In celebration of the 2021 Multicultural Children’s Book Day on Friday, January 29, I want to share my review of “Legends of the Martial Arts Masters: Tales of Bravery and Adventure Featuring Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Other Great Martial Artists,” written by Susan Lynn Peterson and published by Tuttle Publishing.
Disclosure: I was gifted a copy of Legends of the Martial Arts Masters. Opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.
#ReadYourWorld
This book contains a mix of nonfiction and fiction short stories, suitable for young adults interested in martial arts. The Minnesota-based author, Susan Lynn Peterson, practices and teaches martial art. Her genuine and deep admiration for martial arts is clear from the way she narrates these legends from China, Japan, Korea, and beyond. I was already familiar with some of the characters but truly enjoyed these stories told in fresh and unexpected ways. For instance, “Introducing Bruce Lee” is the fictionalized account of Bruce Lee’s debut at the 1964 Long Beach International Karate Championship. The story - simple yet powerful - was written from the viewpoint of a Korean War veteran and martial arts enthusiast, and provided the context of how martial arts were introduced, perceived, and spread in America in the 1950s and 1960s. Of course, Bruce Lee’s appearance at this Championship led to his role in The Green Hornet, and the rest was history. Another honorable mention is “The Legend of Kong-sang Chan,” who later became the action movie superstar Jackie Chan. While he has become quite controversial in recent years (see: comments on Cross-Strait relations), many have forgotten (or never knew) his incredibly humble beginning as a student and indentured servant for ten years at a Chinese Opera training facility. It is a remarkable example of grit. His chance encounter with Bruce Lee inspired him to pursue acting, and again, the rest was history. Finally, my favorite story from this book is actually one I had never heard of: “Wing Chun,” which is a style of Southern Chinese wushu. The story of how it came to be invented by two petite women, Wing Chun and her master and Buddhist nun Ng Mui, is legendary. No spoilers here, but I very much enjoyed this take of Smash the Patriarchy: Shaolin edition.
To learn more about Multicultural Children’s Book Day, please visit: multiculturalchildrensbookday.com
you can read more about the Minnesota-based author and martial artist, Susan Lynn Peterson, here: susanlynnpeterson.com
You can learn more about the publisher, Tuttle Publishing, here: www.tuttlepublishing.com