[Apologies for the Amazon logo, but I couldn't find a picture of the book cover.]
Short post cause I'm short on time. I first heard of Tao Te Ching and Lao Tzu in A Million Little Pieces. I said back then that I couldn't wait to read Tao Te Ching. I ordered it from Amazon right away and read it quickly. So why this long until I posted a review about it?
Well, it's complicated. It was written in around the 6th century BC, meaning there have been countless translations. The version I read was translated by James Legge, which was a mistake since the guy died in the 1800s. For me, I thought the translation could have been cleaner. I know it's hard to translate from "Chinese" to English, along with the fact that languages have evolved over the centuries. There was no flow and it was extremely hard to decipher the meaning.
The book itself is fairly simply. Eighty-one chapters, all less than a page. Some are a few sentences. Everything said is powerful and thought provoking. Things like "The flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long" and "Those who know do not speak; those who speak do not know." Clearly stuff right up my alley. But because the translation was so difficult to comphrehend, it took away from the enjoyment of the book.
I have not given up on Tao Te Ching. My opinion is I found a bad version and I need to keep looking to find a better one. I probably would appreciate a more current translation rather than something that is traditional. Are there any suggestions??
My rating for this version of Tao Te Ching: 1 star out of 5. Get it here!
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