Customer Reviews

Thunder in the Sky: Secrets on the Acquisition and Exercise of Power

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This presents translations of two pieces, "The Master of Demon Valley" (TMDV) and "The Master of the Hidden Storehouse" (TMHS). Both are very readable translations, with the smooth, idiomatic style that Cleary always delivers.

I found TMDV to be a baffling piece. Its aphorisms are all simple, even obvious statements. I really felt as if I were missing something: perhaps there were depths that I couldn't pierce, or the translation did not capture the text's intent, or the text assumed common knowledge of the Warring States period that has since been lost. I suspect the latter. Cleary offers a very helpful commentary on TMDV, just after the text itself. When I reread the text, referring to the commentary, I found it much more interesting.

TMHS stood by itself much better, and does not have a commentary. It extends the ideas on statecraft presented in the Lao Tzu, but has a more prosaic and straightforward style. In some ways, it seems to be a bridge to the Confucian thinking that dominated the era. It emphasized the belief that social hierarchy is part of mankind's natural order, and especially that farming and weaving are the proper duties of the agrarian classes. A modern reader may note, however, that The Way placed others in positions of power or learning and that these people needed much less encouragement to exercise that power or knowledge.

These seem not to be central works in the Taoist canon. Still, they are enjoyable, and the translation is clear and modern. This book will help develop a more complete library of the Chinese classics.

With time and discipline, this sort fo knowledge can be very beneficial to man, but in the wrong hands...Could be used for the wrong purposes.

"Thunder in the Sky" is on the exercise of power based on Taoist principles. How to wield it, how to get it, how to manipulate people, and all the rest.

The book is written at a high level, almost a book of wise facts. I'm sure there are better books with specific knowledge on power; But as a general primer on the subject, this book does a good job.

I agree with the other reader that this book is not a direct translation of the original material...but I'm not an academic or a purist in that sense. I didn't care that there was a lot of Mr Cleary's own wording in places.

Lastly, its obvious that you really need a good scholar on the subject to teach this book to you. There are too many areas where I could tell there was a mountain buried under 1 sentance. But don't let that stop you from reading this book. I would recommend this book as a good starting place on the whole subject of power/management/diplomacy.

This book is exhilarating! Contained therein are two separate texts by Taoist sages on crisis/opportunity management theory; lessons from the masters. The simplicity and concision of this book delivers it's message of harmonious striving as effortlessly and sublimely as a child picks a flower; it's advice is wonderful.

As translated by Thomas Cleary, whose specialty is translating Asian classics, this book shows exoteric and esoteric domains of learning and shows the intellectual life and scholastic curriuclum of the 8th Century. It is "the essence of the Chinese mind."

THUNDER IN THE SKY provides insights, using short, clear lessons about business (managing personnel), war (thwarting enemies), universal wisdom and timeless principles as human beings, and government. This ancient text is from 700-221 B.C.

Michael Phillips promotes this Eastern philosophy as "an extraordinary business tool for understanding and working with the dynamics of power." This text gives advice on The Way of Government, The Way of Leadership, The Way of Administrators, The Way of the Wise, The Way of Education, The Way of Agricultlure, and The Way of War.

He has written other books among which include THE JAPANESE ART OF WAR, THE ESSENTIAL CONFUCIUS and THE BOOK OF FIVE RINGS.

The author seems to be trying to justify some interlink between this philosophy and his own. This is not the straight forward translation I expected.