Never Grow Up

by Jackie Chan, Zhu Mo

Everybody knows Jackie Chan. Whether it's from Rush Hour and Shanghai Noon or Kung Fu Panda, The Karate Kid, and The Foreigner, Chan is known to generations of moviegoers for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts.

Now, in his second memoir (translated and updated from the original Chinese edition), the global superstar reflects on the twenty years since his first memoir was published, as well as never-before-told stories from his early life.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Memoir, Autobiography, Audiobook, Biography Memoir, China

333 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2015

Reviews

[Brittany McCann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always been a huge Jackie Chan fan, so when I saw this, I got really excited. Unfortunately, I guess I really didn't know much about Jackie behind the scenes, and I probably should have never read this book. My love for Jackie has now waned.... :(

The best thing I can say about Jackie is that he never gives up, is hard-working, and is honest with himself and others. However, he is also kind of a jerk, holds grudges, and has wasted so much money it is disgusting to think about. At least as he got older, he strived to give back and became a great world ambassador. As a mom, it was hard not to put myself in his family's position and feel different emotions there.

Do I still like Jackie Chan after reading this book? Yes.
Is he still one of my favorite people? No.

This book was hard for me, and I almost stopped it so many times because it completely changed my view of Jackie if this was what he wrote about himself.

The movies and the stunts are pretty amazing to read about, and he had a very harsh childhood. He has built himself up from the ground to being a worldwide star, and he DID have help along the way, but he has an amazing drive to get to where he is today... I leave this one with powerfully mixed feelings as it wasn't written poorly, but it affected me, and I know much more about Jackie Chan now.

I'm stuck in the middle at 3 stars.

[Kam Thirteen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I blew through this in a day!

First of all - I'm a huge fan of Jackie Chan. I remember being the one introducing him to my friends (I had seen "Wheels on Meals" and "Project A" 20-30 times each on VHS by the time i started school at age 6 or 7). I even remember feeilng slightly awkward about preferring Jackie Chan movies over Arnold and Stallone movies (since they were huge, bulky and manly, while Jackie was this silly little dude).

So when I found out about this book - I immediately started reading and thought I would love it! Just absolutely love it! I mean, Jackie's persona in every interview and in the movies I've seen of him are pretty alike - he is silly, nice, full of energy and in general just a likable and what-you-see-is-what-you-get good person. Right?

I thought this book was interesting, but didn't love it. They say never meet your idols, well, I guess don't read their autobiographies either then.


Here's why I didn't love it:

The book started off getting weird when he was going through his childhood and mentions that his parents leave him at a martial arts and drama school in Hong Kong at age 7, while they themselves leave for Australia. Jackie lived there - sleeping on mats with a bunch of others and training everyday all day for the next 10 years.

Jackie consistently goes on to describe his parents as just top of the notch great people who worked hard, lived hard lives and just couldn't get any better.

And already there this book started becoming confusing.


Jackie's parents:

You were an only child and they just left you on a mat of some martial arts school in Hong Kong, while they themselves left for the good life in Australia? The dad was a sought after chef at an American Consulate in Australia - and the mom worked as well - AND Jackie was the only child (apparently this wasn't true - comes out later in the book) - and they still didn't want to actually raise their only child???

When Jackie goes to Australia in his late teens and sees his mom for the first time in 12 years - he can't EXCLAIM how great she is and how great it is to see her. Jackie had spent his entire childhood/teenage getting beat by his Master, was now a filmset day laborer of sorts making meagre salaries (which he seemed to immediately blow away on gambling and alcohol, while halfway living in a brothel(!))

I just neither believe or get that he had no - none whatsoever - bitterness against his parents. That he had just loved and missed them, and that was about it.

Later in the book - stuff comes out about the dark pasts of his parents (they met in Shanghai - he was a thug of some sort who had left two kids behind - she was an opium dealer - had also left her two kids behind - they run off to Hong Kong and get married, have a kid, and, well, leave him behind as well).

I get that their lives were hard and all that, but they just don't seem like the great people Jackie is selling them out to be, and it just came off as weird that Jackie kept insisting and all throughout this book kept praising how hard they worked and how great they were.


Jackie as a parent and husband:

Jackie's wholesome image has included this part of him as being a solid - loving and married - familyman.

First of all, similarly to Arnold, Jackie also has a lovechild. But where as Arnold fessed up and got divorced - and most importantly, kept in touch with the kid (who apparently is giving it a go as a bodybuilder too right now), Jackie describes the process like this:

1. It was a great shame that happened
2. I talked to my wife and son
3. Wife forgave me, she is great

And that was it. I thought he would come back to this, but he never did. Never clarifies anything. So the illegitimate child was his? Right? Thats why he rushed home to tell about this great shame, right? And if it was - who the hell is the child? And the mother???

I had to google this - and apparently the lovechild was with Miss Asia 1990, and the kid (a daughter) is currently a 19 year old homeless drug-addict...

Also, there is more about Michelle Yeoh than the wife he has had through 35+ years. Speaking of, has he ever actually lived with his wife? It just wasn't clarified enough.

Speaking of him having kids and intimacy (he never describes any of that by the way - it just comes out when someone is pregnant) - there is also this:

The gay thing:

I dont know if it's because I just came off a David Sedaris book before this, but Jackie's way of dealing with women was very off (he literally could never hang out with the women he was "dating" without 16+ people from his possé) . The scene he describes where the male flight attendant hits on him was off, and how Jackie casually showers together with his dudes (Sammo and the other guy) was off. I kinda went "is this guy still in the closet or does he not know?" a couple of times. I dont know, just some weirdness would make sense if this was the case.


