5 comments about Confucius Speaks: Words to Live By.

1. This book was wonderful! While I especially recommended it for beginners who are new to the teachings of Confucius, I know this book will surely be interesting to anyone. The first time I picked this comic book up, I read through 60 pages without putting it down again. The first section of the book is about the events in Confucius' life, while the second section deals with the Analects. Although I'm just a beginner to the teachings of Confucius, these comics have definitely captured my interest, and left me wanting to know more about Confucius' wisdom and philosophy. The cartoons give you various little snippets of Confucius' ideology, and leave you highly interested in learning more on each topic. I'm glad I started off with this book. Now I'm reading more comprehensive books on Confucianism; however, I will always have this little comic book to pull of the shelf and flip through.... time and time again.



2. The Cartoon Chinese Philosophy books of this series interest me for two reasons: I like Chinese History and I have to teach it to high school kids.

   On a personal level I enjoy reading through these books and find it much more useful than some of the straight translations even though they may be more complete and more pleasing to academics. In addition to the Confucius book, I have enjoyed both Daoist books and the version of the Art of War.

   As a teacher, I like this book even better. New York State requires high school kids to have 2 years of world history. In this new political correct world, world history is no longer dominated by Europe. In fact, must of the New York State exam is about Asia and Africa. Thus Confucianism is a very important concept to teach.

   Filial Piety, the concept of order and relationships, and the 5 Confucianian relationships are extremely important. But they are not fun things to the average teenager. There are many lessons we can get from Confucius as adults, for kids its a bit harder. However, these comic books make teaching Confucius so much easier and effective. The kids like to read them and they get so much more from them.

   So in short, yes this is not the complete Confucius. But for anyone who wants to read a visually pleasing edition or teaches this is quite good.




3. One of the best things about this book is it puts a face on Confucius and, more importantly, his disciples. It's difficult to read The Analects (which this book uses a few sayings from) and keep straight who's who; this book helps a lot. The last section with a brief bio on a few of the disciples is fantastic. I can find no other source to compare to this. Now when I read The Analect I see the faces from this book when different people are mentioned. My only complaint is that different translations of Confucius' work seem to use slightly different names then those used in this book. It can be a bit confusing when this book is the first one you read, but I would still HIGHLY recommend it.



4. Just getting started on your desire to understand eastern philosophies? Have you stood at the bookstore for hours pouring over where to start and what to buy?

   Any of this authors books are a wonderful place to start. The reason? Because these books are all about the title subject in a nutshell, easy to read as a comic book, the story lines and illustrations are wonderful, and after you read this as well as all the other books by Tsai, you will have a great, well rounded start on your path and will know what you want to study more deeply!

   To add, when others ask you about your interest in eastern philosophy, you can get them started here as well, because these books are fun, consise, and you know they will enjoy them over and over again!




5. Easy to read and understand. For those who like to know more about Confucious philosophy but dont know where to start, pick this book.
   This book contains all the basic philosophy of the great master.

1 comments about Thinking Through Confucius (SUNY Series in Systematic Philosophy).

1. Perhaps the best study of Confucius' thought available. There is a very detailed study of all the key terms in the Analects, with an emphasis on the capacity of the individual Confucian to use his better judgment in specific situations. In other words Confucius does not recommend blind obedience to the rules of etiquette (Li). The book also includes an in-depth comparison with Western philosophy, even post-modern. One of the authors, Roger Ames, has also recently written a splendid translation of the Analects together with Henry Rosemont. Both of these books are musts for a deeper understanding of the Analects.

No comments about Voice of the Living Light: Hildegard of Bingen and Her World.

2 comments about The Annals of Lu Buwei.

1. Lu is of the most intelligent guys I've ever known. It's a surprise that I found this book. If I had more money, I would buy more this kind of book.

   Lu Bu Wei rocks




2. This is an outstanding work for anyone interested in the Warring States period at any level. Beginners will find the translation straight-forward, readable, even engaging from time to time. For those a little more advanced, the Preface and Introduction will prove to be extremely helpful (as the library reviews indicate). For advanced students, the translators have included the literary Chinese based on the critical edition--in traditional characters, in an easily readable script. One can only wish that we could have scholarly works like this (i.e., accessible even by beginners) for other Warring States texts, particularly the Zhang Guo Ce, XunZi, MoZi, etc.

5 comments about The Essential Confucius.

