I Am Jackie Chan

My Life in Action

By: Jackie Chan

Narrated by: Daxing Zhang

As one of the biggest stars in the world, Jackie Chan has wowed audiences with death-defying stunts for decades. But who really is this boyishly handsome, lightning-fast Charlie Chaplin of martial arts moviemaking

Jackie Chan has never told his own story in his own words. In I Am Jackie Chan, he tells the fascinating, harrowing, ultimately triumphant story of his life: How the son of refugees in 1950s Hong Kong became the disciplined disciple of a Chinese Opera Master. How, after years of plunging off skyscrapers and living to tell the tale, a once scared seven-year-old boy broke into the Hollywood big time by breaking almost every bone in his body.

©1998 Jackie Chan (P)1998 Phoenix Books

Great book for first half of Jackie Chan's life

I enjoyed the story thoroughly. The narrator has a Chinese accent that takes a moment to get used to, but he narrates well. Jackie Chan led a hard life that seemed to be a mixture of sweat and luck. I am a bigger fan than before. I'm so glad he was given the chance to be Jackie Chan and not attempt to be Bruce Lee #6.

A great book

A wonderful book that I found to be developmental and maturative for a young man coming of age such as myself. I found this book to be relatable and generally worthwhile to get through and highly intelligent. I further highly recommend this book.

read the book

this is the abridged version. while it's good, the full story is much better. read the book

An interesting life story

A memorable begin of an action movie legend. This book tell the story of Jackie Chan's training in the arts for the Chinese opera, and how his career took off as an action movie. He gives insight of the courage he gained, and the struggles he faced.

1999, and perhaps for a younger audience

While I enjoyed the book, it's fairly old, and the stories seem (perhaps) aimed at kids. This makes sense, as in those days there was "Jackie Chan Adventures" on TV (in the early 2000's).

Good read

listened to the store. it was good but felt it is somewhat out of date now. Also more stories about Hollywood would have been more exciting and added to the story

A great read and a fantastic look inside a legend

Great book and inspiring, humbling knowing a man can grow from the smallest background. Glad to read about this legend

I Am Jackie Chan: My Life in Action

Jackie Chan's story makes me care about him more! I really love him and his ideas even more.

A good listen, a great story

What did you love best about I Am Jackie Chan?

Just finished listening to "I am Jackie Chan", the abridged audiobook version of Chan's autobiography. It's missing some of my favorite stories from the much re-read version that has had its place on my shelves for so long, but it was still a good listen. I'd become a fan of Chan's movies after having been introduced to them by a friend with a passion for martial arts and Chinese cinema. Chan was more accessible than Bruce Lee, with a sense of humor that came through in and complimented his over the top stunt work. There were actors in Hong Kong Cinema who made me laugh more, or who were better fighters, or were telling better stories, but there was something about Chan's silliness that almost always made me happy to spend a few hours watching a man fall down a building or run up a wall. And he really was, at that point in his career, falling down buildings, risking death to get a laugh. That was part of the deal he made with his audience. I've never liked his Hollywood films, but his work in HK even today often has a bit of magic. I'll still watch.There are lessons to be found looking at any life, most of them reminders of things we already know, but then learning often requires review of old information so as to link to new. "I am Jackie Chan" isn't a great book. Chan shares few deep insights about his extraordinary path, or the amazing people he met along the way. But it has been an extraordinary path. I still enjoyed glancing down along it. The hard copy versions are highly recommended. The audiobook version is a pleasant listen. Daxing Zhang's reading shows personality and a fondness for the material, and I'm glad I took the time to hear this story again.

Profound in simple honesty

A wonderful tale of the human heart and intentions. After all his evolutions his last film foreigner stamped the period in the showmanship of a master. Master not by the extent of unreachable uniqueness, but the canvas of human life. Wonderful realization that my childhood hero is even greater so when I hear from my adult self. Incredible