Back to his son:

It became very evident through the book that Jackie was doing the same thing with his son, that he kept doing with his parents. Apparently, most of Jackie's fortune will go to charity (as decided by his will), not to his son. To some extent - if I'm being perfectly frank - you can tell Jackie is forcing a lot of the positives he says about his son. Just like with the parents, "Jaycee is so great".

Jackie, you hate your son don't you? It couldn't be more obvious if you tried...

I had to go back to google again to understand who/what the son was, cause Jackie sure as hell was not going to tell me.

The son has a long line of music and movie adventures behind him - pretty much all, not just, but massive failures. He's close to 40 now and recently out of prison after a stint for drugs - something that was extra embarrassing for Jackie I would suppose - as anti-drug ambassador has been a favorite of his philanthropies. With all the work ethic and morale mantra that Jackie professes - his son seem to be the anti of whatever Jackie hoped he would be.


I do respect that Jackie has a right to privacy, and he shouldn't be responsible for explaining me his childhood, his illegitimate daughter or wife/son, but he did write this book right? What was the point when he is still being stingy on a lot of vital information?

I am left with a sense of just reading a carefully choreographed marketing tool - that has being carefully drawn up to reveal just enough to get some personal connection to Jackie as a fan, without actually learning anything substantial about him - I mean, what was the thing with the prostitute in the brothel? Did he basically live at a brothel with this girl for what seemed like could be years? And then didn't recognize her when he saw her in daylight without makeup for the first time??? How drunk/high was he in those gambling years???

The Rush Hour thing was kind of a bummer as well - apparently he didn't like making them - and so barely mentions it. He does say some positive things about Chris Tucker being cool, but it kinda just comes off as politeness, not genuine praise or anything (doesn't mention Owen Wilson either - but praises James Cameron, Stallone, Spielberg and Tom Hanks).

All that gambling, alcohol and utter decadency just gets glossed over - while we get tedious descriptions over how he planned certain stunts in the 80s - how generous he could be - and those Chinese houses he just had to keep renovating, cause that useless son of his was definitively not gonna take care of them if he died too early. I mean, whats with the houses man???

I dont know if this kind of book was the plan all along (a stereotypical autobiography spending most time praising oneself, while rationalizing and making excuses for all criticism against oneself in the media - while doing some innocent self-decrepidating to come off as ultimately honest and self-assessing), but it was just not what I was expecting.

I think if Jackie went to a therapist and got all his issues talked out - scrapped the act and got real - and then wrote a 2,000 page long 100% honest book about his life - it would be a masterpiece!

Even if not always, Jackie definitely seems like a nice person now (basically throws money at any charity) and I'll still keep watching Project A/Wheel on Meals/the Rush Hours without guilty conscience, but damn, almost wished I didn't read this book :(

[aPriL does feral sometimes · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Never Grow Up’ by Jackie Chan and Zhu Mo, translated by Jeremy Tiang, is a frank honest autobiography. I’ve read some reviews by people who are disappointed by the revelations of how Jackie lived his life for 65 years. I am not. I think of Jackie the same as he speaks of himself after reading this book: “I’m just an ordinary person, but I’ve dared to do some extraordinary things.”

As a toddler, he apparently was willful and intent on getting his way despite corporal punishments. He hated school, partially because he was poor kid whose parents were a cook and maid working at the Hong Kong French consulate, but mostly it was because it was an excellent school, the Nan Hua Primary, which insisted on academics and manners. Jackie was having none of it. He did, when he was four years old, allow his father to drag him out of bed to do exercises. But he also did everything possible to get himself kicked out of the posh school, refusing to do any homework.

When Jackie’s father was offered a job in Australia as a chef at the American consulate, Jackie was seven. Jackie’s father took the job, but it meant he would have to live apart from Jackie and his mom for awhile. Some friends of Jackie’s father recommended the China Drama Academy, a very disciplined and rigorous boarding school offering classes in the martial arts, singing, dancing and acting. He toured the school with his dad, who was looking at it as a possible alternative to a normal school which could not handle Jackie. Jackie liked what he saw in the tour, so his father signed a contract with the Academy. Jackie was forced to stay there for ten years under the terms of the contract. His parents and Jackie had no idea of how harsh the school actually was.

For the next ten years Jackie’s life was all about surviving extreme physical cruelty. I was reminded of descriptions of some of the German concentration camps for the Jews in World War II. However, he made lifelong friends there, and it was the skills he learned at the school which provided the openings to jobs making movies. He was applying for, and getting, jobs as a stuntman in Hong Kong martial arts movies as a young teenager.

As a young man, he learned everything he could about making movies when on movie sets. However, he had almost no abilities in reading, writing or doing math. I think his illiteracy was a very serious handicap in many areas. I think he did not have any capability to understand the broader pictures of social interactions and behaviors, a disability that I’ve noticed that is common in nonreaders.

