Tao Te Ching, 25th-Anniversary Edition

Amazon.com

Scholars say that the original Tao Te Ching is a poem. Like a poem, this version of the Tao Te Ching is not meant to be read in one breath from front to back, but is to be at intervals internalized and contemplated. Jane English's haunting black-and-white photos that undulate in and out on every page act as glycerin elixirs, helping the words slide into our souls for patient digestion. The photographs--of a glistening spider web, cloud-enveloped mountain tops, reflections on water, leaves in the sunlight--are as serenely lyrical as the ancient text, itself.

Book Description

Available for the first time in a handy, easy-to-use size, here is the most accessible and authoritative modern English translation of the ancient Chinese classic. This new Vintage edition includes an introduction and notes by the well-known writer and scholar of philosophy and comparative religion, Jacob Needleman.

Customer Reviews:

wow.......2007-09-21

its a great way to center your mind and reflect daily! No matter where you are in your life each passage pertains to you in one way or another. I hope everyone buys a copy and is as moved daily as I am!

Waste of A Tree.......2007-09-11

In the name of art (I assume) some poor tree gave its life for a lot of empty space, black and white photos, words of questionable value, and a book too large to fit most book shelves. All could have been done in a 59 cent pamphlet.

Can one understand Tao Te Ching without examples?.......2007-08-20

This is a nice translation, but I doubt that one can understand the essence of Tao Te Ching without knowing how to practice the philosophy. For example, I have been studying Tao Te Ching and practicing Tai Chi (which implements the philosophy of Tao Te Ching) and Qi-Gong (meditation) for two decades, and always thought I understood the essence of Tao Te Ching. However, only after I studied Warren Buffett's philosophy did I suddenly realize the real power of Taoism Warren Buffett and Tao Te Ching: A Modern Investor and an Age-Old Philosophy. While I am not sure whether Warren Buffett has ever read Tao Te Ching (he has never quoted Tao Te Ching), he practices essentially the same principles of Taoism (desirelessness, inactivity, thrift, contentment, noncompetition, humility, etc) in his daily life, business management and investment. I have read numerous annotations by ancient Chinese scholars and Taoists, and found no one has been able to put these principles into practice so successfully like Warren Buffett, (ironically) a western investor who has never read the original scripture of Tao Te Ching.

easy to read and understand tao.......2007-05-16

This is the most concise and practical version/translation of the tao I have yet to encounter. if you are interested in practical and insightful readings of the Tao this is your version. It is not complicated like some of the other versions. The authors english words are modern, not like other translations that require a translation of it to understand it (alister's version). Another bonus of this book is the amazing pictures that accompany each of the passages, these can really help with image meditation.

Inner Peace.......2007-05-13

The words and phrases cause thoughtful reflection and as one reads there is a feeling that evolves like brook water over stones - it is centering. A wonderful addition - bedside comfort at its best.

Tao Te Ching: A New English Version (Perennial Classics)

Average customer rating:

Always new
A fine translation if some fine thinking
A wonderful companion to A Thousand Names for Joy
mini tao
I love audio books!

Tao Te Ching: A New English Version (Perennial Classics)
Lao Tzu
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial Modern Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0061142662
Release Date: 2006-09-05

Book Description

In eighty-one brief chapters, Lao-tzu's Tao Te Ching, or Book of the Way, provides advice that imparts balance and perspective, a serene and generous spirit, and teaches us how to work for the good with the effortless skill that comes from being in accord with the Tao—the basic principle of the universe.

Stephen Mitchell's bestselling version has been widely acclaimed as a gift to contemporary culture.

Download Description

Lao-tzu's Tao Te Ching, or Book of the Way, is the classic manual on the art of living, and one of the wonders of the world. In eighty-one brief chapters, the Tao Te Ching looks at the basic predicament of being alive and gives advice that imparts balance and perspective, a serene and generous spirit. This book is about wisdom in action. It teaches how to work for the good with the effortless skill that comes from being in accord with the Tao (the basic principle of the universe) and applies equally to good government and sexual love; to child rearing, business, and ecology.

Stephen Mitchell's bestselling version has been widely acclaimed as a gift to contemporary culture.

Customer Reviews:

Always new.......2007-09-16

This book can be read over and over. Every time it is a fresh new experience.

A fine translation if some fine thinking.......2007-09-15

A fine translation. For the new entrant, perhaps seeking that second book to follow the Tao of Pooh, or for an old friend of the Master, Stephen Mitchell's contemporary English translation get's it right. From the comfortably blended gender pronoun usage, to it's succinct but engaging notes, Mitchell's translation carries Lao-tzu's wisdom to 21st century English speakers with grace. The pocket edition is entirely sufficient to the task.

A wonderful companion to A Thousand Names for Joy.......2007-09-03

The author is Byron Katie's husband, and she used this version of his book to provide the structure for her wonderful, poetic muse on life and The Work, her brilliant take on how to accept reality and set yourself free (first described in Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your Life.)

