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nicole_schmid's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
3.0
I quite enjoyed this book - not only for its (hopefully) factual explanations behind the culture of tea in China, Japan and beyond, but also because of its not-at-all hidden biases. It makes for an interesting, if not objective at all read. I found the casual put-down of China (for example, Taoism came to Japan, where it was perfected) and the West very fascinating. Another reader, however, may be put off, especially considering the consequences exactly that kind of thinking had, historically speaking.
I'm certain I could have benefited more from this book if I knew more about Taoism and Zennism. The religions are talked about briefly (and in a very biased way), but I found the explanations to be confusing. There are also a lot of figures of folklore, legend and history mentioned, as well as continued referals to Japanese dramas, so I think another reader with more knowledge would get more out of this booklet. It also went a bit too philosophical for my tastes sometimes.
What I appreciated is the almost poetic way the author sometimes words his thoughts. Especially the chapter about flowers - that's downright poetry!
I'm certain I could have benefited more from this book if I knew more about Taoism and Zennism. The religions are talked about briefly (and in a very biased way), but I found the explanations to be confusing. There are also a lot of figures of folklore, legend and history mentioned, as well as continued referals to Japanese dramas, so I think another reader with more knowledge would get more out of this booklet. It also went a bit too philosophical for my tastes sometimes.
What I appreciated is the almost poetic way the author sometimes words his thoughts. Especially the chapter about flowers - that's downright poetry!
lupuscoopus's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
ipanzica's review against another edition
5.0
A book that is just not about tea, but about life, art, history, society, and religion. It's written to be read easily while learning about new concepts and to inspire the reader to think.