On top of his illiteracy, like most young men the world over he was a shallow, self-centered human being. Plus, he had a chip on his shoulder that was more like a entire granite mountain of resentment! When he began to have money, he gambled, drank a lot of alcohol and ran around with a lot of women. He became a crazy consumer of stuff, buying up all of the goods in stores. (It sounds like he had very bad artistic taste, going for the flashy shiny looks of the nouveau rich.) He also revisited many places which he felt had disrespected him when he was poor to shove them around now that he had made money. To make a point of his deprived childhood although he had money now, he intentionally went to posh restaurants and drank soup straight out of the bowls, for example. Despite these actions, which, gentler reader, I have seen many young men do until they age out of them, he loved being around people, partying, enjoying the company of many people. I suspect he is a lucky possessor of that intangible quality called charisma, too.

Thankfully, Jackie is smart, imho, illiterate or not. With time, exposure to different cultures, many many movies (200+) that he made around the world, and experience, including love, marriage, family responsibilities, he sorted himself out. He became a good guy offscreen as much as he was onscreen. Having suffered poverty, cruelty, disrespect, and prejudice, he became the champion of folks who did not have much of anything. He now gives to and sponsors a lot of charities.

I’ve copied the book blurb below, and it is mostly true:

”A candid, thrilling memoir from one of the most recognizable, influential, and beloved cinematic personalities in the world.

Everyone knows Jackie Chan. Whether it’s from Rush Hour, Shanghai Noon, The Karate Kid, or Kung Fu Panda, Jackie is admired by generations of moviegoers for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, and mind-bending stunts. In 2016—after fifty-six years in the industry, over 200 films, and many broken bones—he received an honorary Academy Award for his lifetime achievement in film. But at 64 years-old, Jackie is just getting started.

Now, in Never Grow Up, the global superstar reflects on his early life, including his childhood years at the China Drama Academy (in which he was enrolled at the age of six), his big breaks (and setbacks) in Hong Kong and Hollywood, his numerous brushes with death (both on and off film sets), and his life as a husband and father (which has been, admittedly and regrettably, imperfect).

Jackie has never shied away from his mistakes. Since The Young Master in 1980, Jackie’s films have ended with a bloopers reel in which he stumbles over his lines, misses his mark, or crashes to the ground in a stunt gone south. In Never Grow Up, Jackie applies the same spirit of openness to his life, proving time and time again why he’s beloved the world over: he’s honest, funny, kind, brave beyond reckoning and—after all this time—still young at heart.”

I am impressed by his willingness to describe how awful he was as a young man. He might be exaggerating his gauche maladroit behaviors a little bit. I don’t know if he has ever gone into therapy, I suspect not since he grew up under a paternalistic Hong Kong culture that was part China, part foreign imperialist classism, not a ‘woke’ environment, but the childhood he describes in the book accounts for a lot of whom he was as a young adult person. How could he have been anything else? I believe that he has changed and grown up into a more rounded, and thoughtful, person, as he also relates in the book. Like most of us elderly folk who look back at former selves when young, he wants to make amends and to teach life lessons. He has a lot of regrets. But I think his choice to live with positivity and humor is a good one.

In any case, this is a very interesting autobiography. For those of you wondering how many bones he has broken, it was a lot. It takes two pages to list all of the carnage he imposed on himself. He has a lot of joint issues. Why? I suspect an aftereffect of PTSD from ‘attending’ China Drama Academy. As you may suspect, his movies could not be insured.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid autobiography by one of the most famous actors in the world. Not much he doesn't appear to share, including a few demons. Even with them, he's caring, giving and doesn't seek publicity when he does numerable good deeds.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Jackie Chan ever since I watched the Rush Hour franchise . The fight scenes are only a fraction of his talent, love his comedic timing and how he shines in the presence of others. I watched a few of his other movies such as The Karate Kid, he is one talented actor. I was impressed with reading this book, it was very witty and deeply sentimental. Reading about his childhood was touching, he had great parents that instilled great lessons with him. I am really glad that I decided to read this, it was very pleasant to read through the many trials and triumphs.

This is officially the last book I will read for the year of 2018, it was great to end this year on such a good note. I plan to continue to follow Jackie Chain film industry, in his words he does not plan to retire anytime soon.

I will recommend this book to anyone even if you are not a fan.

[Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars for Never Grow Up (audiobook) by Jackie Chan with Zhu Mo translated by Jeremy Tiang read by Daxing Zhang with Jennifer Lim.
This was a really revealing biography. Jackie Chan told the good and the bad about himself and the other people in his life. There was a lot of details in this story that I had never heard about.

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've loved Jackie Chan movies for years and I was always curious about him, interested in learning more about his life: who he really is when the cameras are not rolling, and how he came to be the Jackie Chan we all think we know.

This book will tell you these things, but be prepared to be shocked, because many of the details of Chan's private life are nowhere near the standard we all may assume he has because of the characters he plays in his movies. Which is, of course, the danger of thinking that we know any public figure, especially actors.

Jackie was a bad boy from his early days. He was expelled from school after just one year! Then his parents put him into a strict opera academy for ten years while they went to work in Australia. The discipline in the school may have been the best thing for him, even though it did not keep him from indulging himself when he finally became a movie star in Hong Kong. After so many years of intense control by others, I suppose you can excuse some of the excesses, such as the monstrous spending binges. But dang, he was a stinker when it came to treating people properly. He was, in a word, a dork.

But even though the title of the book is Never Grow Up, Jackie Chan eventually seems to do just that. He may still be egotistical with a Hey Look At Me attitude, but he seems to have figured out that life is not just about spending money and treating your loved ones horribly. So I think in his own way he has grown up at least a little bit. And I also think that every experience he has had, every mistake he has made, shaped him into who he is today. And just like all the rest of us, he is a work in progress. Is anyone ever truly grown up?

