Enticing look at inland China of the l980s and the world of Kungfu. Matthew Polly, mid-college, spends two years in rural China living among Buddhist monks and training in Kungfu at the infamous Shaolin Temple. Polly is a self-effacing, humorous story-teller. Teens interested in martial arts, Chinese culture, tales of under dogs besting their foes (Polly was an admitted 98-lb weaking at start) will appreciate this true story. Language and sexual exploits (not explicit) will limit its appropriateness to senior high or mature readers. ( )

Last year I saw the Shaolin Monks in a live show and they were amazing, so when I came across this book I immediately thought that I had to read it. This is the memoir of Matthew Polly and the two years he spent in China living with the monks. While attending Princeton, Polly took the bold decision to take a break from college and embark on a physical and spiritual journey.

What he found in China was not what he expected but he was determined and willing to 'eat bitter' so he gained the respect of the monks. By the end of his journey his 'things that are wrong with Matt' list was significantly smaller and through his memoir you experience both his pitfalls and achievements. When reading this book I realized how much I didn't know about China and the cultural differences that exist, I found this very interesting especially learning how China has evolved since then. You don't have to be into martial arts and Buddhism to enjoy this book, it is well written and sometimes comical, definitely not boring. It has certainly encouraged me to read more of these kind of books and proves that non-fiction can be enjoyable too. ( )

Kungfu, Buddhism, contemporary China, cross-cultural confusion and connection.

"There are thousands, if not tens of thousands, of distinct styles of kungfu. There are styles devoted to every conceivable animal. There are 'drunken' styles, regional styles, styles exclusively devoted to one weapon. There are family styles, which are never taught to anyone outside a bloodline. There are external and internal styles, styles for ground fighting, joint manipulation (qin na), and even one focused on head-butting. Chinese kungfu is one of the most glorious examples of obsessive-compulsive behavior in the history of human culture."

Tsingtao Lager
Iron Crotch Pale Ale

An interesting entertaining read; not spectacular, but fun. Nothing in it on the Spiritual aspects of Shaolin. No Zen. Then again, it's based on mathew's experience, and the expectation that there be very serene martial / Zen masters is the product of American Explotation and propaghanda on what Shalin is all about. nonetheless, I enjoyed reading about his experiences

http://www.bostonbibliophile.com/2008... ( )

Really interesting and personal book. I got a little bored with the fighting descriptions but they were not very long. ( )

As I read this, I felt as if I was back in yi jiu ba ba nian (1988) when I studied at Beijing University. Though Polly's story took place mostly at Shaolin Temple (quite far from Beijing) and in 1993, I saw many similarities between his experiences and mine. So many times, I found that his conversations with Chinese were the same conversations that I had when I was in China just 5 years earlier. This was all the more surprising for me since I left just several months before the June 4th 1989 massacre in Tiananmen Square and he was there 4 years after. _American Shaolin_ is a really fun book that captures parts of Chinese culture extremely well. Polly has a talent to explain situations very clearly. I admire his ability to poke fun at himself too. Anyone interested in China and/or martial arts will love this book. [If profanity bothers you, you may not like parts of this book.] ( )

This is an entertaining light read with some very insightful moments about Chinese culture. You really feel the characters in this book. Anyone who is interested in Shaolin kung fu should read this book to get a glimpse of how it's changed over the years and what some of the training is like. It is interesting to get an inside look at China through a Westerner's eyes. ( )

Polly, Matthew . (2007). American Shaolin: Flying Kicks, Buddhist Monks, and the Legend of Iron Crotch: An Odyssey in the New China. New York: Penguin Group USA, Gotham Books. 384 pp. ISBN 1-59240-262-3 (Hardcover); $26.00 [BBYA Top Ten Selection and Alex Winner]

American Shaolin is one of this year’s Alex winners (The Alex award is given to well written adult books with high teen appeal (http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklist... ). The easiest way, perhaps, to booktalk this title is to simply read the title and tell teens that the “Iron Crotch” section comes with full color pictures! Matthew Polly took a year off from Princeton to study kungfu with the Shaolin monks in China. During that time he finds a spiritual center, gains wisdom, attracts girls, gathers courage, and becomes a man. The cultural details about topics such as the way to greet someone, how to conduct business, or the technique for negotiating prices provide readers with an interesting contrast between this Asian perspective and our American way of treating the same topics. The book has enough of the kungfu fighting details to compensate for a few overly detailed language and cultural descriptions. The iron crotch section (and pictures!) will gross out teens enough to keep them reading. The beauty of this title is that readers will also learn something. This book is also a BBYA top ten selection, which is well-deserved!

"The story of the two years Matthew spent in China living, studying and performing with the Shaolin monks."

This adult memoir wins the "Best Title of the Year Award!" And it lives up to its name. I couldn't put this one down, and I hate kungfu movies. So the author did something right. I think this one has wide appeal, especially for high school students, and it definitely shouldn't be purchased for "large psychology collections." Puh-leese. I can't believe I just read that in a review.

Matthew Polly is a wuss from Topeka, Kansas, who gets into Princeton. But things aren't going right and he needs a change. Since he knows Chinese, a little bit about kungfu, and a need to figure out what to do with his life, he decides to set out to the legendary Shaolin temple of bad kungfu movie fame. The memoir focuses on his time in China and his spiritual and physical growth. He becomes a man, learns how to kick some serious butt, and becomes an expert on Chinese culture. Polly also made me giggle with his tales of Chinese "dancers," Americanisms, and observations of the local people. Go to www.mattpolly.com to find out more and see some videos of his time in China. ( )