1. This is an amazing book. It's terse and every sentence is a jewel. Reading this, one sees why Confucius is regarded a sage. He understands human nature so well. Why don't we teach Confucianism in school? Our leaders would benefit greatly from reading this book. Here's a nice quote from the man, "When you see wise people, think of becoming equal to them. When you see unwise people, reflect inwardly on yourself."



2. I found 'Essential Confucious' to be insightful, but grossly incomplete. I was surprised to see how little content was amassed by Cleary. The Analects are a rich source of insight, and this book simply does not do it justice. Some of the passages chosen I would not have put forth either, considering the nature of the book's purpose. A lot of space is wasted, which could have contained many more of Confucious' truths.

   On the other hand, I do think that this is an excellent place to begin your Confucian search. If you just need a little prod or poke of his truths, then this is a nice, concise handbook. Nothing, however, can be substituted for the full Analects.




3. Few ancient philosophical teachings are powerful enough to escape obsoleteness and retain the power that they had when they were first taught. Confuciusicianism's didactic philosophy is one of these true classics. The timeless quality of its teachings is made accessible for the English reader in the book The Essential Confucius arranged and translated by Thomas Cleary. Cleary has arranged by topic, Confucian aphorisms from the Book of Change and Confucius's Analects to enhance the readers understanding of Confucius's philosophy as a whole. Through Cleary's lucid translations and his skillful weaving of the two different texts of Confuciusianism the reader is able to heuristically grasp that the purpose and means by which Confucius wished to ameliorate society.
   The book consists of sayings from the Book of Change that are complimented by the dialogues from Confucius's from the Analects. Although these two works are from different authors, Confucius's Analects was heavily influenced by The Book of Change and these two works meld together in Cleary's fluid arrangement. Thomas Cleary assists the reader in the understanding of the main elements of Confucianism by providing notes in the back of the book and a short writing explaining the historical context of the two works in the introduction.



4. This book does not have the complete set of analects, and what's worse; the author selected analects that seem to match the 64 trograms of the I ching.

   As an example.

   On page 86; the author lists trigram #36

   Then on page 87 lists the following analects 6:11, 14:32, 1:16, 2:17, 8:1, and 15:29.

   I would suggest that you leave this book alone, and buy a book with the full analects.




5. In his book on 'The Essential Tao', Thomas Cleary presented a wonderful picture of one of the dominant strands of Asian wisdom, one that has intrigued and fascinated people in the West in the past few generations. Cleary is one of the foremost scholars of ancient Chinese and Japanese. Mostly likely, if you have read a copy of ancient Chinese classic 'The Art of War' (a text widely popular, from historians and military strategists to corporate raiders and managers), it has been one of Cleary's translations.

   Following the success of the book on the Tao, Cleary turned to another pillar of ancient Chinese thought, and developed this further volume in the 'Essentials' series, The Essential Confucius, the heart of Confucius' teachings in authentic I Ching order.

   Confucius is a confusing character to classify. He does not fit the characterisation of the typical religious leader. He certainly did not mean to found a religion. Confucius was an educator, a social critic, a politician, and philosopher.

   '"The Analects of Confucius" are a basic source for a wide range of advice on human affairs--from governing nations and managing enterprises to dealing with society and getting along with others.'

   Confucius is much more than the author of fortune-cookie proverbs. In this work, Cleary has set forth the sayings of Confucius in the order of the sixty-four classic I Ching hexagrams. Many of these sayings are reduced (and likewise dismissed) as fortune-cookie sayings; however, taken together with the commentaries of Confucius, these give profound insight into the human condition. The I Ching, or literally, Book of Change, is a book which Confucius studied and promoted. Thus, to use it as a guide to Confucius' own writings is appropriate and authentic.

   Confucius tried to stimulate people into original thinking, into independent thinking. It is ironic that so many times in history that original thinking has been suppressed in favour of Confucian purity -- a perennial danger in any religion.

   An example of Cleary's technique is in order:

   Book of Change

   Good people examine themselves and cultivate virtue

   - Confucius said, 'Study as though you will not reach, as if you may lose it.' (8:17)

   - Confucius said, 'The virtue of balanced normalcy is consummate, it seems, but it has been scarce among the people for a long time.' (6:29)

   Cleary presents the I Ching, the setting of Confucius proverb, and then various commentaries upon it. Through the sixty-four sayings and commentaries, one gets a sense of exegesis similar in character to Mishnah and Talmud as well as various Christian commentators.

