Customer Reviews

The Tao of Star Wars

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I can't say enough about this book. After reading many books on Lao Tzu and the Tao Te Ching, I have found this to be the clearest, most concise, and most useful yet! I have read and re-read this book many times now and continue to get new insights each time I read it. If you are even the slightest fan of Star Wars, and are looking to flow with the Tao, this book is, IMHO, for you! I found the Tao of Star Wars more edifying, and with less rambling, than what I found in the Tao of Pooh.

Chapter titles are: Taoism - An Overview, The Force as the Tao, Acceptance, Patience, Uncarved Block, Wu Wei, Simplicity, Humility, Life Experience, Present Moment Living, and Yoda the Sage Master.

I would also recommend getting a copy (you can find it online for free) of Stephen Mitchell's translation of the Tao Te Ching since most of the quotes in the Tao of Star Wars are quoted from it.

The Tao is a path...the only logical act is to travel it. ~John M. Porter, M.D. (Professor of Clinical Surgery in Arizona)

John M. Porter has been studying the Tao and believes following the Tao is like "walking a living path." I loved how he takes The Star Wars series and explains how it is connected to the basic tenets of Taoism. He shows how Taoist roots touch every aspect of life from feng shui to qu gong or I Ching.

If you are new to The Tao Te Ching, it will be interesting to read the translated portions from Stephen Mitchell's translation. If you are a Star Wars fan, then you will enjoy a wealth of quotes. The author's comments are interspaced between quotes from the movie and The Tao Te Ching. You may also find the Chinese characters to be interesting. There are drawings throughout.

The Chapters Include:

Taoism - an overview and an explanation as to why the Tao is highly personal. There is a brief summary of the concepts to follow in each additional chapter.

The Force as the Tao - Quotes from George Lucas and the connection between his movies and Joseph Campbell's teachings.

Each additional chapter takes one quality and explores how it shows up in the movies:

Acceptance

Patience - This chapter was of special interest to me since I once prayed for patience and since then have been thrown into the patience journey. (You sometimes get what you pray for...) In this chapter he shows how Luke needs patience. He then quotes "Patient with both friends and enemies, you accord with the way things are" from chapter 67 of The Tao Te Ching. Then he gives these quotes:

Yoda: (signing) Will he finish what he begins?

Then the author shows how patience and perseverance work together to yield good results. Thinking of "patience in action" was a new concept for me.

Uncarved Block
Wu Wei
Simplicity
Humility
Life Experience
Present Moment Living

Yoda the Sage Master - I loved the "Traits of a Master" in the Yoda chapter. These can be wonderful goals for anyone seeking to live a more spiritual existence.

John M. Porter is a natural teacher who knows how to take examples and fill them out into life teachings. This book made me want to go rent the entire Star Wars series and it is a must-have for Star War fans. I found this book to be a peaceful, healing read and I can highly recommend it to you.

~The Rebecca Review

There are many "Tao of" books on the market today. Most, if not all of them deviate from the essence of Taoism. That is not that case in this book. This book is excellent, both for beginners seeking to learn the Tao, as well as for those with experience who may need to be renewed in the Tao. The Star Wars analogies make it an enjoyable read. I recommend this book highly to all.

This book is a delightful read. Effectively uses quotes from the Tao Te Ching and blends them with quotes from the Star Wars trilogy, plus the Phantom Menace. Very readable book. I'm surprised the auther didn't use a bigger distributor. The book cover is ridiculus looking, but the content excellent.

I was looking forward to this book for quite some time, being a big fan of both Star Wars and the Tao. I was immediatley turned off by how thin the book was. I was further upset when I opened the book, noting the large pring, generous use of spacing, and large margines (i.e. this thin book contains even less information that it appears to). The author has some good points, but most are very simple in nature and could have been summed up in a powerpoint. Worth a quick read, but not worth buying it in my opinion. Also, for those bothered by such, the author talks about Jesus in several areas, quoting from the New Testament. That was not something I expected or appreciated.

This book is great if you didn't understand what the Jedi were trying to teach in Star Wars. I don't think it is a book that you can read if you haven't seen Star Wars, because you won't know what he is referring to. Watch the Star Wars movies, then get the book. Also it is a great introduction to Taoism.

After you have read the first few pages, or randomly choose where to begin, you will realize that you are not simply reading a book but you are on an adventure. The words and imagery flow. It, as someone who is familiar with the Tao would realize, takes on the simplicity of that wisdom. For others who may be Star Wars enthusiasts, the common thread of Yoda and the other Masters using and teaching the "Force", may feel an instant connection with the Tao. This book is truly unique and very readable. Take the adventure...

This is a very well written and structured book. It first offers an overview of what The Tao is and how it breaks down for those unfamiliar with the concepts. The following chapters explore the different parts of the Tao while relating them to events in the Star Wars Saga. Works for me!!
I found the book to be very accessable to those who are not in the know as far as The Tao. Relating the ideas to events and characters of the S.Wars films does help the Tao novice to retain the lessons..... and for those who are already in the know it is simply a good read.
A great book to use to introduce younger people to the world of self awareness.....
my only problem with the book would be the HORRIBLE. HORRIBLE cover which can be misleading. The cover looks like it was designed to be on a book in the bargin bin or the cover of those cheap little books found at the supermarket check out.

I have to confess when I bought this book I did not have high expectations. I may have been judging the book by its cover, but reading it was a pleasant and meaningful (if brief) experience. Porter successfully, in concise and clear language, illustrates some essential concepts of Taoism and the Tao Te Ching, and shows their relationship to Star Wars. At times I thought that he reprinted too much dialog from the movies, and in rare instances I was critical of his interpretation of Taoism. But overall I think Porter has done remarkably well in illustrating Taoism in its basic essence, and its reflection in the popular Star Wars movies. So yes, overall I give an encouraging recommendation to the dubious. This is a good book, but just expect a short book!

As a fan of both Taoism and Star Wars, I bought this book, and was not disappointed. The author does a great job of taking the characters and events of the Star Wars movies, and use them to illustrate the principles of Taoism.