If you prefer your mental images of movie star heroes untarnished by real life, don't read this book. But if you can accept that movie stars are human beings as well, jump right in. Even with all the disturbing surprises here, this is a fascinating life story.

[Leah K · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love memoirs but don't like rating them. Who am I to tell you that your story isn't worthy of telling? But something rubbed me wrong with this one - Chan just doesn't come off as a very likable guy. I give him credit, he's honest, but his honesty comes off as "I was a jerk, let me tell you I was young to excuse it, and for good measure I threw a lot of money at the problem". I'm not saying he's awful and my love for his movies haven't changed but some of these stories were pretty aggravating. His family and friends are saints for dealing with his antics. I'm sure some things were also lost through the translation, but overall, I was "meh" with this book.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish there had been more about his childhood, as the stories there were more compelling. Fun fact from this: he was 12 lbs at birth and the local paper ran the story with the headline, “Giant Baby Born”

[Dana (Dana and the Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting to see what went on behind the scenes

[Kalin]

Жалване от 10.09.2017:
Много обичам издателство „Изток-Запад“. И заради условията, които предлагат на сътрудниците си, и заради вниманието към изданията, които правят, и по една съвсем лична причина, свързана с „Наследникът“.

Много обичам и Джеки Чан. Няма да обяснявам защо – причините са същите като вашите. :)

И когато днес на лекцията за азиатска литература, включена в Анивенчър, разбрах за тази автобиография, веднага я възмечтах.

Но сега видях цената ѝ... и няма да си я купя. Срам ме даже да си я поискам като подарък. :(((

Не знам колко пари са стрували авторските ѝ права. Не знам колко е взел преводачът – ако е превеждана директно от китайски, със сигурност немалко. Но крайната цена ми приседна на гърлото, и то насред ден, в който току избухвам в песни и тананикане.

Преглъщ и въздъх... Сега ще ида да потърся другата азиатска книга, която ми хвана окото.

Сагата продължава тук:

https://choveshkata.net/forum/viewtop...

[Bonnie_blu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Jackie Chan's movies and was eagerly looking forward to this autobiography. The book reads like a "real" autobiography, i.e., it doesn't sound like a professional writer glossing over Jackie Chan's life to put him in the best light. Unfortunately, as a result, Jackie reveals himself as a man who always thought of his enjoyment and advancement to the exclusion of the emotional needs of those who he says he loved. Admittedly, there are often cultural difference between traditional Western concepts of the relationship between men and women and Eastern concepts. Even so, I was put off by his cavalier attitude about leaving his wife and especially his son to obsessively pursue his need for wealth and fame. He states that "All told, I think I've done alright by my son...," but when it comes down to it, he didn't raise his son, his wife did since Jackie was always gone. In this book, I see a talented but immature man who had to live for 50 years to get a sense of what is truly important in life: family and giving back.

[Don H.M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember going to elementary school 2003 when everyone else was going nuts over bullet time in the matrix. "Keanu dodged bullets" my classmates numbered, "the Kung Fu fighting is the best, you gotta see it...it is the greatest action movie ever". The excitement my 8 year old brain felt from the anticipation of seeing a man dodge bullets with ferocious speed was at a fever pitch. My friend asked his dad to set up the VHS, I was ready to explode from the anxiety of witnessing the peak of cinema. And then the movie started....when the famous scene when agent Smith sprays from his 9mm, as time slows down and Keanu finally dodges bullets, I blurted out instantly "that looks so fake". My friends looked at me like I was an idiot who didn't know the difference between reality and cinema.

My 7 year old mind had been spoiled by Jackie Chan. I knew movies weren't real even then, but hong kong action movies starring Jackie Chan, Benny the jet or Sammo Hung just looked so real that for years I was baffled by how they managed to do such amazingly realistic fights and stunts without getting hurt. I learned over a decade later on the secret to how they pulled off jumps from rooftops, blowing out candles with their kicks, insane bicycle chases and death defying sky dives....they just did it for real and accepted the serious injury or the risk of death as an undesirable consequence of making a good action comedy.

It was a privilege to read about how Jackie and Sammo grew balls large enough to do the greatest stunts in film history. Action comedies are disrespected by film critics and snobs alike, treated as footnotes in film history. But to anyone who truly loves the art of cinema Jackie's movies are landmarks in film history. Every year with the increase in picture quality hollywood blockbusters like avatar or Jurassic park look less and less awe inspiring, the novelty of computer effects fades with technological evolution but the films of the cinema clowns like Jackie, Harold Lloyd, Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin more appreciated.

I consider Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd to be the best silent era clowns with Chaplin at a far third. Films such as "The General" and "Safety Last" had death defying and extravagant stunts which differentiated them from Chaplin's charming sympathetic mannerisms. Charlie was a better actor than the two, but Charlie did not run a train off a bridge in the climax greatest chase scene ever. Charlie could gain the audience's sympathy through facial expressions but Harold did it by scaling a high-rise then falling off a clocktower so he didn't have to act scared, he marched Charlie's talent by being genuinely terrified.

