The Taoist Manual: An Illustrated Guide Applying Taoism to Daily Life (Paperback)

~ Brock Silvers (Author) "Taoism is a tradition in resurgence..." (more)
Key Phrases: Seven Perfected Beings, New Moon, Five Northern Patriarchs (more...)

Product Details

• Paperback: 212 pages
• Publisher: Sacred Mountain Press (April 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0967794811
• ISBN-13: 978-0967794815
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,427,625 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fills a Huge Void, September 11, 2005

By	a reader (academia) - See all my reviews

I have a PhD in Taoism, and while that might not mean much, it does mean that I've read a lot of Taoism-related books. Almost everything written on Taoism is concerned solely with Taoist philosophy. That's great, but Taoism has always been about much more than philosphy. It's always been focused on practice. There are some academic books written about Taoist practice, but these book are normally extremely detailed regarding a very specific era or activity. They're also generally written in academic-speak. Then there are books in the popular market which claim to represent Taoism but actually don't exhibit even the slightest familiarity with the subject. There are no serious, non-academic journals or magazines focused on Taoism. I've always felt bad for normal people who want to investigate Taoism. They haven't had much to support or guide them. I can't blame beginners for sometimes getting the idea that Taoism is really just the philosophy of Laozi. The Taoist Manual is among the first books of its kind - it really tries to make Taoism, and not just Taoist philosophy, accessible to the average reader. It tries to systematically go through the major aspects of the Chinese Taoist experience, and it does so in simple language, with copious photos and diagrams, and basic references. It's a surprisingly ambitious book, and in general I think it does a pretty good job. Of course I have a list of quibbles, small things that I would like to see changed. There's nothing on my list, however, that a good editor couldn't repair in a subsequent edition. Overall, this is a really worthwhile book. For a non-academic beginner who wants to learn about real Taoism, this is the place to start.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars not hippy new age taoism, October 26, 2005

By	SRK - See all my reviews

i saw an earlier review where a girl was unhappy with this book because it wasn't hippy new age taoism. actually, her review was pretty fair - the book just wasn't what she wanted it to be. but i thank my lucky stars it wasn't. this book gives real guidance to people like me who want to practice taoism. isn't that exactly what the taoist community needs? no more endless speculation about philosophy that may not even have any connection to taoism. instead, this book taught me how taoists approach their calendar, their deities, and their practices. it doesn't make me a taoist, and maybe i'll never be one, but at least now i have a better appreciation for who they are and how they live. that's all i could ever ask for. great book, i highly recommend it.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely Pleased, September 3, 2005

By	David Korne - See all my reviews

A while ago I started getting into Taoism, and I told my dad that I wanted to be a Taoist. He asked how I had to live to be one. I mostly knew Taoist philosophy, so I told him that I had be rediscover my natural self and flow with the current of the tao. He said it sounded like sitting on the couch and watching cable. I was pissed, so I started to do research. I didn't find much until this book. Now I can't wait for him to ask me again.