My wife and I read the section from the Tao, then the corresponding chapter from Katie's book (most are less than a page to 3-4 pages) every morning at breakfast. Always leaves us with a smile of insight and wonder, even in those times when we don't exactly know how we'd live the way she describes in a given chapter.

Unless you insist on a literal translation from the Chinese as mentioned above, this is a fresh and clean way to experience the Tao, and, if you get Katie's book (I'm buying both today for my daughter), you'll get a nice synergistic reward from experiencing the two together, day by day.

mini tao.......2007-09-01

A personal library must-have. Small enough to carry everywhere. Simple wisdom. Prerequisite to Wayne Dyer's "Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life"

I love audio books!.......2007-05-22

I like to listen in my car and always hear something new. What a beautiful book. thanks!

The Tao of Leadership: Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching Adapted for a New Age

Average customer rating:

The essence of modern leadership knowledge
If Only the Business World Would Read This Book
The Tao of Leadership: Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching Adapted for a New Age
Can't Lead Without It
Great Source, Bad Translation

The Tao of Leadership: Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching Adapted for a New Age
John Heider
Manufacturer: Humanics Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0893340790
Release Date: 2005-03-16

Product Description

The Tao of Leadership is an invaluable tool for anyone in a position of leadership. This book provides the simplest and clearest advice on how to be the very best kind of leader: be faithful, trust the process, pay attention, and inspire others to become their own leaders. Heider's book is a blend of practical insight and profound wisdom, offering inspiration and advice. This book is used as a Management/Leadership training text by many Fortune 500 corporations, including IBM, Mitsubishi, and Prudential.

Customer Reviews:

The essence of modern leadership knowledge.......2007-04-24

In this great book, you will find the essence of Level 5 leadership ("Good to Great" by Jim Collins), the core principles espoused by Steven Sample in "The Contrarian's Guide to Leadership," and the leader-as-water concept echoed in Peter B. Vaill's "Learning as a Way of Being: Strategies for Survival in a World of Permanent White Water." Indeed, this small text contains a bookshelf-worth of leadership wisdom. I only wish that the book editor and corrector were a bit more diligent and took out the numerous typos, before this book was published.

If Only the Business World Would Read This Book.......2007-04-08

Every person in a leadership role, every boss, every CEO--in fact, everyone needs to read this book. If big companies as well as small would practice the concepts in The Tao of Leadership, this world would be a much, much nicer place to live in. -- Sam Yulish, author of WHERE HAVE ALL THE HIPPIES GONE? and THE HESITANT PSYCHIC.

The Tao of Leadership: Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching Adapted for a New Age.......2006-07-25

Nice little book to keep on hand for those trying times. Has lots of very relevant points - you just have to stop, think and put it in context for you.
It's also a book that allows you to look at the world around you and see the impact others have on their environment (some good & some bad) - again you have to stop, think and observe.

Can't Lead Without It.......2003-12-20

I've used this book for over 10 years as my leadership support tool. As General Manager of a $200MM business, I need perspective and support on a daily basis - and Heider's book provides it. I love that the persective is NOT a management flavor of the week, but a view on leadership that stands the test of time.

I've given this book as a gift to peers, friends, and family for years - just purchased copies last week for my new staff. It provides us with a common framework and a vision of where we're taking our organization.

Thanks, Heider, for great thoughts, great lessons, and great leadership!

Great Source, Bad Translation.......2002-09-10

I have read several translations of the Tao Te Ching and was very disappointed in this read. I feel as if much of the strengths from the original text are lost in this author?s choice of words and examples. This translation loses the beauty and appreciation of nature that the original texts focused on. (He refers to calculators and computers in some instances) I was also bothered by his addition of the Christian understanding of God as a character in his translations. Over all I really recommend finding a better translation than this to read if you are a first timer. (such as translation by Victor H. Mair) It is a bit more of a heavy read but caries over the interesting paradoxes that make the ancient document so intriguing.

Book Description

Imagine that on the eve of your upcoming trip to Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, you are invited to a party. At this party are fifty guests, all of whom live in or have traveled extensively through these countries. Among this eclectic and well-versed group of connoisseurs are authors of acclaimed guidebooks, popular newspaper columnists and pioneering adventurers. As the evening passes, they tell you tales from their lives in these exotic places. They whisper the names of their favorite shops and restaurants; they divulge the secret hideaways where they sneak off to for an afternoon (or a weekend) to unwind. Some make you laugh out loud, and others mesmerize you with their poetry and lyricism. Some are intent on educating, while others just want to entertain. Their attitudes are as unique as their personalities, but they are united in one thing … their love of the region. If you can envision being welcomed at such a party, then you can envision the experience that this guidebook aspires to give you.