Jackie Chan had the legacy of Bruce Lee thrust upon him but the legacy but he chose to carry forward was of Harold and Buster. I remember the first dvd I bought was an obscure double feature which had "new fist of fury" and "the young master". I watched "the young master" 100 times before realizing there was another movie in it. I couldn't watch "new fist of fury" more than once because I felt even though it started Jackie, it lacked something. In this book Jackie puts into words what "new fist of fury lacked", the Hong Kong directors tried to push his as Bruce Lee's successor. I saw the original fist of fury in Cantonese and English, and the character Bruce played in it came from his and his family's experiances. The stunts performed by Bruce were relatively safe, but they felt dangerous. Meanwhile Jackie made me laugh at how dumb his face looked when he gets hurt in scenes that could have actually killed him in "the young master".

This is the biography of a man who is as unpretentious as he is hardworking. Cinema snobs awed by special effects of Speilberg, Cameron and Kubrick may discount Jackie as a man who makes lighthearted family dramas. But Jackie would rather make you happy than awed, it is a realization I had after reflecting on all the movies I have seen. I have seen Dinosaurs come to life in Jurassic Park. Well, to me is nowhere near as impressive as doing Lloyd's clocktower stunt from 60 feet high, hurting yourself then doing it again because the first take didn't look good enough. Doing it twice would make Jackie already the greatest color cinema clown ever but the mad man did the 60 foot fall again, and actually broke his neck. The take where Jackie Broke his neck was the one he used in the film Project A.

Any arthouse snob can be a filmmaker or actor but very few will respect their audience and the medium of film enough to swallow their fear and be willing to die so viewers centuries from now can look back at hong Kong cinema and be just as overjoyed as I was as a kid.

For this reason and many others mentioned in this book, I consider Jackie to be among the greatest filmmakers of our time. This book made me respect the man behind the camera even more than the man in front of it.

[LeeTravelGoddess · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an enjoyable memoir! Jackie Chan is by far my most favorite Asian actor simply because he can really do anything and work with anyone which he shows mostly in this book. He is also a very sweet, down to earth man who had a ruff upbringing but never once did he let that hinder him in any way.

I really enjoyed the fact that he learned the ropes young so that he wouldn’t be taken for a fool when he became more famous. And my goodness I didn’t know the lengths that some will go to be in the presence of greatness!

It’s was such a treat to essentially re-live Jackie’s life with him and I felt as if he told genuine stories and not once did he make anyone look bad even though they did him wrong! The story of his wife, how they met and bonded was amazing even the fact that they are still together—30+ years!! And they sound as if they are the best of friends still. His son seems like the typical rich kid but I mean can you blame him. I learned so many things about Jackie that I never would have guessed and man was he really hard on himself in this book. He has done great things all over the world and been the material guy, he has grown through media troubles and other things of the like but the one thing that stood out to me was that he is still that simple boy that he was when he was young. He loved his family and always kept his team on. He has for sure given his last dime to help someone else and I believe that that is why he is so wealthy to this day. I think China owes a great deal to him and I hope that one day they honor him properly.

Overall, an amazing memoir. I hope I pass by him one day in Hollywood 😎. And now I have to go and watch both Chinese Zodiac and The Foreigner lol. I’ve been slacking. Nothing will compare to Operation Condor my favorite of his collection. 💚💚💚 it’s a tops!

[Alfeesya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a good one! Definitely, recommend it to everyone!

[Maliha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up with Jackie Chan's movies has been a remarkable journey. As long as I can remember, I've been a fan, captivated by his superhuman strength and agility. His films, always entertaining, reveal even more during the bloopers, where his dedication and resilience truly shine. Watching him perform incredible stunts and recover from injuries with relentless effort has been profoundly inspiring. For those who have admired Jackie Chan like I have, this book is an essential read, celebrating the incredible man behind the on-screen hero.

Jackie Chan's autobiography, Never Grow Up, is an intimate glimpse into the life of one of the world's most beloved action stars, martial artists, and film directors. This book is not just an autobiography; it's a testament to the power of perseverance, hard work, and an unyielding spirit.

Jackie Chan's Journey:
From his humble beginnings in Hong Kong, where he was enrolled in the rigorous China Drama Academy, to his rise as a global superstar, Jackie Chan’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. The book takes readers through the various stages of his life, detailing the struggles, sacrifices, and sheer determination that fueled his success.

Behind the Scenes:
What makes Never Grow Up truly captivating is its raw honesty. Jackie doesn't shy away from discussing his flaws, mistakes, and the darker aspects of his life. He shares candid anecdotes about his experiences with fame, his financial troubles, and his tumultuous relationships, offering readers a humanizing perspective on a larger-than-life figure.

Insightful and Inspirational:
The book is filled with nuggets of wisdom and life lessons. Jackie’s reflections on his craft, his unwavering commitment to safety and innovation in his stunts, and his philosophy of hard work and resilience are incredibly inspiring. His advice to “never grow up” is a call to maintain a youthful spirit of curiosity, creativity, and persistence.

Humor and Heart:
True to Jackie Chan’s personality, the book is peppered with humor and light-hearted moments. His storytelling is engaging and entertaining, making readers feel as if they’re having a conversation with an old friend. The tales of his on-set pranks, his encounters with Hollywood legends, and his adventures around the world add a delightful charm to the narrative.

A Visual Treat:
Never Grow Up is also a visual treat, featuring a collection of photographs that chronicle Jackie’s life and career. These images add a personal touch to the memoir, allowing readers to visually connect with the stories being told.

Conclusion:
In Never Grow Up, Jackie Chan offers a heartfelt, insightful, and entertaining account of his life’s journey. This autobiography is a must-read for fans of Jackie Chan, martial arts enthusiasts, and anyone looking for a dose of inspiration. It’s a reminder that no matter how many times you fall, what truly matters is the courage to get back up and keep pushing forward. A truly remarkable read that deserves a five-star rating!

