KING DRAGON book review

What follows is my new updated book review of the Bruce Lee biography, "King Dragon", written by the late Norman Borine. Norman, as many fans will know, was the creator of the famous "World of Bruce Lee" museum, totaling 15,000 square feet, which contained hundreds of items all relating to the life of Bruce Lee.

Credit must go to Norman's nephew, Bill Borine, who has done a first class job in updating and expanding the book in tribute to Norman and to commemorate the 35th anniversary of Bruce's passing. I had the pleasure of assisting Bill by including more factual information and by checking the manuscript. Therefore, I was extremely looking forward to receiving this new edition.

I am absolutely overjoyed to report that I was in no way left disappointed. The book looks amazing and is a glowing testament to the remarkable life of Bruce Lee.

The first photos we see are of Norman with Bruce's mother, Grace, who he became very close friends with, as well as photos of him with a teenaged Brandon Lee and Bruce's younger brother, Robert.

Anecdotes from Grace and Robert about Bruce's early years in Hong Kong are amusing and reveal an honest account of the real human being. You'll soon realize why Bruce's nickname was "Never Sits Still." Ever the imaginative, creative extrovert, Bruce was made for the movies, a complete natural as soon as he set foot in front of the camera. Bruce possessed that most important star quality - Charisma!

There are many wonderful moments in this book. The chapter about Bruce's first date with Linda at the Space Needle in Seattle and up to their marriage less than a year later was a fascinating insight into their mutual and true love for one another.

Another interesting aspect was Norman's experiences of attending Bruce Lee conventions all over the world, which reveal the enormous impact that Bruce had on so many. A personal favourite of mine was the chapter where close friend and Bruce Lee student, Dan Inosanto, talks so honestly and passionately about the real man. Norman provides a more thoughtful and clearer understanding of the man behind the image than what you'd normally read.

Other wonderful moments include Steve McQueen presenting Brandon with a puppy who was named Riff. And of course, there's the flipside, the not-so-wonderful moment in Bruce's life when he had his back injury. Bruce finally returns back to Hong Kong. He signs a contract and does two movies for Raymond Chow's newly formed film company, Golden Harvest, which went on to smash all box office records.

With the unbelievable success of these two films Bruce had revolutionized the entire Oriental film industry. He definitely was "King Dragon" now! He started his own film company, Concord Productions, and at this point was the most sought-after movie star in the world. Even the other King, Elvis Presley, wanted to do a movie with Bruce. The book explains all this and so much more with great thought and factual insights.

The quotes by Bruce Lee that start each chapter contain very deep meaning and can be applied to everyone's life. This reveals another side to Bruce, the philosopher and teacher of life. This book is packed with hundreds of photos, which will satisfy every fan. I enjoyed the wide variety used with captions and the many excellent ones that feature the "World of Bruce Lee" museum.

On final thoughts - the reader will discover many new stories, quotes, and facts about Bruce Lee whether young or old. I honestly can't recommend this book enough to all fans and admirers of the amazing Bruce Lee. I loved it, a truly excellent book on so many different levels. So what are you waiting for?

http://www.bruceleekingdragon.com/