Tao of Thoreau

Author Mark Jefferson Bozeman has done a stellar job choosing selections from Thoreau’s writing and pairing them with the philosophy of the Tao. It’s elucidating and inspiring!The Tao Te Ching has always been somewhat perplexing for me, and the inherent patriarchy and military references off-putting. I believe Bozeman has stayed true to the overall message of the classic and of Taoism and he provides a more accessible perspective through Thoreau’s spirituality — which was avowedly Eastern in nature (literally ‘in nature’!)This book is a pleasure. The text is good-sized and easy to read, well-formatted with Thoreau’s entry on one side and the applicable Taoist perspective on the opposing page. It is easy for most of us to get caught up in conventions, and Bozeman delivers a resource that allows us to savor transcending them in a style that flows as effortlessly as the Tao itself. This book is a gem!

I stumbled upon this title by chance when I was searching Amazon to find a good Henry David Thoreau biography. "Hmm, TAO OF THOREAU" I thought. "This this could be interesting." I have great respect and admiration for Thoreau and I believe there is great wisdom in Taoism, so perhaps, I hoped, this would be a case of two great tastes that taste great together.I'm glad I followed my intuition as I felt enriched and enlivened by how author Mark Jefferson Bozeman skillfully paired passages from Thoreau with his own reflections on how the two complement one another. As Bozeman concludes his first reflection, "Thoreau and Taoism propose a radical freedom from distracting and destructive thinking, mindsets and actions." In the pages that follow, the author does a fine job of laying out how and why that is the case. While reading, I sensed that the author was writing from a place of passion and sincerity, which is always a good sign*.I can easily see myself returning to this book once every year or so for a good refresher on its themes and how they can help me live more freely, vividly, and authentically. I found it well worth my time, and think you might find it worth yours!*I would have rated the book four-and-a-half stars if I could have, but alas, that was not an option.

A beautiful book that you literally should read passages from every day. Brilliant the way the author brought two of the greatest philosophers of all time together (over 3000 years apart) and took passages from both and compared them in such a simple way. Loved the book and take your time reading it and rereading it!

So the nice thing I like about this book is that I feel the parables of Thoreau and then it links the philosophies of Tao which I’m not familiar withIt’s a lovely mix of East meets WestKeith

This simplified explanation that incorporates Taoism makes it easier to understand and help guide you on your journey to enlightenment. This book is truly a wonderful read that I highly recommend!

Wonderful book. One of those you can return to again and again to check your psyche, your balance. Bravo.

While Thoreau's quotes are interesting,this has very little to do with Taoism.The author does blend in some bits of the Tao De Ching but overall it's lacking any reasonable aspect of Taoism.Save your money and get a good translation (Derek Lin's excellent) of the Tao De Ching instead. The "Seeker and Sage" comments remind me of those pop psychology books from the '70's.

As a non reader I was able to easily understand the writings of Thoreau along with the connection to Tao. You get something from each page to help your overall being and to get grounded again