[Sally (whatsallyreadnext) · Rating 4 out of 5]

For as long as I can remember, I had always been a huge fan of Jackie Chan. Watching his movies, particularly those from the 80s before his Hollywood fame, is a lovely reminder of my childhood where I constantly re-watched the VHS recordings that my mum had of Wheels on Meals and Armour of God. As a British-born Chinese, seeing Chinese representation on screen meant a lot to me and I found it inspirational that a Chinese actor could find worldwide fame and break into Hollywood.

When reading Jackie Chan's memoir Never Grow Up earlier this year, my childhood memories came flooding back to me. With sixty years in the industry, over 200 films, a lot of broken bones and an honorary Academy Award, Jackie Chan had a lot to cover in this book. Starting from his tough childhood spent at the China Drama Academy, he also shares about his successes and setbacks in the movie industry, what his life was like on and off-camera and speaks candidly about the mistakes he's made in his marriage and family life.

As I had read Jackie's previous 1998 memoir I Am Jackie Chan several years ago, I found some of the chapters covering his early life to be a bit repetitive of what I knew already. However, the parts around his personal life were new and added an extra level of honesty to Never Grow Up, compared to his previous memoir. I do applaud Jackie for his honesty but at times in this book, it did make him come across as quite unlikeable and egotistical. I cringed when I read about his massive spending binges and was disappointed to read about how he had treated people in the past. We all have our flaws, Jackie doesn't seem afraid to share his but it did seem like he had learnt from some of his mistakes.
I still enjoy Jackie Chan's movies but as a person, I'm liking him a little bit less after reading his memoir! I would still recommend it for fans of Jackie Chan though. Thank you Simon & Schuster for gifting me a copy of this book.

[Luella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book far more than I have enjoyed reading a book in a while.

You can tell that a lot of work was put into this to make it a cohesive book overall. What I loved the most is his unfailing commitment to excellence and treating others with respect and dignity. But it didn't happen over night he had many missteps along the way.

He tells many stories even that ones that don't paint him as a perfect human being and show what he learned from each one of these experiences. I commend him for putting this out there. I am so glad that I learned spotted this one on the my library's list of new books.

He is as he has stated "an ordinary person who does extraordinary things" who wouldn't want to read out and even aspire to that?

[Carlin Spink · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Jackie, he was my favourite person as a child. This book isn't very well written (Jackie obviously didn't write it) and is pretty dull in spots. Regardless of the topic, the book is structured in this fashion: "I did this thing or went to this place and then it was horrible and hard but I just pushed through it with a smile and now I'm great". Rinse, wash and repeat.

But Jackie is wonderful (even when he undermines his stuntmen compatriots when they try to stand up to the overly dangerous demands of a maniac director by volunteering to do the stunt himself). I guess he can be forgiven for this. There's never been anyone quite like him. Initially, directors wanted to mold him into the next Bruce Lee: cold, vengeful, a killing machine. I'm glad that he resisted this.

[Augusta Whittemore · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I can only do what I think is right. As long as I haven’t gone against my conscience, then I’m happy—and that’s how it’s been for many years.”

I admire Jackie Chan, and I was so happy to read his book!It was very endearing, though I don’t know that I can post a real “review”; it’s really just him talking about different aspects of his life (which I greatly enjoyed). If you’re a fan, I would recommend it.

(Also, I wasn’t going to pick up a physical copy of the book but the photo album at the end is making me question everything about that decision because WOW.)

[Sachi Argabright · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I was growing up I looked up to all kinds of Asian superstars, and Jackie Chan was no exception. He was brave, funny, and extremely gifted in martial arts. When I first watched him in Rush Hour, I was mesmerized as he hung over traffic on a tall street sign, fought henchmen while trying to preserve Chinese artifacts, and took apart a gun in mere seconds! I don’t know how many times my sister and I watched Rush Hour when we were growing up, but it was A LOT. So when I saw he had a memoir coming out, I knew I had to read it.

NEVER GROW UP (Release Date | Dec 4, 2018) explores the life of Jackie Chan from his humble beginnings to his international stardom. This memoir recalls Jackie’s grueling years in martial arts school, his time as a struggling stunt artist, and his “overnight” success. Much like Chan’s acting style, he balances discussing serious life lessons he’s learned with humorous memories from his past.

As I noted earlier, I was very excited to get my hands on this book. As I started reading, I realized I didn’t know that much about Jackie Chan’s life or personality and was eager to learn more. As I continued reading, my opinion of Chan started to change. The fun loving, lighthearted person I imagined Jackie being was different than the person illustrated on the pages. While Chan acknowledges that he’s made a lot of mistakes in his life, some things he discussed were very surprising to read. I also noticed that there were a lot of stories that portrayed Chan in a very positive light, and after so many extremely positive stories I started to question their validity.

A lot of the book covers what it’s like to make movies and be a stunt person, which might be great for some readers but was a little bit of a struggle for me. I was hoping for more life lessons, and wanted to know more about Chan’s personal life. I was also sad to see that Chan didn’t like filming Rush Hour, and didn’t cover a single thing about the movie in his book. Overall, I think this book gives a deeper look into who Chan is as a person.