Customer Reviews:

Beyond the run-of-the-mill travel guides.......2007-03-01

When I read this book, I felt like someone was whispering secrets in my ear. Sure, you should bring along the Lonely Planet or Rough Guide to give you directions to the closest bank, but is that trip to the bank the experience you will most fervently remember about your travels in Asia? I doubt it. You're likely to remember, however, "clambering over a dam" in Cambodia to find the lonely temple Ta Nei, or sitting at a table made from a tree trunk in Northern Laos eating "phar nam" (watercress salad) made by the daughter of the last king's personal chef. This book is for people anxious to go beyond the run-of-the-mill guidebook information. It's for people in search of the special experiences that make these countries so extraordinary. If you're that kind of traveler (or armchair traveler who simply likes good writing), then you should buy this book.

This is NOT a traditional guidebook.......2007-01-12

...although I happen to be packing it around with me on a 6-month trip. As I move from country to country, I discard my Lonely Planet or Rough Guide at the border, but even when my bag is bursting at the seams, I hold onto this book for the practical, personal recommendations and high caliber of writing, and for inspiration. Written by 50 different people who have lived or traveled extensively in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos, the passion and enthusiasm they share for this fascinating region is contagious.

To put the book in its proper context (I'm paraphrasing here from the excellent foreword), the editor invites us to imagine attending a dinner party with a group of intrepid, experienced Asia-philes and whiling away an evening collecting their stories, insider tips, and invaluable advice. Such an invitation may not appeal to someone who is merely "doing Asia" and wants only a directory of services and costs. But readers who have lived in Asia (or would like to) will relish it, as will every traveler who dreams of having a knowledgeable friend in each of these countries. To Asia With Love is a wonderful resource and worthy travel companion, a journey to a land that unfolds itself "slowly-slowly". My only complaint is that I still want more....

Not Worth the $$.......2007-01-08

I bought this based on reviews that I read here on Amazon. The book jumps all over the place. One page you are in Northern Vietnam, then to Thailand then back in Vietnam on the next page. Information is poorly grouped togther. I got MUCH better information from the Rough Guides.

No help at all........2006-11-01

I also bought this book because of high praise here. After going through it several times, I am forced to conclude that it has been of no help at all in planning my visit to SE Asia.

A must have for your travel book library.......2006-08-07

As someone who's outgrown Lonely Planet and Let's Go guides, I found Fay's book to be an excellent guide for those looking for more in-depth perspective and history than simply finding a hostel or looking for the next watering hole. Pictures are gorgeous and one can easily tell a good deal of money went into the exquisite design. A great writer and guide, Kim is someone I wish I had along with me in my South East Asian travels!

The Parent's Tao Te Ching: Ancient Advice for Modern Parents

Average customer rating:

A gentle reminder of our job as parents
a beautiful book
the best gift for new parents.
perfect
A Mom's Perspective

The Parent's Tao Te Ching: Ancient Advice for Modern Parents
William Martin
Manufacturer: Marlowe & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1569246629

Book Description

William C. Martin has freshly reinterpreted the Tao Te Ching to speak directly and clearly to the most difficult of modern tasks -- parenting. With its combination of free verse and judicious advice, The Parent's Tao Te Ching addresses the great themes that permeate the Tao and that support loving parent- child relationships: responding without judgment, emulating natural processes, and balancing between doing and being.

Customer Reviews:

A gentle reminder of our job as parents.......2007-07-12

I love this book and have started giving it as a gift to new parents. We get so caught up in our modern, busy lives and sometimes our children pay the price for that. This book is filled with wise words and insight that will help a parent, who may be questioning how to raise a child in this challenging world, see clearly and do what is right for their child.
Your child's journey is theirs to experience, whether you like the direction of their journey or not. The Tao will help you put into perspective what really matters in the relationship between parent & child. I keep this book by my bed and read it when I am need of some inspiration (translation - OFTEN!)

a beautiful book.......2007-07-05

I've read a lot of parenting books, and surprisingly enough this simple book has been the most helpful. I'm sending a copy to other mothers I know.

the best gift for new parents........2007-05-15

i can read this book daily and get something new out of it each time. a great gift for any parent.

perfect.......2007-03-13

I attempt to parent listening to my intuition as my primary guide. This is not to say that advice from friends and family and words from books can't be just the thing I need at any given time. Thing is, most of the books I've looked at just don't do it for me. I'm not saying they don't contain gems, even if they're Gina Ford!, but this book...

...is only gems. Every page opens at the perfect words I need...or my Baby father need. It's funny how we open the book ramdomly on such totally different pages.

Note: I'm sure you could read this book in order, but It's not that kind of book really.

p.s. another book I found very helpful as well is 'The Science of Parenting', by Margot Sunderland.

A Mom's Perspective.......2006-08-29

I love this little guide. It's so beautifully written and helps me return to the the really important aspects of parenting: honoring each child's individuality and letting go of control. I read one or two passages each morning to remind me that I have a choice in how I interact with my children. This little guide is a must have if you feel the world is spinning a little too fast.

Average customer rating:

Simple, cheap....no suffering (-:
a very useful beginning
Simple is best.
Beautiful translation
If I were stranded on a desert island...

