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Taoism audiobook cover art

  • Taoism

  • An Essential Guide
  • By: Eva Wong
  • Narrated by: Emily Zeller
  • Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars 69
  • Performance
    4.5 out of 5 stars 58
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    4 out of 5 stars 56

For the first time, the great depth and diversity of Taoist spirituality is introduced in a single, accessible manual. Taoism, known widely today through the teachings of the classic Tao Te Ching and the practices of t'ai chi and feng-shui, is less known for its unique traditions of meditation, physical training, magical practice, and internal alchemy. Covering all of the most important texts, figures, and events, this essential guide illuminates Taoism's extraordinarily rich history and remarkable variety of practice.

  • 3 out of 5 stars

  • Informative

  • By Agape Beacon on 12-02-16
Chuang Tsu audiobook cover art

  • Chuang Tsu

  • Inner Chapters, A Companion Volume to Tao Te Ching
  • By: Gia Fu Feng, Jane English
  • Narrated by: Chungliang Al Huang
  • Length: 2 hrs and 47 mins
  • Abridged
  • Overall
    4.5 out of 5 stars 64
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Brilliant, mystical, pragmatic and witty, some have called Chuang Tsu the world's first anarchist. Even 2,000 years after his death, this provocative Taoist text remains in the forefront of ancient Chinese philosophical study. A companion to the Tao Te Ching, Chuang Tsu: Inner Chapters is a spiritual classic in its own right and a source book second only to the Tao Te Ching in importance in the Taoist canon. The sublime prose serves as a profound and paradoxical commentary to the Tao Te Ching.

  • 5 out of 5 stars

  • Supreme audiobook!

  • By Sean on 06-03-14
Tao Te Ching audiobook cover art

  • Tao Te Ching

  • A New English Version
  • By: Lao Tzu, Stephen Mitchell
  • Narrated by: Stephen Mitchell
  • Length: 1 hr and 41 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    4.5 out of 5 stars 2,291
  • Performance
    4.5 out of 5 stars 1,943
  • Story
    4.5 out of 5 stars 1,929

In 81 brief chapters, Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching, or Book of the Way, provides advice that imparts balance and perspective, as well as a serene and generous spirit. It teaches us how to work for the good with the effortless skill that comes from being in accord with the Tao: the basic principle of the universe.

  • 3 out of 5 stars

  • Please remove the ridiculous ad at the end

  • By Michael on 02-20-15
Taoism audiobook cover art

  • Taoism

  • A Friendly Beginners' Guide on Taoism and Taoist Beliefs
  • By: Jordan Jacobs
  • Narrated by: Sean Householder
  • Length: 2 hrs and 13 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars 28
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars 24
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars 24

Taoism teaches the basic principles of living a long and healthy life. The Taoist principles help us understand the inseparable nature of the self and the nature of the cosmos, to participate in the natural flow of events. To gain knowledge about Taoism is the cultivation of a thought process of growth, self-exploration, and transformation and to link our inner self with the surrounding world. This is the way to engage ourselves in the realm of the Tao. What are the implications of Taoism in our daily lives?

  • 4 out of 5 stars

  • Great Introduction<br />

  • By Ray J. Barry on 04-29-18
Being Taoist audiobook cover art

  • Being Taoist

  • Wisdom for Living a Balanced Life
  • By: Eva Wong
  • Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
  • Length: 7 hrs and 11 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    4.5 out of 5 stars 69
  • Performance
    4.5 out of 5 stars 61
  • Story
    4.5 out of 5 stars 60

Taoist living rests on four pillars: the public, the domestic, the private, and the spirit lives. Not only do Taoists strive to live these four aspects fully and in a balanced way, they also believe there is an outlook and an art to each of them. Eva Wong uses the teachings of Taoist masters themselves to explain the essential concepts. She then gives voice to these texts - simplifying them, removing barriers to understanding, and making them completely accessible and relevant to the modern reader.

  • 5 out of 5 stars

  • Magnificent!

