The 10 Best Bruce Lee Books
Undoubtedly, one of the greatest martial artists of all time is Bruce Lee. It’s fair to say that without him, the landscape of martial arts would look vastly different and he helped change the game forever. Whilst many may remember him for his movie roles, the reality is that Bruce Lee was far more developed as a martial artist than you may first think.
We’re not just talking about his physical attributes either, as his philosophical teachings on life in general are equally as important. Over the years, there have been many books written on Bruce Lee and he published several himself. This means that whatever you’re after – the chances are that it’s been written about at some point.
Obviously, this is a testament to the charisma and charm of Bruce Lee. Below, we shall go into specific detail about the content that is typically found in a Bruce Lee book. As you may figure, there should be something for everyone.
Table of Contents
What to look for in Bruce Lee books
Strength and conditioning
It’s no secret that Bruce Lee’s body was in ridiculously good shape. Although there are a few martial artists that walk around like him today, you have to remember that this was years ago when supplements and dietary advice weren’t as easily available.
There are a few books out there that are based on obtaining a body like Bruce Lee’s. If you follow these steps and are disciplined enough then it’s certainly something to aspire for. This lifestyle has obvious health benefits.
Biography
Whilst a lot is known about his martial arts background and movie career, people tend to overlook Bruce Lee’s personal life and childhood. This is equally as fascinating and will give you a good insight as to how his mind works and how Bruce Lee turned into a cultural phenomenon.
Years later, the public still seems fascinated with Bruce Lee’s life and as a result, there have been numerous books written about him from lots of different perspectives.
Philosophy
Obviously, a big part of Bruce Lee’s mystique was his philosophical teachings. This makes sense considering that martial arts are based on both physical and spiritual improvements to your mind and body.
In modern times, Bruce Lee has often been looked at almost like a Roman philosopher. There are various quotes and stories from him that are thought-provoking and will get you to view life from a different angle.
Martial arts
Whilst the aforementioned are all relevant, at his core Bruce Lee was a martial artist. So, if you want to learn how he created Jeet Kune Do or his Wing Chun skills then there is plenty of material available.
Even though JKD is still around today, you can still go back and learn from the man himself and get everything direct from the source.
Bruce Lee Striking Thoughts: Bruce Lee’s Wisdom for Daily Living by Bruce Lee & John Little
This book acts as a guide to life which looks at Bruce Lee’s philosophical take on things. It actually covers a host of topics such as relationships, health, happiness, art, and even life and death. Interestingly, Bruce Lee was an atheist but if you read this book then you will see that a lot of his influences are based on Taoism.
Although he may not have the same credentials as someone like Nietzche, this is still a fascinating read and if everyone followed his life advice then the world would definitely be a better, happier place.
Bruce Lee’s Fighting Method: The Complete Edition by Bruce Lee & M Uyehara
If you’re looking to learn Jeet Kune Do directly from Bruce Lee then this book is probably your best bet. Here, it goes through all of his best moves and techniques which are accompanied by clear photos that show exactly how to perform them.
For instance, with certain hand chops, it will literally show a close up of how to position and use the fist for maximum effectiveness. This book is probably the closest you can get to learning from Bruce himself as he died before instructional videos became a thing. It also has chapters from his daughter Shannon as well as his student Ted Wong who offer their own takes and experience on the moves being performed.
Bruce Lee Strength Workout For Muscles Of Steel by Dr. Alan Radley
Based on the analysis of Bruce Lee’s personal fitness notes, Dr. Alan Radley does a good job of dissecting how Bruce Lee achieved the perfect physique. As Radley puts it himself, his body was no accident. As you can imagine, Bruce Lee would put countless hours into a physical fitness regime based on weights, calisthenics, and intense cardio.
So, if you ever wanted to perform a dragon flag or workout like Bruce Lee then now you can. One thing worth mentioning is that doing these moves isn’t particularly easy and if you’re out of shape, to begin with then it may be quite tough. Nonetheless, if you follow this book correctly then the results will speak for themselves.