Tao Te Ching [Text Only]
Lao Tsu , Jane English , and Jacob Needleman
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0679724346
Release Date: 1989-08-28

Book Description

Customer Reviews:

Simple, cheap....no suffering (-:.......2007-07-06

Sample the taoic tradition and a nice price so your wallet
doesn't go thru samsara.

a very useful beginning.......2007-02-13

the tao is a beautiful book, i would love to be able to read it in its original chinese. it seems to me that this book is water elemental, it emphasies bending, descending, humility, gentleness. i say that it is a useful befginning because this book... worked at can really aid one in beginning to free up ones mind. it can also be a useful tool in showing one what the ego is.

i say that it is a beginning because water is not the only element. water represents life (the water of life) and peace, but requires the other three elements in order to avoid its stagnation. fire (love/male producing light 'penetrates' darkness), gold (beauty/stability/male/bright), air (freedom/female/sometimes darkness). water represents peace which primarily is about balance, since it is in the nature of water, when undisturbed by the other elements, to balance out, balance brings peace. the strength of water is its ability to compromise (bend in order to be straight), to become dirty and impure and then through the other elements to become repurified. water can never be totally corrupted. it can always be re-purified.

in my opinion, the tao misses out on the extremes and passions of loves fire, it ignores the potential of golds beauty and airs freedom (though it can be a useful tool in leading towards this freedom of thought). it is however very strong on the element of water. the tao helps you to take the 'obvious', what one takes as given truths about reality and life and to question them. through the tao, one can begin to see that there are benefits on both sides of an opposite. the tao would say... be foolish in order to be wise. for most people this is seen as ridiculous, but there really is something in this statement.

the tao would also say "he who speaks does not know" and there is truth in this, whilst common knowledge says "he who speaks knows", of course there is truth in both of these statements. when i speak, i learn more about my subject, in a sense, in giving i receive. at the same time though not speaking may be beneficial too. i think that there is a time to speak and a time not to speak. the tao can aid one in learning when not to speak. (this is akin to the silence of ''the mystical theology of dionysius).

the tao says that the more you know the less you know, there is truth in this too, and the philosopher Carl Popper was possibly influenced by this aphorism. however it would not do to forget that the emptiness of water (crystal clarity as with air) is only half of the equation. without knowledge one will lack warmth. the ''thought'' that generates clouds in the mind, also represents warmth of flames, and generates love or anger in the heart. if one can observe ones thoughts, one can also observe and thus influence ones feelings (without force).

i think that the important thing is not to take the tao blindly as some sort of cosmic or mystical truth of the universe. it is a tool, in my mind to help one see the benefits of both sides of any coin (though it tends to appear one sided), but especially in recognising the ego, and recognising our desire to protect ourselves. if you take the water element of the tao and fixate on it you will be out of balance, and in my opinion, restrained.

as i see it air's freedom is also implied in this book, like a leaf in the wind it is something the tao points/guides towards, it does not exclusively exemplify waters qualites, though as i have said it does extoll the virtues of water. "water is like the highest good, it does not resist its enemies and settles in places where no one else would (ie, low places)."

whilst extolling water in its liquid state, it does not look at the virtues of ice, snow or steam.

one of the problems with the tao te ching is that people can become entrapped in its web. initially it is very helpful, like a thorn used to remove a thorn, but if stuck to, one will find oneself living a life that is not natural. not thinking, not working, not speaking etc etc, all useful excercises in the short run, but very stifling if adhered to. i would say... once you have tasted this book, realise that it is not the tao, it only points towards the tao. if stuck to religiously you will be 10,000 miles from the true tao. if you seek to embody the real meaning behind this book, just be yourself, or dont be yourself, either way, you are still being yourself!

perhaps the tao te ching is a little simplistic and one sided, it can however be a very useful tool to initiate growth for someone young in the exploration of the mind, heart and life in general, a brilliant book to read. do not be discouraged by my words from reading this little book, this is why i have given it a high four stars. if one wishes to start a journey of a thousand miles it must begin with a single humble little step. one doesnt try to fly before one can walk.

i am not a taoist, but would love to know more about how taoists approach the tao te ching. how they interpret it etc etc. i guess that as with anything in this life, there are different schools that approach it and other scriptures in various different ways. if anyone could enlighten me on this... please post a reply at the bottom of this article. it must be remembered that i approach this text without any other taoist knowledge and so my understanding of the tao is probably misguided. i guess that the nearest i have come to real taoism is in zen/ch'an buddhism, but there may be big diffences in approach between zen and tao.

i found this translation was inspiring, i also enjoy the penuin translation.

love, snow-flake. xxx

Simple is best........2006-12-31

Of the many translations of the Tao Te Ching I've read, this is the one I consider to be the finest. It's not scholarly (for that Ellen M. Chen's version is worth looking at), it's not artificially modern (as are the versions by Ursula Le Guin or Stephen Mitchell), it's just a simple clean presentation of the text with a short, but useful, introduction and end notes to flesh out each verse. The introduction and end notes have a decidedly Judeo-Christian slant, which might turn off some readers who want their Tao Te Ching with a purely Eastern flavour, but the translation itself is clear and apparently faithful to the original text.