   Confucius above all believed in the responsibility of the learned to the ignorant, the powerful to the weak, and the wealthy for the poor. Each individual is entrusted with potential to serve the greater good of all, not just himself or herself. These are words that are worthy hearing and elevating, and not dismissing as after-dinner quips.

   May your reading be truly enlightened in the virtues of humanity, justice, courtesy and wisdom.

5 comments about No Perfect People Allowed with DVD: Creating a Come as You Are Culture in the Church.

1. Great book. I got the book from the library and have been using it for a college class. The book is very good and has actually casued me to rethink some of my ideas about non-christians. There are excellent stories in the book. It reminds me of how Jesus taught; in parables. I have never written a review here, but this book impressed me quite a bit.



2. I was interested in this book because my church is launching a daughter church. The insights that Burke has are so dead on. My husband's Bible study decided to go through the book a chapter at a time, using the discussion questions at the end of each one. The questions are good - really make you think about how the church should look in this culture. I work in a non-profit organization. The entire staff bought the book and we've been using it during staff meetings. This book is accessible, but not "dumbed down" at all.



3. Starting a church based on the principle that people should feel safe to express themselves exactly as they are without any semblance of pretense, Burke wrote No Perfect People Allowed to chronicle how he dealt with the messiness that inevitably follows. The book is at its best when Burke simply relates stories of his interactions with authentic people and talks about how he approached each situation and why, but it stumbles when he starts talking about broader principles and the bigger picture. At the end of the book, Burke laments that the church has historically emphasized pastors as instruments of instruction while neglecting to enlist people with leadership gifts into the role, and one certainly gets the impression that Burke himself is more gifted as a leader than a teacher. His examples of practice are greatly superior to his contextualization of them. For example, while he has a reasonable grasp on interacting with people of the postmodern generation, Burke's short theoretical explanation of postmodernism is atrociously awful and carries the potential to mislead ministry leaders who may not have the academic background to discern how far offbase he is.



4. This is one of those books that you could read at any pace, but to really nudge out the details of the pages you really have to do alot of reflection. What i really like about the book was it opened up avenues for fresh questions and perspective. I found that by preasenting their concepts of ministry tried with real stories makes the book authentic. I love this. It gave a realistic vibe to it.



5. After the Bible, this is the best book written for the church today. Bar None. If this book (the ideas in it) would be taken seriously, it will change the church in America - maybe save it from being like the church in Europe. I've recommended it to every single pastor I know.
   Rev. Karen Walters

1 comments about The Analects (Oxford World's Classics).

1. Before purchasing this book, one needs to ask themselves why they want it. If you are purchasing this book to perform a comparitive review on the contextual issues involved with the translation of ancient Chinese for the modern scholar, you will likely be disappointed.
   
   However, if you are simply trying to familiarize yourself with an ancient philosophy of the Far East, this book will do nicely. If you are able to focus on the ideas rather than the grammar, you will be pleased. This book contains a wealth of common sense virtues and would be an absolute "must" for an aspiring political scientist, as it contains a healthy dose of political savvy.
   
   Finally, the reader must keep in mind while reading this that Confucianism did not take hold for many years after Master Kong's death. Such is the way of all wisdom.

3 comments about The Essential Confucius.

1. Presents the Analects "in authentic I Ching order," an absurd decision which just means that any given passage is practically impossible to find. (In fact, a number of passages are left out, and at least one is included twice.) Contemporary language, occasionally clumsy and rarely lively. Pinyin romanization.



2. In his book on 'The Essential Tao', Thomas Cleary presented a wonderful picture of one of the dominant strands of Asian wisdom, one that has intrigued and fascinated people in the West in the past few generations. Cleary is one of the foremost scholars of ancient Chinese and Japanese. Mostly likely, if you have read a copy of ancient Chinese classic 'The Art of War' (a text widely popular, from historians and military strategists to corporate raiders and managers), it has been one of Cleary's translations.
   
   Following the success of the book on the Tao, Cleary turned to another pillar of ancient Chinese thought, and developed this further volume in the 'Essentials' series, The Essential Confucius, the heart of Confucius' teachings in authentic I Ching order.
   
   Confucius is a confusing character to classify. He does not fit the characterisation of the typical religious leader. He certainly did not mean to found a religion. Confucius was an educator, a social critic, a politician, and philosopher.
   
   '"The Analects of Confucius" are a basic source for a wide range of advice on human affairs--from governing nations and managing enterprises to dealing with society and getting along with others.'
   
