The Importance Of Living
by Lin Yutang
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Book Summary Information
Author: Lin YutangEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1998-09-16
ISBN: 0688163521
Number of pages: 462
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Book Reviews of The Importance Of Living
Book Review: A delightful book to savour
Summary: 5 Stars
Lin-Yutang (1895-1976) a Chinese humanist and humourist, was
steeped in the ancient wisdom of his motherland. Lin-yutang was also a cosmopolitan. Educated at Saint Johns University in Shanghai, he went on to take his Master's degree at Harvard, then his doctorate at the University of Leipzig. His two most well known writings 'My Country and My People' (1935) and 'The Importance of Living' (1937) brought him international fame, the latter a perennial classic and best seller for decades. A decent reprint of this remarkable book has long been overdue. Happily, the Singapore based publisher, Cultured Lotus, has made a new edition available. The positive reviews were gratifying to see.
This isn't a book to read in a hurry. As the cover-blurb puts it: "offered as a remedy to modern day living, is the classic distillation of Chinese wisdom, revere inaction as much as action , observe the place of humour to ensure healthy living, and simply celebrate existence. Gaily serious, cynicaly kind, shot through with a sense of comedy and backed by sages of many centuries, it brings forth the salt and tang of life.
Lin Yutang observes: " a man who loves life intensely must be always jealous of the few exquisite moments of leisure that he has. And he must retain the dignity and pride of the vagabond. His hours of fishing must be as sacred as his hours of business, erected into a kind of religion as the English have done with sport. "
Superficially, one might see such a philosophy as a refusal to take life seriously - but, Lin Yutang's perspective here is summed up by the quotation from Chang chao:
"Only those who take leisurely what the people of
the world are busy about can be busy about what
the people of the world take leisurely. "
Hence, what this outlook refuses to embrace is the notion that the only meaningful activity open to us - is that which is purpose driven, against which, leisure time will be evaluated as 'dead time.' Lin Yutang reminds us of the positive, living potentialities of 'leisure' time. Much of this is of Taoist inspiration, but like the ancient Greeks, even Confucius recognised that human life is meaningless, if reduced to repetitive, merely utilitarian processes.
Lin Yutang's thought ranges over many aspects of life. Not everything said in this book reflects the 'oriental' point of view (he knew Europe and America)- or Taoist wisdom. Whatever he touches on, usually elicits some witty fact or observation. Nevertheless, many - if not most readers, find Lin-Yutang at his most compelling when digressing on the finer details of ancient Chinese culture, be it the appreciation of tea and incense, eminent Chinese painters and poets - and their works. Although but sixteen pages, the 'Critical Chinese Vocabulary' Lin-Yutang appended to this text is immensely interesting and worth its weight in gold, when it comes to unpacking the delicate shades of meaning permitted by the combination of various Chinese characters. This is a charming and delightful book.
Summary of The Importance Of Living
The Importance of Living is a wry, witty antidote to the dizzying pace of the modern world. Lin Yutang's prescription is the classic Chinese philosophy of life: Revere inaction as much as action, invoke humor to maintain a healthy attitude, and never forget that there will always be plenty of fools around who are willing-indeed, eager-to be busy, to make themselves useful, and to exercise power while you bask in the simple joy of existence.At a time when we're overwhelmed with wake-up calls, here is a refreshing, playful reminder to savor life's simple pleasures.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
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