Bruce Lee Artist of Life

“Whether he was teaching, acting, writing, or speaking, Bruce was able to … ‘simply and honestly expressing himself.’ Superficially, this could be called ‘charisma,’ but on a more profound level this ability to bare the soul should be called ‘artistry.’ Just as Michelangelo chipped away at a block of marble to reveal David, so did Bruce peel away the layers of his inner soul to expose his true self to the world.” –Linda Lee Cadwell, from the Foreword“The Bruce Lee Library stands as the definitive presentation of Bruce Lee’s magnificent legacy. Each volume belongs on the bookshelf of every serious martial artist.” –Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do Nucleus“With rare letters, essays and even poems, the book offers readers a glimpse into the mind and work ethic that drove Lee, as well as a window into his philosophy.” –News China Magazine

Bruce Lee (1940-1973) was an intense man with such sheer concentration of energy that no one who encountered him, on screen or in person, could help but be drawn to him and his enthusiasm for life and knowledge. A voracious and engaged reader, Lee wrote extensively, synthesizing the thought of East and West into a unique personal philosophy of self-discovery. As an actor, Lee became a cultural icon. He was born in San Francisco but spent his formative years in Hong Kong. His groundbreaking action films sparked intense interest in the Asian martial arts in the West. His most famous film is Enter the Dragon (1973). His own personal martial art style (Jeet Kune Do) sparked a revolution in how the Asian martial arts are studied and perceived today. He was an avid student of all forms of martial arts along with Eastern and Western philosophy and is regarded today as the most influential martial artist who ever lived. Lee moved beyond the rigid traditional style of martial arts to develop his own free-form, modern style of Jeet Kune Do.

John Little is considered one of the world’s foremost authorities on Bruce Lee, his training methods, and philosophies. Little was the first person authorized to review the entirety of Lee’s personal notes, sketches, and reading annotations.