   Confucius is much more than the author of fortune-cookie proverbs. In this work, Cleary has set forth the sayings of Confucius in the order of the sixty-four classic I Ching hexagrams. Many of these sayings are reduced (and likewise dismissed) as fortune-cookie sayings; however, taken together with the commentaries of Confucius, these give profound insight into the human condition. The I Ching, or literally, Book of Change, is a book which Confucius studied and promoted. Thus, to use it as a guide to Confucius' own writings is appropriate and authentic.
   
   Confucius tried to stimulate people into original thinking, into independent thinking. It is ironic that so many times in history that original thinking has been suppressed in favour of Confucian purity -- a perennial danger in any religion.
   
   An example of Cleary's technique is in order:
   
   Book of Change
   
   Good people examine themselves and cultivate virtue
   
   - Confucius said, 'Study as though you will not reach, as if you may lose it.' (8:17)
   
   - Confucius said, 'The virtue of balanced normalcy is consummate, it seems, but it has been scarce among the people for a long time.' (6:29)
   
   Cleary presents the I Ching, the setting of Confucius proverb, and then various commentaries upon it. Through the sixty-four sayings and commentaries, one gets a sense of exegesis similar in character to Mishnah and Talmud as well as various Christian commentators.
   
   Confucius above all believed in the responsibility of the learned to the ignorant, the powerful to the weak, and the wealthy for the poor. Each individual is entrusted with potential to serve the greater good of all, not just himself or herself. These are words that are worthy hearing and elevating, and not dismissing as after-dinner quips.
   
   May your reading be truly enlightened in the virtues of humanity, justice, courtesy and wisdom.



3. I've always been a fan of Confucius and his profound proverbs which is what led me to pick up The Essential Confucius the other day from a z shop seller. I got it for an excellent price but would not have been disappointed had I paid much more for it. The book's organization was acceptable. Its pages are brief and accessible. Any work though which allows readers to peruse his priceless aphorisms is a treasure. Sometimes I am astounded by the fact that the words of a man who lived 2500 years ago can so aptly describe our present day. His perspicacity illustrates just how timeless human nature really is. Confucius, who thought China was the world, suffers no cultural limitations and travels gloriously. Indeed, his observations remain pertinent for all peoples.

2 comments about Confucius Analects (Hackett Classics Series).

1. None of these reviews relate to the Slingerland edition of Analects, which is the best around.



2. Slingerland's translation of Confucius' Analects is a helpful addition to the current literature on the subject. Destined to be used for college student, Slingerland gathers a number of traditional commentaries on each translated verse as well as giving a helpful glossary of Chinese terms and names of person referred in the text. While I personally would prefer D.C. Lau's translation, Slingerland's prose is quite good and less cumbersome than Ames and Rogermont's philosophical translation. This is a helpful introduction to Confucian thought for English-language reader.

3 comments about The Original Analects.

1. This new translation of Analects provides us with a fresh view on Confucius' Way as it was, at least the authors claim so. It is correctly pointed out in the book that the task of reconstructing the "original" Confucius is inevitably interwined with our ever-changing understanding of the pre-Chin Chinese intellectual history. The task is never going to be easy, and is highly influenced by subjective preferences of individual researchers. The authors provide an updated theory of how the Analects was written in the course of several hundred years. One thing I like most is that convincing evidences are given to show that filial piety was NOT central in Confucius' morality. However, there are some other shaky arguments. For example, their effort of establishing this guy or that guy as the leader of the early Confucian disciples is too imaginative.



2. An excellent resource for the scholar. Rearranges the passages into a reconstructed chronological order, but retains their numbering, so the reader isn't lost. Exhaustive notes, plus the most penetrating discussion of the exact meaning of _ren_ (though they spell it "_rvn_") available in any translation. Language a teensy bit stilted in places. "Common alphabetic" (modified Yale) romanization.



3. The Analects were always thought to have been written by Confucius' direct disciples during a few decades after the Master's death. Bruce and Taeko Brooks convincingly prove that this was not so. Probably only a part of chapter 4 contains Confucius' exact words. The remaining 19 chapters were gradually written over a period of around 230 years by his disciples and by much later successors who had a different agenda. A key idea of the book is that REN (humanity) was central to Confucius and his early disciples, whereas LI (ritual) became essential to the later successors in the next century. Each saying is followed by the authors' commentary that is scholarly (very "technical" sometimes) but often in a direct and refreshing style. This book is a must for all serious Confucius lovers.