Tao Te Ching

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Summary: If you're new to oriental thought...
Review: This, as any other translation commonly known as Tao Te Ching, is in reality just the book of Tao (Way), the book of Te (emptiness) having never been translated from the Chinese, and known only to advanced practicants of Tao Lung (Way of the Dragon). If you are interested in oriental thought, you may as well pick this translation as an introduction. People that wish to plunge deeper into Taoist thought must learn Chinese and study directly from a Si Fu (instructor) in order to truly understand it.

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Summary: For those seeking the truth.
Review: To translate work that transcends what is and what is not, is not a simple task. Stephen does a good job. This book gave me salvation when I needed it most.

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Summary: Not worth buying.
Review: Mitchell seems to have little acquaintance with classical Chinese history and culture. Mitchell's language is flaccid, and so full of his own fancy that it's difficult to say what relation his translation has to the Chinese text. Over-produced in so many senses, the form and even content of this translation contradicts the spirit of tao. If you would like to read Lao Tzu, a much less vaporous translation is D.C. Lau's translation of the Tao Te Ching, which also contains some historical background information that will always be helpful for people who want to engage with the text a little more deeply.

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Summary: Not bad for a guy who doesn't even know the language!
Review: Having read many different translations of this text, I went into this expecting little else but flowery prose from Mitchell. I was, however, pleasantly surprised with what I read. Mitchell does a fine job bringing the text to a human level. Because of the "beginner" guideline that he seems to be shooting for, I was surprised and disappointed that he didn't go a bit deeper into the history of the philosophy in the intro. Nevertheless, the content of the book itself moved me to place this edition with some of my favorites, and even prompted me to frequently give the edition as a gift. Highly recommended, especially if you are looking to discover the essence of what Lao Tzu probably had in mind in the first place.

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Summary: This is not the Tao Te Ching
Review: Sweetly written. Purely subjective, PERSONAL, POLITICIZED, interpretation of a revered, and ancient work of wisdom. If you know nothing of Taoism, you'll like this. If you wish to hear the voices of the ancient Chinese masters, you won't find them here.

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Summary: This book can resonate with your spiritual heart.
Review: Whether this is an academically accurate interpretation of Taoism I don't know. I know that this book speaks to me. Mitchell time and again is able to write a phrase that stimulates something in me that I can't put into words. His notes are as much part of the translation as the regular text. I made a photocopy of them, reduced them and pasted them on the page of text they referred to. I can't recommed his book to highly.

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Summary: THIS BOOK IS GREAT AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND.
Review: I am 14 years old and I am new to Taoism. I have read this book and it has given me a new philosophy on life. I have read other interpretations and translations of the Tao te Ching and this is easiest to understand. That is especially good for young people like me. I understand the way life works and the Way itself much better. I hope to be a taoist all my life and be very experienced and knowledgable. I am also interested in I-Ching, Tarot, runecraft (runes), and symbolism.

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Summary: There are better translations
Review: The Tao Te Ching is a gem in human thought, yet there are much better versions. Mitchell's book isn't a translation, but an interpolation, which means that Mitchell, who doesn't speak Chinese and isn't a Taoist, compared other's translations and created his own version. To some extent, Mitchell's version may be helpful to those who are new to Taoism, yet it fails to capture the subtle grace and dance of the Taoist heart.

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Summary: Mitchell's translation of the Tao Te Ching is definitive.
Review: Next to the Bible, the most translated book in the world is the Tao Te Ching, the ancient Chinese Book of the Way. It lays the philosophical foundations for one of the world's great wisdom traditions, Taoism. Written approximately 2,500 years ago by the legendary sage Lao Tzu, this classic continues to inspire readers today. To translate a work that has been translated so many times before--and so well--may seem almost an act of hubris. But as the English language continues to evolve, it is the duty of the translator to attempt to restate a classic for his or her generation, in a language that they can best understand. Stephen Mitchell, in Tao Te Ching: A New English Version, has done that for our generation. And to him we owe a debt of gratitude. Huston Smith has called this translation "definitive," and he has spoken well. At first, a traditionalist may be startled by, for instance, Mitchell's referring to the master as alternately "he" and "she;" whereas, the original refers to the master as masculine, only, thereby reflecting the truth of things in sixth century B.C. China. But when one remembers that the translator is duty-bound to bring the ideas of the text to his or her contemporaries in a way that will have most meaning for them, then one can see the wisdom of taking such a liberty. And, after all, it is in the spirit of Taoism to adapt to the circumstance. As water sometimes comes to earth in the form of rain, sometimes snow, and sometimes sleet, but always in accord with the season, so this classic comes to us now in a form that is right for our own day. Thus, once again, this time with the help of Stephen Mitchell, the Tao Te Ching speaks to humanity, pointing the way.

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Summary: This book is not a translation of the Tao-te Ching
Review: Buy and enjoy this book if you like Stephen Mitchell, but don't fool yourself that it has much to do with Taoism or the original Chinese text. This is an "interpretation" by someone who knows no Chinese and little about China. If you want to find out what the Tao-te ching says, look up the excellent translations by Robert G. Henricks, D.C. Lau, or Arthur Waley