The book also includes a very handy bibliography that describes the strengths of other available versions.

The other version that I'd strongly recommend is Witter Bynner's "The Way of Life According To Lao Tzu," which is more of an interpretation rather than a straight translation.

Beautiful translation.......2006-03-19

I have always found the Tao Te Ching to be a very clear guide for life. I own a few different translations and this is the one that I always come back to. It is translated with a poetic style that highlights the simplicity of the way. Because you can plumb this work to any depth of understanding you want, anything more than the minimal bacground would be arbitrary.

Also, I am probably alone here, but I recommend the book without the pictures, which I think artificially establish a mood that may not be appropriate for the chapter you're working through.

I would also emphasize that this translation is not for scholars. It does not contain a great deal of commentary or references to the myriad ways a given word or phrase could be translated.

If I were stranded on a desert island..........2006-01-20

This would be the only book I need to keep for the rest of my days here on earth. This book illustrates in the mind those tingling feelings I get when wading into a river. Instructions on how to live life...simple. The translation is much better than many I have read, less mechanic and utility, more art and poetry. Motivating, inspiring, insightful, and all encompassing, these chapters bring about a spiritual feeling and connection with the natural world and those around you. This book also contains advice for those in positions of power...W could learn a lesson here. Take this book wherever you go, never know where it will take you...

The Tao of Watercolor: A Revolutionary Approach to the Practice of Painting (Zen of Creativity)

Average customer rating:

Wow!
Contains 30+ pages of interesting combinations of wash techniques...
A Must for Watercolorists!
Beautiful!
Fauvist Watercolor Wash

The Tao of Watercolor: A Revolutionary Approach to the Practice of Painting (Zen of Creativity)
Jeanne Carbonetti
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0823050572

Customer Reviews:

Wow!.......2007-09-27

I have changed my entire approach to watercolors because I read this book. Yes, I enjoyed painting, yes, I love watercolors, but this book helped me free my vision and use of colors in self expression. I honestly felt that painting started to become a chore because of some unspoken expectation (in myself). I paint more freely and expressively with the help of Jeanne and I actually enjoy it even more. New vision and inspiration...

Contains 30+ pages of interesting combinations of wash techniques..........2007-06-14

...and a handful of very nicely executed paintings. The "tao" part of the book, however, has little to do with watercolor per se, and some of prose is a little fuzzy: "Whichever paper you choose, get to know it well. Allow your paper to speak to you. It will tell you when it's ready to fulfill your desire."

The emphasis is on wet-in-wet techniques, and applied to forested landscapes - in Ms. Cabonetti's talented hands - they often produce stunning results. This approach doesn't work quite as well with most of her other illustrative examples, though. The general wash terms and techniques are better described in other watercolor books, so I would recommend this one mainly for its very innovative and easy to learn approach to forested landscapes.

A Must for Watercolorists!.......2007-03-29

Jeanne Carbonetti has a beautiful refreshing style. She gives us wonderful instructions that are inspiring to all watercolor painters. A truly wonderful book.

Beautiful!.......2007-02-05

A friend of mine who is an artist showed me this book, and I instantly fell in love with the beautiful illustrations in it. I plan to try most of the water color techniques in the book--They look like great fun as well as creating wonderful results. The book arrived in excellent condition.

Fauvist Watercolor Wash.......2006-05-07

If you have read the other reviews, then you realize that this book is about painting watercolor washes. It's a welcome book for those of us who cannot draw well, as the author's technique almost completely eschews drawing. Rarely is even an outline drawing done prior to the painting. Basically, the paper is first covered with a very wet wash of two or three colors suggesting only the most general shape, if any. When that first wash has dried, it is covered with a second wash that vaguely suggests some kind of form... perhaps of flowers in a vase. In order to refine that form into something recognizable, some of the color of the second wash is tinted with additional water, or supplemented by dropping in concentrated pigment, all while the second wash is still damp. There is also the possibility of adding color glazes atop the painting or some portion of the painting after the washes have dried. The author also recommends a separate wash... or even several separate washes... for the purpose of adding both diffuse spatter and opaque, harder-edge spatter. There doesn't seem to be anything uncommon about this wash technique, and I have read it explained more articulately in a book titled "Acrylic Watercolor Painting" by Wendon Blake. So I conclude that The Tao of Watercolor's subtitle "A Revolutionary Approach to the Practice of Painting" is not appropriate. But while Mr. Blake's book is very instructive, the heartbreaker is that only 16 of its 115 images are in color. Ms. Carbonetti's book also presents many images, all of them in intense color, and many of them filling the entire page. There are about a dozen startlingly lovely paintings among them, but it is also clear that Ms. Carbonetti's technique is pretty much restricted to abstract landscapes and the occasional still life with flowers. It is unfortunately evident that portraiture is not particularly well suited to this technique. I don't recommend this book to someone new to watercolor painting, as there is some terminology (such as the phrase "pull out the edges") whose meaning is not self-evident. Although I have yet to read them, there is at least one book on watercolor wash per se, and at least one book on watercolor glazing per se. You might want to look through those before investing your money in this book. That is especially recommended in the event that you are not particularly interested in Eastern philosophy, as the author tries mightily to relate her painting technique to ancient Chinese proverbs. That works for some readers, and not for others.

