are incredibly heart stopping, not only because he's the only foreigner for miles, but the idea of having a white foreigner (laowai) training under the monks is really 1 in a million before Matt went to the Wushu center to train.

" To suffer and learn a lesson, one pays a high price, but a fool can't learn any other way." The way Polly uses these quotes before every chapter is really compelling and really gets you thinking about what their real meaning is behind them and if they truly apply to you as an individual. " Only those who have tasted the bitterest of the bitter can become people who stand out among others." This one really get you thinking because if you think you've gone through life thinking it was hell, well was it? Was it the worst that it could've been.

Matt uses humor to illuminate the greatness of the Chinese culture and gives us a real insight to the customs and shows us really how the two cultures differ in a way we find today as unbelievable. A must get to be enjoyed by all.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Not what I expected... Better than I expected

Matthew Polly is a fantastic comedic writer. I caught myself laughing out loud a numerous times. I'm not at all into kung fu or any martial arts, but this book entails a lot more than just about an american wanting to learn some high kicks. You will laugh and enjoy the author's journey as he changes and matures from the beginning to the end. This book is an adventure, indeed.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Funny, Fascinating and a GREAT Read!

There just aren't enough books written like this an unusual topic and a true story about a boy who takes it upon himself to make his Kung Fu dream (and every other kids') a reality! If you want a story so unique and unexpected, you've got to pick up Matthew Polly's American Shaolin. From the contrast in fighting styles to the diversity of cultures, this book provides a captivating story. The personalities were wild and the conflicts, both physical and mental were too real. I wanted to call Polly and ask him to take me back to China with him! I wanted to experience the Shaolin Monks as he did. I read 4-5 books a week business, humor, spiritual. This is probably the best thing I've picked up in 10 years.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Wildly Funny, Entertaining and Informative

American Shaolin is worth 10 stars at least. Matthew Polly had a fascinating experience as a Kungfu student in China and is able to share this great adventure through his superb writing ablity. His humor and intelligence amazed me. There is no hyperbole in my review-just total appreciation for this funny, unusual incredible book! Thank you, thank you thank you, Matt!

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Highly Recommended

Matt Polly tells this personal adventure with alot of humor. This is a great story even if your not interested in martial arts. However the eBook version does not have photos.

Great read! Anyone remotely interested in the martial arts (along with anyone else) should read this book!

This was a wonderfully entertaining book. I admit, I am a martial artist, so that made it even more enjoyable. But this book is funny, interesting, and informative. Learn a little about China, Kung Fu, and the difference between cultures. This is a super easy read!

Geek's Odyssey in the Orient

This is the story of an insecure young man and his search for enlightenment and the ability to really kick righteous a$$--maybe more of the latter than the former. Matthew Polly has written a funny coming-of-age memoir that sheds light on a crucial point of modern history: China's re-emergence in the modern world.

Don't be mislead by Polly's nervous habit of charting his progress by making little lists of his shortcomings. This is splendid writing worthy of a Twain travelogue with all of Twain's prowess of observation. Matthew Polly comes to grips with a small part but crucial part of China and manages to gain experience that goes deep into the psyche of this fascinating country. His explanation of the Chinese drinking game of Playing Hands (a more complex version of Scissors, Paper, Stone) elucidates an aspect of Chinese thinking that should make this book required reading for diplomats and business people who must deal with the Chinese.

But if deep cultural insight is not enough, read this book for the riveting account about the nice Ivy League boy going to the fabled Orient to become a kung-fu expert. The traditional Chinese proverb the author quotes at the very beginning of the book sums up the story well:

"To suffer and learn a lesson, one pays a high price, but a fool can't learn any other way."

In this case, the author's pain is the reader's gain. I found this book absolutely riveting and stayed up way too late in order to finish reading it. Enormous fun!

courageous young man

Loved it. Matthew is not only a bright young man but also very courageous. I have been to china with tourist guides, and was still daunted by all the bureaucracy a person must go through to get anywhere or anything done. To go there on your own, on a mission like finding the Shaolin temple, not even knowing if it still exists takes great determination and courage. What an interesting and inspiring goal. I think that many people on an adventure like this would not have been able to record and write such a well balanced book. Matthew not only reveals in his book the technical aspects of shaolin karate but, also did a great job of telling the reader about his social events that went with the academic pursuits. Lots of fun and informative.

Great Read for anyone

This was a great read for anyone, it is really enlightening about China culture, Shaolin and martial arts in general. I would recommend this to anyone, especially martial artists.

I want to learn Kung Fu

After reading this book all I could think about was Kung Fu and I am a banker. The book goes so much farther than to outline what it is like to be a Shaolin monk. The book teaches of Chinesse culture and the challenges that many young people face as they try to realize who they really are. Excellent Book.

Really Enjoyable!

If you love Kung Fu, Shaolin Monks, and/or Buddhism you will really enjoy reading this book! It is very entertaining and interesting! That is a hand full of pictures but that little bit tells a lot and show some crazy things! You will be surprised how entertaining the book is! Go ahead and get stuck in to it! :)

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Not an Avid reader but captivated

I was immediately drawn in by the cover - the Burger King held by a Shaolin Monk made me laugh and open the book to see the story line. I loved it. took only 5 days to finish it reading only part time.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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