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List Price: $19.95 | | Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Salesrank: 334427
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| Our Price: $6.48 |
| Used Price: $1.98 |
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| Media: Paperback |
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Editorial Review:
This is the book that Bruce Lee had intended to publish as an in-depth follow up to his Chinese Gung Fu. Prior to his death, he had written the majority of the text, which explores such topics as yin-yang as it applies to martial arts, Eastern and Western fitness methodologies, and martial arts and self-defense techniques. The manuscript was completed by martial arts expert John Little in cooperation with the Bruce Lee estate. 100+ photos.
The Tao of Gung Fu: A Study in the Way of Chinese Martial Art (Bruce Lee Library) Reviews:
A philosophical look at a physical art. 
2005-05-01 - Bruce Lee was an amazing person, able to blend the physical beauty of the body with the philosophical beauty of the mind and create the true essence of martial art. In the Tao of Gung Fu, Bruce Lee devotes individual attention to philosophical and physical aspects of his form. His main attention is on Wing Chung, the style of Gung Fu that he himself studied under a Chinese master. Bruce devotes most of the first part of the book to basics and philosophical principles of Gung Fu, including the redirecting of the opponents energy to use it against him.
I would recommend this book to most practitioners, and those that are considering getting into martial arts. The second half of the book covers some basic techniques, stances, stretches, exercises, and practices, while the last twenty or thirty pages include personal quotes, answered questions, and biographies of some of the old masters.
This book is good for beginners because it gives them an insight into the art and some of the things it will take to be successful. It also allows them to understand some of the basic philosophies of the martial arts.
Those with practice will enjoy this book because it goes into some of the more interesting aspects of the art and is written eloquently by one of the greatest martial artists in history.
This should be added to most martial art libraries. I've practiced multiple styles for nearly ten years and find that this book is an invaluable resource to study and train with.
Bruce Lee Tao of Gung Fu 
2005-01-31 - The book Bruce Lee the Tao of Gung Fu was a good book because Bruce Lee hiself teaches you how to protect yourself from dangerous people. Also the style is gung fu a weapon to becoming a great skill fighter. Bruce Lee is one of the best in teaching
When and where to srike a person that is trying to take you down. But Bruce Lee doesent want his learners to just be using the style on any body just use it when needed. Their is three types of Gung Fu you can learn but to do so you have to be very fucus to learn step by step. Reading this book told me alot I didnt know.
I recomend this book to anybody or everybody because this book was good it taught me stuff that I never knew befor. I now that if somebody read this book they will feel the same way as me. If you like book that teaches you things then I recomend that you just give this book a try beacuse Bruce hisself puts hard work in makeing the reader's relax and enjoy the book. So yes I would recomend this book once again.
Get The Real Message
2004-08-25 - This is a good book in that a reader can get a clearer idea of who Bruce Lee was. One reviewer was quite rude and unfair to Bruce Lee, took offense to the man as though he had written the book. Bruce Lee's writings were made into a book, Bruce Lee did not write nor construct the book. So appreciating that fact, it's fair to say that a reader gets a pretty good idea as to what type of prerson Bruce Lee was. Bruce Lee did study philosphy and he shared a lot of what he learned from others as well as his own personal views and opinions. Any true Bruce Lee fan knows Bruce never presented himself as "the one who knew everything" he tried to inspire and/or guide people to be themselves, find the true meaning of themselves an not be fixed, labeled, a copy, tied to any set thing or boxed into something with no way for self expression. And not just to be applied to the Martial Arts but in life as well. I think the insulting reader was confused by the deeper meaning of Bruce's writings and what he preceived to be "Bruce the great philosopher". The reader didn't get the real message, that if there is value in any book, as there is with this book (better insight and inspiration)then it should be recommended. Bruce Lee's writings should be appreciated for the content of what was originally from Bruce, his writings in this book should be looked upon to help people gain a better understanding of the thoughts and principles that guided him-Bruce Lee. If some people are inspired to follow his principles or those of whom he learned from, I think that's the point. If a reader has already made up in his or her mind that Bruce Lee's writings are not "real philosophy" or at least based on "real philosophy" then don't buy the book. In my opinion, this book would still be a good book no matter whose writings they were.
Interesting
2004-07-02 - Fame brings out jaleousy in some people. Bruce Lee was one of the greatest martial art authority and expert known to the world. Anyone with at least some basic spiritual understanding of chinese Kung Fu could just not write with total disrespect about Lee no matter what he/she has to say. In fact the reviewer below despite his belief of the contrary and maybe years of training betrays in his own words his own frustration and a total lack of measure. He sadly belongs with the novices.
One thing indeniable about Bruce Lee is that he got something right and beware if you only look at the surface you might simply miss it. Real skills lie deep beneath the surface. I recommend reading this book
It's amazing... 
2004-05-01 - how even toilet paper with Bruce Lee's name on it would sell to some people. Take this book for example. In your everyday life, would you consider a 24 y/o an "authority" on anything? Nooooo -so why consider one an authority on a 4000 y/o art? Because he had great pecs and abs and was lucky enough to die in his early thirties, right? The book contains nothing (I repeat NOTHING) that can't be found in "Tao Te Ching", so if you want to read real Taoism philosophy go get that.
In TTOGF, Bruce displays his understanding (or lack thereof) of the aforementioned "Tao Te Ching", Chinese martial arts, the life, the universe and everything in the half-a$$ed way normally associated with youngsters trying to show off their "deep understanding" of profound matters. Pix are scarse and are the ones usually recycled in the other books of the series, although the, ahem, author's "Gung Fu Scrapbook" at the last pages, has to be seen to be believed.
He should had stuck with cha-cha. And, BTW, if you really, really have to buy a book on the MA, consider something written by a real martial artist e.g. Donn F. Draeger. Buying a book on MA written by Bruce Lee is like buying a book on archaeology written by Harrison Ford. Or, maybe more appropriate, Angelina Jolie.
Sheesh...