Another Quiet American: Stories of Life in Laos

Average customer rating:

Don't go to Laos without
Pretty decent...but that's about all.
Another Quiet American
Easy reading about encounters with Falang and locals in Laos
What a wimp!

Another Quiet American: Stories of Life in Laos
Brett Dakin
Manufacturer: Asia Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 9748303683

Book Description

Brett Dakin spent two years working in Laos and returned to the States a changed man. In Another Quiet American, he takes you through the corridors of power and the living rooms of the poor in Laos.

You'll meet his boss, a wealthy general whose power and reputation scares his countrymen; a prince with connections to the French colonial past; an American pilot who left home for Indochina during the war and never returned; and, rich Lao twenty-somethings who have all the money they could want, but no happiness.

Dakin provides a sympathetic yet irreverent glimpse into life in one of the world's few remaining communist nations, questioning the US's influence on the country and embarking on the soul-searching identity quest of an American abroad.

Customer Reviews:

Don't go to Laos without .......2007-02-16

Brett Dakin's book is a MUST READ.

I was recently in SEA Asia and visited Laos for the first time (see: [...]). Being a faithful Lonely Planet reader, I took their wise advice to get Dakin's book, "Another Quiet American", before I left. It was indeed excellent advice. In hindsight, I can't imagine haven't travelled without it. I would have not seen and experienced so many interesting aspects of Laos' history and culture. Dakin's writing is excellent and his obseravations are rich - I couldn't put it down once I strated reading it. Definitely one of the best books I've read in the past couple of years. Don't make the mistake of travelling to Laos without picking this book up first.

Sincerely,
Bradford Duplisea
Québec, Canada

Pretty decent...but that's about all........2007-02-11

This being Brett Dakin's first book, I assume that he will continue to grow into a better writer. Also, this is about the only book about life in Laos, which is a real shame. I read books about life and strife in Cambodia and Vietnam, two countries that have very extravagant modern histories, whereas Laos certainly appears to be a much quieter place. But onto Another Quiet American...

Mr. Brett Dakin arrives in Laos fresh out of college. He's looking for an adventure, and he certainly finds one in Laos. Life in a struggling communist (but this certainly doesn't come across as the old USSR) country has a potential for culture shock.

I understand quite a bit about Brett's hassles with beaurocracy, myself having lived in a former communist country, and these hassles are quite amusing. There are reletively few real clashes with culture or language, which is kind of surprising and somewhat removes a bit of the intrigue of reading about life in a foreign country. Brett's research and knowledge of Laos is, however, extensive and well peppered throughout the book.

Most of what I miss here is humour and excitement. It seems as though Brett is holding back on stories, keeping the tone down really low. I've read Martin Troost's books about life in the South Pacific, both of which are incredibly funny. Another Quiet American comes across as quite subdued, and I hate to say it, a little dull.

The high point of the book is when Brett describes a Laotian outrage against a Thai singer that apparently made fun of Laos. Otherwise, you do get a pretty good feel for being in a SE Asian country, as Brett describes the settings well. It's just that nothing smashing really happens.

Another Quiet American.......2006-03-29

I truly enjoyed this book but would warn readers that change is proceeding very rapidly in Laos and Mr. Dakin's portrait is rapidly becoming dated. Having just (March 2006) returned from Laos, I can report that major cities have multiple internet cafes, fancy restaurants, and many things absent when Mr. Dakin was there in 1999-2000. But this is nevertheless an excellent book one should read and Laos is a place you should visit before it is TOO LATE!!!

Easy reading about encounters with Falang and locals in Laos.......2006-03-02

What I really liked about this book was Brett Dakin's ability to write what he saw as he saw it without adding a ponderous analysis, and maintaining his perspective as a wide eyed foreigner learning and listening rather than trying to pass himself as an expert which is a temptation for any author.

I read it at the start of my trip to Laos and, apart from several hours of enjoyable reading, it offered me insights into the Lao which helped me with my own interactions with the locals and gave me a better idea of how I was perceived by the Lao.

I recommend it for anyone wanting to get a feel for Laos.

What a wimp!.......2005-12-30

My wife is Lao. We plan to move back to Vientiane in a few months to live. I am counting the minutes.
If all I knew about the place was what I had read from this book, I would never go there. Dakin is a complainer who compares life in Lao to the US without realizing that it is not comparable. He turns down a Lao woman who wants a relationship with him? What a loser!
Lao PDR is a great country with friendly people, excellent food, Beer Lao, beautiful women, perfect weather, big fish and a government that is easier to live with than the one we have in the US. I look forward to moving there and not returning.
Take a day trip from Nong Khai and see for yourself. Lao coffee alone is worth the ride across the bridge.

