Daniele Bolelli facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Daniele Bolelli
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Bolelli on The Art of Charm in 2019
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| Born | January 11, 1974 Milan, Italy
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| Alma mater | UCLA (B.A., Anthropology; M.A., American Indian Studies)
CSULB (M.A., history) Cardiff University (unfinished doctorate, history) |
| Occupation | Lecturer, writer, podcaster |
| Parent(s) | Father: Franco Bolelli, Mother: Gloria Mattioni |
Daniele Bolelli (born January 11, 1974) is an Italian writer, university teacher, martial artist, and podcaster. He lives in Southern California. He has written several books about philosophy and martial arts, including On the Warrior's Path. Bolelli became more widely known in the 2010s after appearing on popular podcasts. He then started his own podcasts, The Drunken Taoist in 2012 and History on Fire in 2015.
Bolelli earned master's degrees in American Indian Studies and history from UCLA and California State University, Long Beach. He also did advanced research in history at Cardiff University. As a professor, he has taught many different subjects. These include Native American history and culture, Taoist philosophy, and Ancient Rome. He currently teaches at CSULB and Santa Monica College.
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Daniele Bolelli's Life Story
Daniele Bolelli was born in Milan, Italy. He grew up in a family of writers. His father, Franco Bolelli, was an Italian philosopher. His mother, Gloria Mattioni, is an author and journalist. After finishing high school, Bolelli moved to Los Angeles. There, he started college at Santa Monica College. He later graduated from UCLA with a degree in Anthropology. He continued his studies at UCLA, CSULB, and Cardiff University. He lives in the Los Angeles area today.
Daniele Bolelli's Books
When he was 20 years old, Bolelli helped write his first book, Mitologie Felici, published in Italy. He later co-authored two more books in Italy: Starship and Frontiere.
His first book written by himself, La Tenera Arte del Guerriero, came out when he was 22. This book explores the philosophy behind martial arts. It became very popular in Italy. It has even been used as a textbook in several universities. Bolelli later translated it into English and added new chapters. This English version, called On the Warrior's Path, was published in the United States in 2003. More chapters were added for a second edition in 2008.
Bolelli then wrote a book comparing different religions. It was published in Italy in 2011 as iGod: Istruzioni per l'Uso di una Religione Fai da Te. In the United States, it was released in 2013 as Create Your Own Religion: a how-to book without instructions.
His third book, 50 Things You're Not Supposed To Know: Religion, was published in the United States in December 2011.
Bolelli's fourth book, Not Afraid: On Fear, Heartbreak, Raising a Baby Girl, and Cage Fighting, came out in 2015. This book is about facing fear. It shares Bolelli's experiences in martial arts.
He says that some of the most important thinkers who influenced him include Tom Robbins, Friedrich Nietzsche, Ikkyu Sojun, Thomas Paine, Henry David Thoreau, Lao Tzu, and Heraclitus.
Teaching Many Subjects
Bolelli teaches classes at CSULB and Santa Monica College. Unlike many teachers who focus on just one area, Bolelli likes to teach many different subjects. He calls this a "renaissance man approach."
Because of this, he has taught for various departments. These include History, Social Sciences, American Indian Studies, and World Arts and Cultures. The subjects he teaches cover a wide range. They include American Indian history and philosophy, U.S. history, world religions, the history of ancient Rome, and the history and philosophy of martial arts. He also teaches about different cultures in the United States and world history. Some of his courses even look at how movies connect with history.
Martial Arts Skills
Daniele Bolelli has trained in many different martial arts styles. These include kung fu san soo, taijiquan, baguazhang, xingyiquan, shuai jiao, submission wrestling, Brazilian jiujitsu, boxing, and judo.
He has earned black belts in Judo and Brazilian Jiujitsu. He also holds an eight-degree black belt in kung fu san soo. He taught this style for several years at UCLA's John Wooden Center. Bolelli has also coached and fought professionally in mixed martial arts (MMA). He coaches female MMA fighter Sovannahry Em. He also teaches Brazilian jiu-jitsu and judo at Ojai Valley Martial Arts in Oak View, California. He has an instructional video for BJJ Fanatics called "Prison Rules: The Not-So Gentle Art of Jiu-Jitsu."
Podcasts and Media
Bolelli hosts two popular podcasts: The Drunken Taoist and History on Fire.
He started The Drunken Taoist in October 2012. Before that, he appeared on other popular podcasts like Joe Rogan's show. His podcast became very popular quickly. It was ranked number 1 in the Philosophy section of iTunes shortly after it started. Bolelli explained that the "Taoist" part of the name comes from his worldview, which is rooted in Taoist philosophy. The "drunken" part refers to a way of thinking that focuses on instinct and a joyful attitude. In 2014, Bolelli released a series of 16 lectures about Taoist philosophy. He continues to appear on various popular podcasts.
Bolelli began hosting History On Fire in 2015. This podcast was listed in iTunes' 'Best of 2015' podcasts. History on Fire was inspired by Dan Carlin's Hardcore History podcast. Carlin later appeared as a guest on Bolelli's show. Topics covered on History on Fire have included the Oglala Lakota leader Crazy Horse, U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, the Italian artist Caravaggio, and the early 20th-century American boxer Jack Johnson.
