title: American Shaolin                                 

author: Matthew Polly

Gotham Books, 2007

non-fiction

For some bizarre reason, OCLC buries this book in the 790’s rather than in the biography section. This books reads more as a coming of age story than it does a book about kung fu.  The story begins with a very brief description of Polly’s early days as a weakling. With Princeton not quite working out, he wisely creates a list of things to do and decides the best way to get things done would be to go to the Shaolin Temple in China. While this book was written in 2007, the story didn’t happen in the recent past where everyone is going to China. It happened in the mid 90s when few Americans went to China, whether for business or please.

So, Polly was quite the foreigner, carving a path through rural China trying to get to this temple. It wasn’t just a geographic search. He had to understand the culture to get in and stay in. Polly had a background studying Chinese and had enough of a grasp of the language to manuever the terrain. I think what impressed me most about the story was that he was wise enough from the beginning of his journey to realize he was not in a place that merely spoke a different language. Rather, he was in a place with different customs and traditions which he would have to master to be successful.

In this story, we learn of the significance of kickboxing in Chinese history. We follow Polly as he masters various techniques, networks with monks, other foreigners and students and makes true friends.  Martial arts stances and attacks are artfully described. Adventures are humorous and exciting. Polly has a way of presenting a very different culture in an ordinary, yet respectful manner.  We see his inner character shine through as his physical abilities develop.

themes: China; martial arts; coming of age; over-coming obstacles

American Shaolin is one of 10 books selected for this summer’s Crazy-Color Summer Reading List.