Average customer rating:

One of those Must Read Books
I WAS THERE.
An American tragedy in Laos.
An exposure of a shameful episode in US history.
Compelling story of a good cause gone bad.

One Day Too Long
Timothy Castle
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0231103166

Amazon.com

From October 1967 to March 1968, the United States operated a top-secret radar system in Laos near that country's border with North Vietnam. This was a provocative move: Laos was a neutral country. Yet the air force desperately needed all-weather bombing capability in the region, and so the Pentagon decided to take a chance. When Communist troops learned of Site 85, they hit it hard. The result: "The largest single ground combat loss of U.S. Air Force personnel in the history of the Vietnam War."

The public still does not know what happened to nine of the men posted at Site 85. They may have been killed or captured, or perhaps fell victim to "some atrocity" perpetrated by the Communists. The military establishment isn't talking, and neither are knowledgeable sources in Laos and Vietnam. One Day Too Long combines scholarship, journalism, and detective work to learn all that can be known. Apparently there is plenty to hide. "It was criminal to leave the technicians and the other Americans and their security forces stranded [at Site 85]," writes Castle. Yet one conclusion is certain, he says: there is "an unseemly pattern of U.S. government duplicity" surrounding this forgotten incident. --John J. Miller

Book Description

One of the Vietnam War's most closely guarded secrets -- a highly classified U.S. radar base in the mountains of neutral Laos -- led to the disappearance of a small group of elite military personnel, a loss never fully acknowledged by the American government. Now, thirty years later, one book recounts the harrowing story -- and offers some measure of closure on this decades-old mystery.

Because of the covert nature of the mission at Lima Site 85 -- providing bombing instructions to U.S. Air Force tactical aircraft from the "safe harbor" of a nation that was supposedly neutral -- the wives of the eleven servicemen were warned in no uncertain terms never to discuss the truth about their husbands. But one wife, Ann Holland, refused to remain silent. Timothy Castle draws on her personal records and recollections as well as upon a wealth of interviews with surviving servicemen and recently declassified information to tell the full story.

The result is a tale worthy of Tom Clancy but told by a scholar with meticulous attention to historical accuracy. More than just an account of government deception, One Day Too Long is the story of the courageous men who agreed to put their lives in danger to perform a critical mission in which they could not be officially acknowledged. Indeed the personnel at Site 85 agreed to be "sheep-dipped" -- removed from their military status and technically placed in the employ of a civilian company.

Castle reveals how the program, code-named "Heavy Green," was conceived and approved at the highest levels of the U.S. government. In spine tingling detail, he describes the selection of the men and the construction and operation of the radar facility on a mile-high cliff in neutral Laos, even as the North Vietnamese Army began encircling the mountain. He chronicles the communist air attack on Site 85, the only such aerial bombing of the entire Vietnam War.

A saga of courage, cover-up, and intrigue One Day Too Long tells how, in a shocking betrayal of trust, for thirty years the U.S. government has sought to hide the facts and now seeks to acquiesce to perfidious Vietnamese explanations for the disappearance of eleven good men.

Customer Reviews:

One of those Must Read Books.......2005-06-15

This is a great book. Very well written and maticulously researched. I was flying for Air America when all of this happened. Tim Castle has captured it all. It tells a lot about our involvement in Laos, far beyond just the events at Lima Site 85. Thanks, Tim.

I WAS THERE........2001-01-09

As one of the pilots of Jolly Green 67 I simply want to thank Dr. Castle for his comprehensive and historical accurate account of the events at Lima Site 85. This is a story that begged to be told; Dr. Castle pulls no punches, providing a riveting and revealing account. His work was a key factor in the eventual recognition of the heroic efforts of Sgt. Etchberger at the Enlisted Hertiage Hall, Maxwell AFB Annex (formally Gunter AFS), Montgomery AL. A great read.

An American tragedy in Laos........2000-03-21

Congratulations to Dr. Castle for this fine book. A meticulously researched historical work of the finest order that reads like a Tom Clancy action novel. A bombshell that exposes one of the most egregious and hitherto publicly undisclosed tragedies of the Vietnam War. In March 1968 an NVA sapper team avoided detection and attacked a top-secret radar bombing facility (code name Jolly Green) which was manned by sixteen "civilianized" Air Force technicians. The site, LS 85, was located on a mountain top in Laos less than twenty-five miles from the North Vietnam border. The attack caught the technicians off guard and resulted in the loss of the site to the communist forces. Two of those dedicated volunteers manning the site were confirmed killed, five were rescued alive (one died on the evacuation flight) and the remaining nine have never been accounted for and their status remains unknown. This incident holds the distinction of being the largest single loss of Air Force ground personnel during the entire Vietnam War. Why did the Air Force continue to operate this site in the face of considerable evidence the site would soon fall under bombardment and attack by large NVA forces gathering in the area? Was it incompetence or was the site considered so essential to the North Vietnam bombing effort that the loss of the men was an acceptable risk? Dr. Castle looks at these questions in detail. One Day Too Long chronicles the history of Site 85 from its initial concept of operations through the tragic consequence of this miscalculation. But the story does not stop there. It also relates the stoic efforts by one widow to find answers to questions about her husbands death at this site the government was unwilling to provide. This book should be mandatory reading for all future military leaders.

