The Importance of Living - Softcover

Lin, Yutang

Softcover

ISBN 10: 154294130X ISBN 13: 9781542941303

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2017

Synopsis

The Importance of Living is also known as the Art of Living, is one of the master works written by Lin Yutang in English, a renowned Chinese writer and translator during the period of the Republic of China. It is ranked as two major representative works of Lin Yutang along with “My Country and My People”, both are written by Lin Yutang in English. The Importance Living describes all of the aspects of life of the Chinese in comparison with the Westerners. Including the life style, way of thinking, life habits, values, etc. It is crowned as “Life Bible” and called a “John Day Book”. To live gracefully and meaningfully, the Book is a good reference. The text of the Book is the complete original text of the book published for the first time in 1937.

About this title

Review

Is it really a philosophy book if it has a section entitled "The Importance of Loafing"? Harvard scholar, Taoist, and modernist Lin Yutang wrote The Importance of Living to express his highly subjective, personal feelings after years of studying ancient Chinese texts, and created a wonderfully slow-going yet radiantly clear guide to the simple life. Taking walks, drinking tea, long talks with friends are all important to Lin, whose stories and retellings of Taoist classics meander away from his points, find new ones, and remind us to enjoy the life that's all around us without needless worry.

Lin's prose is gentle, like the conversation of a favorite lazy uncle who is more at home sipping lemonade on the back porch than gulping lattes between meetings. The sincerity of his humility is surprising to a reader used to postmodern writers who seem to pride themselves on their self-abasement. Though Lin deliberately avoided fame and notoriety, correctly observing that it only leads to troubles, one can only hope that his wisdom, timelier than ever, finds a wider audience among today's too-busy-to-breathe global culture. His philosophy, more practical and enjoyable than the usual Western writings on the subject, reminds us all of the vital importance of simply living. --Rob Lightner

About the Author

LIN YUTANG was born in 1895 to a mission family and became one of the best-known Chinese scholars and writers.

Edition details

• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 154294130X
• ISBN 13: 9781542941303
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 544