Bruce Lee: The Authorized Visual History by Shannon Lee & Steve Kerridge
Although the history of Bruce Lee is often fascinating, sometimes you can’t beat a visual compendium and this is what this book has on offer. Interestingly, this book features many personal photos that were taken by Bruce Lee of himself and others. It’s true that he was a big fan of photography and literally took thousands of photos during his life.
In other words, this book offers something that words are sometimes incapable of showing – which is the beauty of pictures. Overall, this book is well put together and you can tell a lot of time and effort has gone into it.
Be Water, My Friend by Shannon Lee
As you may have figured, Shannon Lee has been featured in many Bruce Lee books and few will have known him like his daughter. This book is deeply philosophical and ties in with how martial arts can lead to mental and spiritual growth – as well as physical.
In fact, the title alone sums the book up nicely and is one of Bruce Lee’s most famous quotes. Basically, the point of being like water is to be fluid and without intrusive thoughts. Bruce Lee was big on this mindful mentality which served him well as a martial artist and in wider life. Well written, this isn’t just another book on Bruce Lee, it’s a brilliant book on life in general.
Bruce Lee: A Life by Matthew Polly
When it comes to Bruce Lee, Matthew Polly is somewhat of an expert and his research is second to none. Over the years, Polly has also revealed quite a lot of interesting details surrounding Bruce Lee that were previously unknown. This is why his biography is particularly important and interesting.
In short, it is very well researched and is much better than most of the other Bruce Lee books out there. Another important thing to note is the lack of bias. Polly never really sugarcoats things or plays into the myths of Bruce Lee. Instead, he focuses on the truth and sometimes this may even appear a little controversial. Nonetheless, if you want a definitive account of what Bruce Lee was really like then this is pretty close to the truth.
Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do by Sam Fury
If you want to learn Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do system then this is definitely one of the best resources. It may not be from the man himself but you can tell that the author Sam Fury knows his stuff and there’s a lot of knowledge to be learned from this book. It’s also filled with helpful illustrations to guide you whilst learning.
For those wondering, this book specifically focuses on speed, offense, defense, trapping, fitness, range, and a lot more. Basically, if you’re interested in JKD then this book is well worth a read. This goes for everyone, regardless of rank or experience – there’s probably something here that everyone can learn from.
Bruce Lee Letters of the Dragon by Bruce Lee & John Little
Written from 1958-1973, this book documents the letters written by Bruce Lee back in his younger days as well as his heyday. Here, you will find hundreds of letters that were mostly sent to his family. This gives readers a real insight into his thought process, as well as his relationships and everyday life.
It also documents his earlier days as well as the setbacks he had before he became a massive star. Another key part of this book focuses on the martial arts side of things. This shows how he started to develop Jeet Kune Do and his plans to make it into a fully-fledged fighting system. Whilst this is a good, easy read – it’s probably best suited for hardcore Bruce Lee fans rather than casuals.
Tao of Jeet Kune Do by Bruce Lee
This book is a combination of the philosophy and physical attributes of Jeet Kune Do. The source material is mostly taken from his own personal notes as well as drawings. Overall, it’s a nice introduction to JKD and explains the relationship between how the body and mind are both connected.
So, you can both learn how to punch people in the face, as well as simultaneously learning about the zen and spiritual side behind Jeet Kune Do. Only martial arts could combine these two together and make sense. In brief, this book is suited for those wanting to learn JKD techniques as well as the spiritual side of things.
Bruce Lee: Mandarin Superstar by Steve Kerridge
As the title suggests, this book is based on Bruce Lee’s pursuit of stardom in Hong Kong during the 1970s. Here, the author Kerridge has done a really good job too, and sets the scene perfectly. In this book, he writes about Bruce’s failed attempt to crack Hollywood, only to eventually succeed years later.
It is also accompanied by some very rare photos and stories, so you know that it’s been well researched. Obviously, this book isn’t based on the martial arts side of stuff so you won’t find much on Wing Chun or JKD here. Instead, it’s mostly based on how Bruce Lee became a global superstar. This wasn’t by luck or chance either, you can clearly tell from reading it that Bruce Lee was an incredibly driven, ambitious individual.
