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Rating: 
Summary: An "opening" by the translator...
Review: ...of the Taoist classic fables, all of which can be read as simple stories or wells of wisdom. I particularly like the tales of the Yellow Emperor.
Rating: 
Summary: Great material, but --
Review: Lao Tzu, the first author of Taoism, described abstruse, metaphorical scenes in abstruse language. Chuang Tzu uses prosaic descriptions, but still described philosophical ideal rather than gritty facts. Lieh Tzu came later. He used prosaic words to describe prosaic, everyday scenes, and to find enlightenment in them.
Many ring true for me. The "yellow mare" reminded me of a technician who was finely attuned to the circuits we used. He was always wrong in his diagnosis onf the problems he showed me. That never mattered. He was always right in pointing out that there was a problem, often based on small clues that I might have missed.
Lieh discusses honesty and friendship, poverty and happiness, great riches and death. Still, the language is always modern and clear, and a good supplement to Chuang and Lao.
My problem, though, is that this isn't a translation. It's Wong's interpretation. She says, early on, "Instead of a straight translation of the sematics of the text, I have decided to present the 'voice' of Lieh Tzu." As much as I like Wong's text, it troubles me. Translation is never exact, but there are degrees of inexactness. I am concerned about how much Lieh's text has suffered.
This is good anyway, and I'll probably come back to it eve if I find a more scholarly Lieh Tzu. This is readable and thought-provoking, no matter what it's authenticity.
//wiredweird
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable Retelling
Review: One point that should be clarified about this book is that it is not a direct translation of Lieh Tzu. In the intro, the author explains that her goal was to "open up" the text for modern Western readers by essentially retelling the stories in her own way. This is a perfectly valid approach, of course, since she is open about it. In some cases, her renditions sharpen the point and even improve the literary quality of the original. In others, she may have reduced some quirkiness of the original in deference to political correctness, or may have added influences from later Taoist thought. This is a good edition to read for contemplation, but if you are interested in the history of Taoist thought at all, stick with A.C. Graham's more literal translation.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable Retelling
Review: One point that should be clarified about this book is that it is not a direct translation of Lieh Tzu. In the intro, the author explains that her goal was to "open up" the text for modern Western readers by essentially retelling the stories in her own way. This is a perfectly valid approach, of course, since she is open about it. In some cases, her renditions sharpen the point and even improve the literary quality of the original. In others, she may have reduced some quirkiness of the original in deference to political correctness, or may have added influences from later Taoist thought. This is a good edition to read for contemplation, but if you are interested in the history of Taoist thought at all, stick with A.C. Graham's more literal translation.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Taoist Work
Review: The Lieh Tzu is the one of the less known Taoist classics, yet perhaps the most accessable and enjoyable one. It's a collection of 111 stories said to be by the noted scholar Leih-Tzu around the fourth century BCE. (Who's it really by? Who knows? And who cares?)The stories cover a variety of topics, such as choosing what is important, how to lead a group of people, archery, choosing ones targets well, Confucius, why one chooses to be a Taoist, and much more. My favorite quote is "Enlightenment is a very normal experience, attainable by everyone. Therefore, there is nothing mysterious or secretive about it." A simply wonderful, tranquil book that is enjoyable to read and contemplate.
Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: The Lieh Tzu is truly one of the most magnificent works of all time. I enjoyed it just as much as the Taoist centerpiece text the Tao Te Ching, and much more than the othe most notbale Taoist text the Chaung Tzu. Keep in mind, however, that this edition is not a direct translation of the Lieh Tzu; rather, it is a loose translation. (I think the author should have been more clear on telling us that) Nevertheless, this book is very well done, and I can't say enough about how much I love the Lieh Tzu and Evan Wong's version of it. Thie Lieh Tzu is for the most part a series of philosophical tales, and commentary on them. Some of the stories are probably based somewhat on true events, while others are probably entirely fictional. Most of these stories are endlessly fascinating. This is truly an underappreciated book, and I am surprised it is not more well known.
Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: The Lieh Tzu is truly one of the most magnificent works of all time. I enjoyed it just as much as the Taoist centerpiece text the Tao Te Ching, and much more than the othe most notbale Taoist text the Chaung Tzu. Keep in mind, however, that this edition is not a direct translation of the Lieh Tzu; rather, it is a loose translation. (I think the author should have been more clear on telling us that) Nevertheless, this book is very well done, and I can't say enough about how much I love the Lieh Tzu and Evan Wong's version of it. Thie Lieh Tzu is for the most part a series of philosophical tales, and commentary on them. Some of the stories are probably based somewhat on true events, while others are probably entirely fictional. Most of these stories are endlessly fascinating. This is truly an underappreciated book, and I am surprised it is not more well known.
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