Tao (An Enduring Ancient Wisdom)

The caveat contained in the opening words of the Tao Te Ching, which essentially cautions us about relying on words to discover that elusive thing called, "truth," (especially when used in its absolute sense), is used as a template to measure the worth of some of our most common (even cherished) beliefs on a range of subjects, from the basic workings of the universe to the dreary complexities of politics. The bottom line is that things aren't always what you think they are, because what you "think" is based upon words, and words are nothing more than hand-me-downs from your culture. And their own language is something that most people don't even bother to question. But when they do, they're often surprised at what they find. As always, Wayne Holland is mesmerizing. His words seem at times to literally fly off the page, and they do so with an energy that's almost irresistible. There's no doubt he's controversial (and downright unconventional), but he's every bit as captivating, and definitely worth reading.