The Shaolin Way

June 20, 2005
A child of poverty and abuse in New York's Spanish Harlem, DeMasco had every opportunity to become just another inner-city statistic. In time, though, his inward strength and survival instinct led to a dedicated study of martial arts; eventually he became a Shaolin kung fu grand master. In this entertaining and often moving book—a blend of ancient parables, memoir and instruction guide—DeMasco takes an often gritty and unapologetic look at the difficulties of growing up in modern society and offers lessons from his own life and the wisdom of the Shaolin monks, who seek "a balance between aggression and peace." In chapters such as "Victims Aren't Born, They're Bred" and "Anger Is Wasted Energy," he explains yin and yang as the balance of weakness and strength, and tells how monks learn to control their anger rather than let it control them. Tackling issues like living a fulfilling life, focusing to achieve maximum results, avoiding negative emotions and developing self-reliance, DeMasco (with People
correspondent Joseph) provides a well-crafted perspective into how ancient teachings can be applied to modern problems. Agent, Sydelle Kramer.