An exposure of a shameful episode in US history........1999-06-26

I have a very personal reaction to "One Day Too Long" in that Mel and Ann Holland were our military sponsors when my family and I were first assigned to an AC&W squadron in southern Spain in early 1961, and I worked with Mel until he rotated to the States. It is embarrassing and shameful to learn how both the military and civilian authorities were willing to sacrifice those men in order to cover up their own mistakes, but I suppose if ALL the truth were known about SE Asia operations, we would not be able to stand it. Dr. Castle has perfomed an invaluable service for democracy. EVERYBODY should read this book! (Ann, we'd love to hear from you!)

Compelling story of a good cause gone bad........1999-06-11

A story of noble sacrifices by military men and their families. Regretfully, those sacrifices were eventually overlooked by those eager to use the PW-MIA issue as a convenient political tool -- first those who strove to keep Vietnam at arm's length, and since 1992 those who set out to use the ploy of alleged "full faith cooperation" to faciliate ties with Vietnam. One Day Too Long shows that when the American people seek to measure foreign government "cooperation" on such humanitarian issues, they must first evaluate the seriousness and good faith of efforts made by their own government.

Average customer rating:

Find Enlightenment
The Best translation ever!
pristine translation
My first translation of the Tao Te Ching
clean read

Tao Te Ching
Lao-Tzu , and Burton Watson
Manufacturer: Hackett Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0872202321

Amazon.com

With this edition of the Tao Te Ching, an unlikely team of a Japanese art expert and a Greek translator pull off a uniquely powerful version of the text. If one thing marks the language of the original Tao Te Ching, it is linguistic spareness. Stephen Addiss and Stanley Lombardo are the first to succeed in duplicating the language in English, and although their search for just the right word occasionally goes far afield, they are mostly successful. The effect can be quite liberating as the full ambiguity of meaning comes through and you are afforded the freedom to interpret in a variety of ways. The translators also enhance the atmosphere of the book with Addiss's expressive calligraphy and the two lines in the original Chinese that are retained in each chapter. Addiss and Lombardo's rendering of the Tao Te Ching gets you right down into the primary source, and from there you're free to wander where you will.

Customer Reviews:

Find Enlightenment.......2007-09-25

This is a lovely translation of the Tao Te Ching. It maintains the style of the original Chinese instead of trying to force a meaning into verbose English. It also peppers the text with Chinese characters so readers with a background in Asian languages can derive their own meaning from the writing as well.

The Best translation ever!.......2007-08-28

This is the best translation of the ancient Book, because it respect the original lay out and meaning, when you'll read it you'll find that Li Earl (Lao Tse) was talking about meditative states of mind, that unless you enter on them you will never understand the true meaning of his words. So buy this book, and do Zazen or Taichi and then read it again.

pristine translation.......2007-05-21

I was very impressed with this version of the Tao Te Ching...it avoided modern-day vernacular and felt much closer to the original text. Furthermore, the translator's addition of lines of the text in Chinese (as well as the glossary of Chinese characters in the back) helps readers see how the translator came up with the right words for the book. 5 stars

My first translation of the Tao Te Ching.......2006-11-05

As stated above this is my first reading of the Tao Te Ching and by no means a expert on whether or not it is a accurate translation or not. But what I can say is that this is a easy-to-read text that flows with poetic beauty and ancient wisdom. The art on the pages only adds to the great atmosphere this text brings when reading it. If this is your first reading of the Tao Te Ching, I think you can have no worries in buying this version, the way the words move in this scripture gives me a idea that the translators knew what they were doing when translating this text. Recommended.

clean read.......2006-07-13

Addiss & Lombardo do a fantastic job with this text. They start with four goals, explained in detail, and do their best to work from there to create one of the most enjoyable Tao Te Ching reads there is. Here's a very brief list of the goals;
1. "First, we wanted to translate rather than explain the text"
2. "Second, we found that earlier translations, because they often paraphrased the text, tend to be verbose, extending the concise text into much longe sentance patterns"
3. "Third, we have completely avoided gender specific pronouns"
4. Fourth, they have one carefully selected line of transliteration to each section to allow the user to interpret the meaning on their own.

The goals themselves are basic, but it shows what spirit went into the translation. By being concise and direct, book holds much of the mystery and nearly poetic form I can only assume the original texts held. Its just a delight to read. The intro in the beginning is also fantastic, as are the minimalist graphics and format. Maybe not for the scholars, but for anyone who wants to enjoy the Tao Te Ching, you cant go wrong with Addriss & Lombardo.

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