[Hải · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cuốn hồi kí mới ra mắt của Thành Long (Jackie Chan). Sách 350 trang nhưng rất dễ đọc, đi làm về vừa nằm đọc vừa ôm con, nhấm nháp tầm buổi tối là xong.

Mình không phải là fan cứng của Thành Long. Điện ảnh Hồng Kông - Trung Hoa, mình mê những bộ phim ngày cũ đậm chất nghệ thuật kiểu Vương Gia Vệ, hơn là những bộ đấm đá xen lẫn hài hước như phim Thành Long sau này. Tuy thế, mình vẫn tìm đọc cuốn sách, chủ yếu tò mò, vì dù gì, Thành Long cũng là một trong những diễn viên châu Á nổi tiếng nhất trên phạm vi toàn thế giới, và cuộc đời ông, đó giờ đọc qua báo chí, cũng tràn đầy sóng gió.

Ngay khi đọc được vài chương đầu cuốn sách, mình đã bảo vợ mình: cuốn này "tối" thật. Dù vẫn tiếc là ước gì tác giả viết tốt hơn xíu, nhưng những đoạn kể về quá khứ gian khổ, những ngày tháng ăn chơi, bê tha và tuyệt vọng; những mối tình, với tình yêu đầu tiên đầy hối tiếc, với Đặng Lệ Quân do chút bốc đồng thời trai trẻ mà mãi day dứt khôn nguôi, kể cả việc thừa nhận đánh đập con trai mình đều gây xúc cảm mạnh.

Đọc sách khá ổn, nhưng không biết vì lí do gì (dù tưởng rằng Thành Long đã chả-sợ-gì mà viết tất), ông không hề nhắc đến tên của Ngô Ỷ Lợi và con gái ruột Ngô Trác Lâm của mình. Cứ như là cô con gái ấy không hề tồn tại trên đời...

Nhìn chung, Thành Long là một con người không hoàn hảo, nhưng vẫn có những mặt đáng để nể phục.

[Suzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating autobiographies/memoirs is difficult.

We all know Jackie Chan as a legend martial artist. His movie stunts leave everyone's mouth agape. But in this portrait of his life history, he comes off as a douchenozzle. Yes, the man had a tough, and I mean tough, upbringing. Yet, reading about his persona as a young man left a sour taste in my mouth. People grow up, people change, this I know. Except, I'm not sure he has... Plus, when someone says they are always true to their word, then said person goes on and has an affair that results in a love child... yeah, your word means nothing to me. His wife is a damn saint as far as I'm concerned, putting up with this man.

Tl;dr
Jackie Chan the movie legend: amazing, dedicated to his craft, the mothereffin GOAT
Jackie Chan the man: hard pass. Thank you, next.

[Paper Ghost ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, it was a quick read and it was very interesting, I do have to say that it got a little repetitive after a bit and that’s why I knocked down a star, other than that it was great, Jackie Chan has done so much and nothing really came easy for him, I respect him very much

[Gary Pointon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cool book so much to get through so most movies and experiences are fleeting.

[Andrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

это довольно мило и трогательно

[El_kiablo · Rating 3 out of 5]

About halfway through this book I made an unexpected connection: Jackie Chan and Robin Williams are very similar people.

Hear me out: it is undeniable that Robin Williams had a certain manic depressive quality about him, because he alternated between playing the overly-hyper comedian and the sad-sack introvert; he rose to fame as a goofy alien on a sitcom and won his Oscar for playing a grieving widower in a drama about broken men. Williams seemed to be driven by a need to please everyone around him, and he did that by trying to be the funniest most engaging person in the room, but at the end of the day it doesn't seem like that approval was ever enough to fill the void inside him.

Now, before I read Never Grow Up I would not have applied a similar description to Jackie Chan, because he generally only plays the happy goofball in his movies. But this book provides a deeper portrait of the man, and I suspect that he has a lot more darkness in him than he lets on in public.

I say this because the Jackie Chan of Never Grow Up is one who can never be alone. He tells a lot of stories about going out on the town with his stunt team, and towards the end of the book he says that he spent a year trying to save money by staying in at night instead of treating his whole posse to the nice dinners at the fanciest restaurants in Hong Kong. At the end of the year he had saved millions of dollars but was miserable, so he decided to keep throwing his money away; he felt that it was better to be broke and popular than rich and lonely.

Now, I could be misreading the situation; it is quite possible that Jackie Chan really is just a generous fellow who likes showering his compatriots with gifts. But I really do think there is something pathological about his need to be seen as a big man - something that I suspect is rooted in the way that he was separated from his parents at a young age and sent to a very harsh boarding school where he had to train in martial arts from sun up to sun down. It is obvious that he does not have many fond memories of his childhood from the age of 7 on; he does not ask for your pity, but he also does not shy away from talking about how difficult it was to be isolated in such a physically punishing environment at such a tender age.

I don't want to elaborate too much on this theory because it is pretty tacky to psychoanalyze people you've never met in person - so I will just say one more thing and leave it at that. For over two decades I had taken the Jackie Chan myth at face value - that he was a daredevil at heart, a man who was willing to risk his life and limb to entertain grateful audiences around the world.

And that probably is a big part of why he does what he does. But... that can't be all there is to it, because he could have stopped doing such risky stunts (or at least scaled back on them) a long time ago and no one would have questioned it, not given all the injuries he's sustained on various film sets around the world. But... he hasn't stopped throwing himself off of impossibly tall objects, or doing insane motorcycle stunts, or any number of other dangerous stunts. As such, it is obvious that he still feels the need to push himself harder and farther, even though he has become an old man who should be content with his long list of accomplishments. So perhaps I am wrong about why he has such a pathological need to entertain - but I do not think that I am wrong that he does have such a need.

