Tao Te Ching by Stephen Mitchell Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Tao Te Ching
Book Review: Good poetry, but not a translation!
Summary: 2 Stars
I bought this pocket-sized copy of the Daodejing a year or so ago, because I'd read my friend's copy and it was quite beautifully written. But, ignoring the phrase "do your homework," I didn't really know anything about Stephen Mitchell as a translator or how his version fit with other versions that had been done before.
How interesting for me, then, to hear in my Chinese philosophy class today that Stephen Mitchell is not a translator! He doesn't know any Chinese at all. In fact, most of his works billed as 'translations' are done by reading different existing English translations and compiling them, rephrasing them in the way he likes best. Basically all serious scholars of ancient Chinese texts regard Stephen Mitchell as at best a reinterpretive poet (not a translator), and at worst a charlattan getting money for something he didn't do.
So basically my advice: buy this book if all you want is an easier-to-digest poetic interpretation. But don't buy it if you're looking for a valid scholarly translation. And, if you're as unsettled as I am by how successful Mitchell has been selling "translations" that he didn't translate, you might not buy it just so he won't make any more money from this venture.
I wanted to give it more stars for its poetic value, but the dishonesty of it being billed as a "translation" made the rest of it suffer for me. I would encourage you to "do your homework" and get a more reputable, scholarly, actual translation if you have any desire to learn what the Daodejing is really about.
Book Review: Good translation to begin your relationship with the Tao
Summary: 5 Stars
Of all of the various translations I have read either all or part of, this is the most fluid and dynamic. Not being able to read Chinese, I will not pretend to comment on its fidelity to the original, but the ideas conveyed by Mitchell inform the Taoist philosophy well. I consider the handful of one star reviews to be unfair; however, since I am not necessarily familiar with the better translations they mention, I cannot make any claims on their individual criticisms. One thing, however, is certain: Just because there may be a better translation does not make Mitchell's a bad translation. If anything, you should become familiar with a variety of translations, and this should certainly be among them.Book Review: Good translation..
Summary: 4 Stars
I picked Stephen Mitchell's version of the Tao Te Ching after reading the Feng-English translation.After reading some of the more negative reviews I wasn't sure what to expect, but I ended up being pleasantly surprised.
This version is easy to read and understand, clearing up the more esoteric passages from the traditional translations, without diluting the underlying meaning and inspiration.
I still prefer the Feng-English translation for it's poetic style and mysticism, but Mitchell's version is still ideal to enjoy and ponder the meaning of the Tao.
Book Review: Great translation- but TINY book. Pocket Size.
Summary: 4 Stars
I guess I didn't read the "fine print". This is a pocket size edition of the Tao Te Ching. I wish I had spent the extra money and gotten the larger version with illustrations. Not that I needed the pictures. But, I didn't really want a book I could stick in my pocket.
Never-the-less, the translation is excellent. This is the second Stephen Mitchell book I have read and his insights are wonderful. I kind of wish his footnotes had been included in the body of the book rather than stuck in the appendix though as they are critical to understanding his translation and I ended up having to flip back and forth between the text and the appendix. But, that's also a matter of personal preference. If they had been in the body, one could argue they would interrupt the flow of the book.
Based on my other translation of the Tao Te Ching and his footnotes, Mitchell has taken some liberties with the text. But, I think it makes it more accessible for the Western reader. Kind of like "The Message" translation of the Bible by Eugene Peterson. It's far from a literal translation. But, it puts the ancient text in a language that the modern reader can easily relate to.
Book Review: Holding to the paradoxial style of the prose
Summary: 5 Stars
Stephen Mitchell's rendition of Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching was a very intense but excellent approach at offering you an English version Lao Tzu's teachings. After comparing to the one my professor used, I found it easier to comphrehend and attempt to find the possible meanings what the prose could have meant. It is an wonderful choice and Houston Smith is right on the ball when he gives his recomendation.