"Bruce Lee made martial arts a global phenomenon. He bridged the divide between Eastern and Western cultures. He smashed long-held stereotypes of Asians and Asian Americans. And yet, almost a half-century after his sudden death at age thirty-two, there has not been a definitive account of the film legend's life. Until now. Following years of research that included more than one hundred interviews--with Lee's family, friends, business associates, and even the actress in whose bed he died--Matthew Polly has constructed a complex, humane portrait of the icon. Polly explores Lee's boyhood as a child star in Hong Kong cinema; his troublemaking teenage years that got him sent away to America; his beginnings as a martial arts teacher, eventually becoming instructor to movie stars like Steve McQueen; his struggles as an Asian American actor in Hollywood and frustration seeing roles go to white actors in eye makeup; his eventual triumph as a leading man; his challenges juggling a skyrocketing career with his duties as a father and husband; and his shocking death, which even today remains the subject of controversy. This is an honest, revealing, and long overdue look at an impressive yet imperfect man whose personal story was even more entertaining and inspiring than any fictional role he played onscreen."--Dust jacket.