Like many others who grew up in the 1980s, I consider The Karate Kid to be representative of my generation. Any time I happen to see the movie playing on TV, I have to stop and watch a few minutes; it doesn't even matter which minutes, it evokes warm feelings of nostalgia every time. Add to that, I am a huge fan of Cobra Kai on Netflix. I LOVE THAT SHOW! It's just so much FUN!! I love seeing all the old characters again, it's like getting together with old friends.
So, I guess you could say I was predisposed to like this book. I was practically giddy when I finally picked it up, and I swear I read the introduction with a smile on my face. The whole book feels like a love letter to the best of the 1980s. It gets 5 stars simply because it was a joy to read.
The writing itself is very conversational, like Ralph Macchio is just talking to you. It's an easy, breezy, enjoyable read filled with fun behind-the-scenes stories from both the original movie franchise and the Cobra Kai series. Ralph Macchio talks about his role as a timestamp in other people's lives and how he came to fully embrace being synonymous with Daniel LaRusso. He is intensely protective of both his own character and the legacy of Mr. Miyagi, and it's clear how gracious he has been in sharing this part of him with the world.
I included the "Asian" tag to highlight the iconic Asian American character of Mr. Miyagi, played by the equally iconic Pat Morita.
Pro Tip: Have the internet close by when reading this book. Ralph Macchio frequently references specific scenes from the movies and Cobra Kai, plus other projects and clips of auditions or cut scenes, many of which are available on YouTube. It was super fun looking up these videos as soon as they were mentioned in the book.