I don't know that this is a great book - it is too loosely structured, and there are enough glaring omissions that it doesn't feel completely honest, and the prose (which was ghost-written and also translated) is passable but not amazing. Nevertheless, it did give me a new impression of a man that I thought I had known for decades, and that's no small feat.

[செந்தில் குமார் · Rating 5 out of 5]

For someone who grew up watching his movies, this book is an absolute must-read. It offers a unique glimpse into the life of a beloved figure, much like the entertaining fights depicted in his films. The author narrates his tough journey with a casual and comedic touch, making it an engaging and enjoyable read. It's a delightful reminder that despite the challenges faced, there is always room for laughter and resilience.

[Monique · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Jacke Chan's for years, I have seen most of his movies - even the old Hong Kong ones, and one in Cantonese with Mandarin subtitles! -, and I couldn't wait to read this book. And I am thrilled! NEVER GROW UP is exactly what I was hoping for.

Mr Chan tells his life story, mostly in chronological order meandering here and there when a loosely connected anecdote pops up. I like that the book focuses on the artist's career more than on his personal life; it's what I wanted. I was interested in knowing about his stunts, his outlook on making pictures, and the fabulous Chinese stars he worked with.

It's fascinating that he is now known as Jackie Chan and Sheng Lung, but even more extraordinary are the sections of the book dealing with his name(s). For a Westerner, it's mindboggling! And so very entertaining! The translation is absolutely brilliant: there is not a single hiccup and I could easily imagine hearing Mr Chan's voice and accent; what a delight! I felt as if I had the privilege and honour to have listen one of my all-time favourite artists tell me about his life, the man I consider the most talented and creative martial artist ever. And a man of artistic integrity.

Jackie Chan, for all his innumerable and outstanding achievements, is not a perfect man. He was not a model husband or father, he made many mistakes, but he did learn from them. He remains brutally honest and acknowledges his shortcomings and occasional bad behaviour. He does gloss over some of personal aspects of his life - but I guess nothing got seriously out of control since his career wasn't derailed by any of it - I wasn't reading this book for the gossip anyway. Mr Chan's childhood is fascinating and somewhat peculiar; I would go as far as to say that the book is worth reading if only for those chapters, and I was stunned by some of his revelations. He's a study in contrasts: humble yet cocky; generous and selfish, sometimes dictatorial, but always interesting. He earned a staggering amount of money, but he helps others, and sees that China's national treasures aren't violated. I loved Zhu Mo's Behind the Scenes anecdotes; it's not clear if she was a co-writer as well. And there are around 50 pages of black and white and colour pictures!


"It's just rolling, action, jump, cut, hospital!"

[Fara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Memoir yang sangat menarik. Meliputi kisah dari kecil, bagaimana JC mempelajari martial art, menjadi pelakon, pengarah lagak ngeri, pengarah filem sehinggalah menjadi bintang terkenal di seluruh dunia.

JC dulu pelajar nakal. Tak mengejutkan. Disebabkan tak minat belajar, JC dihantar ke sekolah seni oleh orang tuanya. Sekolah itulah yang membentuk karakter JC yang berdisiplin dan bekerja keras.

Pun begitu, beliau tetap menyesal tak belajar bersungguh-sungguh. Membandingkan dirinya dengan Bruce Lee yang berpendidikan tinggi (drama, falsafah & psikologi), JC cenderung disalaherti.

"I often misuse words when I’m talking, which leads to many misunderstandings."

Kerjaya JC bermula perlahan. Daripada stunt double, ekstra termasuk watak mayat kemudian barulah dapat watak utama (itu pun kena scam beberapa kali). Yang wajar dipuji, usaha JC yang tak berhenti. Sehingga watak mayat pun dapat gelaran the best corpse in kung fu.

Membaca buku ini juga menampakkan sisi manusia JC. Beliau tak sempurna. Malah bukan contoh suami, teman lelaki dan ayah terbaik pada waktu mudanya. Kuat minum, kaki perempuan dan pencandu judi.

Cerita tentang JC, tak sah kalau tidak menyebut tentang filem-filem dan aksi lasaknya. Ada bab khusus menceritakan filem-filemnya dan kecederaan yang pernah dialami. Membaca bab ini tak lengkap tanpa menontonnya sendiri. Semua boleh dicari di internet.

Yang menarik juga dalam buku ini, terdapat satu bab khas, dedikasi buat Michelle Yeoh.

"When it comes to filming dangerous stunts, like the ones Michelle and I did on Super Cop, I feel the fear, then do it anyway. What sort of person would voluntarily jump off a building, out of a plane, or into the sea? I’ll try anything. Not many people can match me in my willingness to go for it. Michelle Yeoh is one of them."

Mungkin selepas ini perlu cari biografi Michelle Yeoh pula.

Walau tidak serancak dulu, JC masih terlibat dalam bidang seni. Namun kini, beliau tidak lagi obses mengumpul harta. Beliau lebih memikirkan sumbangannya kepada masyarakat. Antaranya ialah kerja-kerja amal bersama UNICEF dan projek pemeliharaan serta pemuliharaan harta negara (bangunan, budaya etc).

Bacaan penutup 2022 yang sangat menyeronokkan.