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Summary: Combating the Rat Race
Review: Americans don't know how to relax. They want a one hour course in stress relief when they would be much better served by reading this book and learning about leisure. Even certain reviews of this title seem to take life far too seriously. Now, I'm off to practice indolence.
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Summary: sipping tea with Lin
Review: I am actually disapointed to find this book in wide circulation. A friend had introduced me to an old copy of 'The importance of Living' on the balcony of a mountain home in the Blue mountains, Sydney, Australia. The edition he showed me resembled a holy text, with its simple red cover and black insignia-character. On opening the cover of Yutang's book, the reader must peruse the contents. This is an intriguing read in itself. Chapters such as 'on having strong muscles' and the classics 'on tea and friendship' and 'on Luck' illustrate Yutang's unorthodox approach to life and philosophy. After reading Yutang, after immersing myself in his slow and simple prose style, I decided, as I am sure many before me have, to live my life by his recommendations, to treat sleep, tea, friendship and leisure as Yutang himself would. So profound was my reaction to 'The importance of living', that I began to reproduce selections of text on my computer. I printed sections describing firecrackers and stuck them beside the front door. I 'blu-tacked' a section about the merits of lying sideways in bed just above my pillow. Soon the house was littered by the floating philosophy of Lin Yutang. I lived in that house for nearly one year. In that time, Yutang philosophy carried me through abject poverty. There is also reason to believe that my adopted Yutangisms were a major factor in the genesis of a whirl-wind and ultimately life-long relationship. Basically, read Yutang's wise words on life, adopt or reject his ideas after long, easy, tea-drenched contemplation. I gaurantee you will not emerge unchanged.
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Summary: The Importance of Living
Review: I bought a copy of this book (the original 1937 edition) in a secondhand book store in the 1970s for the princely sum of $1.00. Through countless moves since then I have somehow managed to retain this book, which is surprising since I have lost or given away so many books, almost all of which cost me much more money than this one did. I can honestly say it was the most profitable dollar I ever spent. This is a wonderful book -- rambling at times, it is true -- but it contains many gems. Yutang is a superb writer and his quote of Chuangtse (as he spells the name of the famous Chinese philosopher) is classic: "Spit forth intelligence." This, along with William Strunk's famous dictum "Omit needless words," is a phrase every writer should live by.
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Summary: Very nice in a decent realistic Chinese way
Review: I bought this book many many years ago at Swindons's and it was the perfect book for enjoying civilization. :)
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Summary: A book of wisdom and beauty
Review: I enjoyed Dr. Lin's books since I was a high school student. If you carefully read this book and apply the philosophy embedded in this book, your will discover the beauty of life more and live a happier and more sensible life. Strongly recommend this book to those who are always busy and don't have time to enjoy their lives. (if you still have time to read a book.... ^__^)
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Summary: Living life without fighting it!
Review: I have a soft spot for this book because I recently learned that this was my grandfather's favourite book ever. And as he was born in 1900, was a silent man and left us a huge library, I simply had to read this book to see what it was about.Mr. Yutang is definitely a nice person. It would have been a pleasure to have some conversation with him. I know that some of his beliefs can seem quite strange, in this crazy 21st. century days we are living, but in a certain way I believe he embodies the Chinese tradition of letting things pass instead of fighting with them. This book has some funny passages, such as the one where he describes his passion for walking in the rain and how he later would lie to explain to people why he was all wet... It certainly packs a different approach to life and it is interesting to learn his opinions about our western life styles. And having lived in America, he never condemns any of it, but simply points some absurds and curiosities that couldn't be easily accepted by a chinese. There is certainly some to be learned from his culture of appreciation and his delightful essays about many aspects of our lives that would have simply passed unnoticed otherwise.
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Summary: Old philosophies still good?
Review: I read the 1937 publication, and I'm not sure if it's been updated since then, but it was well worth the read. Sure, it had several items that could be considered politically incorrect, but you have to admire a man that places such a philisophical importance of food. I borrowed the book from an uncle and read it very tongue-in-cheek. So why am I reviewing it on this site? I have to return the book and I wanted a copy of my own.
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Summary: civilized
Review: lovely book. Simple, eloquent and polite collection of essays on minding your own business in between naps. Expect it to be a little dated.
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Summary: The nobility of laziness
Review: Mankind has been laboring under the curse of Adam for so long that we have come to see work as not a painful necessity but as a noble act. Indeed, nothing could be further from the truth. For those of you who are interested in just why loafing is so artful, a perusal of this book would well repay inspection
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Summary: Offers a complete philosophy of life
Review: This is a true modern classic (to those who consider 1937 modern anyway). Lin Yutang offers a meandering, informal look at life, happiness, the differences between Eastern and Western cultures, the enjoyment of food and many other things. What I like best about this book is not what it argues for or advocates (Yutang is about as far from an academic philosopher as you can get) but the joy and wisdom he injects into every paragraph. He is often considered a Chinese thinker, but this is only partially true. His very broad studies and experiences make him a true cosmopolitan, the sort it is hard to find today. The Importance of Living is really a call to appreciate the earthly pleasures of life and not take so seriously the overrated follies of modern civilization. You don't have to completely agree with his views to appreciate his style. The ideal life for Lin Yutang is that of a lazy, wandering Taoist scholar. Not a humorless ascetic, but someone who approaches life with a sense of humor and an ability to enjoy the small pleasures. Yutang identifies himself as a hedonist (later in life he became Christian, but that's another story). There are many self help and new age books out today that tell you how to live a simpler, more spiritual life. This book tells you the same thing in a way that is far wittier and less sanctimonious.
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