  • By Pizzo on 01-25-17
The Dhammapada audiobook cover art

  • The Dhammapada

  • By: Eknath Easwaran
  • Narrated by: Paul Bazely
  • Length: 4 hrs and 22 mins
  • Abridged
  • Overall
    4.5 out of 5 stars 327
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars 292
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars 293

Dhammapada means "the path of dharma", the path of harmony and righteousness that anyone can follow to reach the highest good. This classic Buddhist scripture is a collection of vivid, practical verses gathered from direct disciples who wanted to preserve what they had heard from the Buddha himself. Easwaran's translation of this classic Buddhist text is the best-selling translation in the US.

  • 3 out of 5 stars

  • Audio doesn’t include full book

  • By Montgomery on 01-25-18

Publisher's Summary

Sir Nigel Hawthorne's inspiring reading brings to life this new translation of Lao Tzu's 2,500 year old Chinese classic. Probably the most influential spiritual book in human history, the Tao Te Ching translates as The Classic of The Tao and Its Power.

In 80 short chapters, it reveals a profound view of the Tao, a unique and satisfying way of life and nature. This revered collection of wise sayings and commentaries is a complete guide to living the sagely life and finding a calm and tranquil center in the midst of the chaos and stress of 21st-century life.
©2008 Man Ho Kwok, Jay Ramsay, Martin Palmer (P)2008 Mark Forstater

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Excellent review of basic Tao precepts

Mr Hawthorn preformed brilliantly in conveying the illusory theme of the Tao Te Ching in an understandable fashion .

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Narration Is a problem

The narrator could not maintain an even volume when speaking making it difficult to hear with the smallest noises around me. The narrator also sped up and slowed down randomly making it hard to follow along in some parts. The content itself is great though I need to get a copy with a different narrator.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

complexly simple

every time it's different, something new emerges.
fifteen words? there are too many words, sometimes it's better to be silent.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • scott
  • Columbia, Moldova, Republic of
  • 12-22-15

One of my favorite translations

I find this translation clear of the most Nigel Hawthorn's narration adds to the charm of the translation.

2 of 5 people found this review helpful

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Al
  • 10-18-11

Sound sound!

Excellent reading by Nigel Hawthorne, well worth getting. An easy to listen to voice giving a fine interpretation of ancient words of wisdom.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • The_price_of_bottled_water
  • 05-13-14

classic - well narrated

If you could sum up The Tao Te Ching in three words, what would they be?

Very abstract, but have listened to it many time. Shame it is abridged

Who was your favorite character and why?

Those who speak, do not know, Those who know, do not speak.

What does Nigel Hawthorne bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Great actor, gives a very good performance of a classic text

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Mr S.P.Davis
  • 10-31-16

classic recording of a national treasure

excellent performance of superb translation of immortal wisdom teaching - always loved it, always will

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Tim
  • 03-05-11

Shades of Satire...

One who cooks good food?
Nope - that's Nigel Slater or Nigella Lawson.

Is he one of those Shakespearian actors who narrates audiobooks?
Well, he does do Agatha Christie, but he is not Brian Blessed or Ian Richardson.

No, this Nigel Hawthorne is none other than Sir Humphrey Appleby (from Yes Minister & Yes Prime Minister) - the Late Master of Posh, Cynical Irreverence narrating arguably the greatest philosophical work in history.

With a hint of skeptical wisdom & an ironic sense of Real politik, the Tao is given a whole new angle through one of Britain's finest actors. Each verse is compelling, yet also has that evasive quality that the Tao has which cannot be grasped, only allowed.

And best of all the whole work is condensed to a mere 76 minutes, meaning that the whole book can be listened to in one car journey!

This is, however, the one problem with it. The Tao Te Ching is rich & dense in content & one verse can last you a whole day of thinking. Crammed into one download (with only two or three word titles per verse) isn't really enough to explore the text's meaning.

Furthermore, this text is not the best translation of the Tao. Every translation is different & has different meanings but this one, if anything, seems a bit too literally translated.
As an example, there is the line on the back cover 'The Tao goes on forever doing nothing And yet everything gets done'. Why not 'The Tao does nothing, but leaves nothing undone'? Translation is no barrier to economy of language.

Despite this, this is (as the cliche goes) exactly what it says on the tin. It is a raw, pithy version of the Tao & is a good condensed version of the work.

2 of 4 people found this review helpful

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
  • Michael
  • 02-27-18

Deep, classic, well translated and read

A very deep book. very hard to comprehend. needs to be read multiple times. the translation was fine, just deep meaning in the words. very practical