Tao Te Ching
by Lao Tzu
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Writer; founder of the Whole Earth Catalog
“A few books that have influenced me 1. Personal Finance: Rich Dad, Poor Dad 2. Trading: Trading in the Zone 3. Mindfulness: The Power of Now 4. Philosophy: Letters from a Stoic, Tao Te Ching 5. Read Anytime: A Book of Simple Living | Always what you need to read at that particular period of time. It’s a magic book, in that way, in that it always fits. | Hugely just unbelievable deep. | I find those verses which were the sole output of this philosopher to be remarkably right on. | I remember reading it and being like okay, this makes no sense. But you just keep reading it again and again and slowly, I started to get the point of it. | Inspired my study of softness and receptivity as a counterpoint to my mad passions. | Meticulous reading and rereading of key philosophy books Some: Upanishads World as Will and Representation Hero With a Thousand Faces Freedom from the Known Sleeping, Dreaming, and Dying No death, No Fear Living Life Backwards Tao Te Ching Metaphysics (Aristotle) | My personal religious philosophy, stressing the rightness of what is, if only we can accept it. Most people who know me have heard me quote from this book. Seeing as how nothing is outside the vast, widemeshed net of heaven, who is there to say just how it is cast | Oftentimes before meditation, I’ll just open Tao Te Ching randomly to a page and read about something and then just have that be what I steep in as I sit. | Once you get to a certain level, it’s like, wow. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization | The author's depth of teachings are complicated to decode and provide foundations for wisdom. | These are some good ones plus Essentialism, Tao te Ching, Striking Thoughts, Meditations”
Source →“A few books that have influenced me 1. Personal Finance: Rich Dad, Poor Dad 2. Trading: Trading in the Zone 3. Mindfulness: The Power of Now 4. Philosophy: Letters from a Stoic, Tao Te Ching 5. Read Anytime: A Book of Simple Living | Always what you need to read at that particular period of time. It’s a magic book, in that way, in that it always fits. | Hugely just unbelievable deep. | I find those verses which were the sole output of this philosopher to be remarkably right on. | I remember reading it and being like okay, this makes no sense. But you just keep reading it again and again and slowly, I started to get the point of it. | Inspired my study of softness and receptivity as a counterpoint to my mad passions. | Meticulous reading and rereading of key philosophy books Some: Upanishads World as Will and Representation Hero With a Thousand Faces Freedom from the Known Sleeping, Dreaming, and Dying No death, No Fear Living Life Backwards Tao Te Ching Metaphysics (Aristotle) | My personal religious philosophy, stressing the rightness of what is, if only we can accept it. Most people who know me have heard me quote from this book. Seeing as how nothing is outside the vast, widemeshed net of heaven, who is there to say just how it is cast | Oftentimes before meditation, I’ll just open Tao Te Ching randomly to a page and read about something and then just have that be what I steep in as I sit. | Once you get to a certain level, it’s like, wow. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization | The author's depth of teachings are complicated to decode and provide foundations for wisdom. | These are some good ones plus Essentialism, Tao te Ching, Striking Thoughts, Meditations”
Source →“A few books that have influenced me 1. Personal Finance: Rich Dad, Poor Dad 2. Trading: Trading in the Zone 3. Mindfulness: The Power of Now 4. Philosophy: Letters from a Stoic, Tao Te Ching 5. Read Anytime: A Book of Simple Living | Always what you need to read at that particular period of time. It’s a magic book, in that way, in that it always fits. | Hugely just unbelievable deep. | I find those verses which were the sole output of this philosopher to be remarkably right on. | I remember reading it and being like okay, this makes no sense. But you just keep reading it again and again and slowly, I started to get the point of it. | Inspired my study of softness and receptivity as a counterpoint to my mad passions. | Meticulous reading and rereading of key philosophy books Some: Upanishads World as Will and Representation Hero With a Thousand Faces Freedom from the Known Sleeping, Dreaming, and Dying No death, No Fear Living Life Backwards Tao Te Ching Metaphysics (Aristotle) | My personal religious philosophy, stressing the rightness of what is, if only we can accept it. Most people who know me have heard me quote from this book. Seeing as how nothing is outside the vast, widemeshed net of heaven, who is there to say just how it is cast | Oftentimes before meditation, I’ll just open Tao Te Ching randomly to a page and read about something and then just have that be what I steep in as I sit. | Once you get to a certain level, it’s like, wow. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization | The author's depth of teachings are complicated to decode and provide foundations for wisdom. | These are some good ones plus Essentialism, Tao te Ching, Striking Thoughts, Meditations”
Source →“A few books that have influenced me 1. Personal Finance: Rich Dad, Poor Dad 2. Trading: Trading in the Zone 3. Mindfulness: The Power of Now 4. Philosophy: Letters from a Stoic, Tao Te Ching 5. Read Anytime: A Book of Simple Living | Always what you need to read at that particular period of time. It’s a magic book, in that way, in that it always fits. | Hugely just unbelievable deep. | I find those verses which were the sole output of this philosopher to be remarkably right on. | I remember reading it and being like okay, this makes no sense. But you just keep reading it again and again and slowly, I started to get the point of it. | Inspired my study of softness and receptivity as a counterpoint to my mad passions. | Meticulous reading and rereading of key philosophy books Some: Upanishads World as Will and Representation Hero With a Thousand Faces Freedom from the Known Sleeping, Dreaming, and Dying No death, No Fear Living Life Backwards Tao Te Ching Metaphysics (Aristotle) | My personal religious philosophy, stressing the rightness of what is, if only we can accept it. Most people who know me have heard me quote from this book. Seeing as how nothing is outside the vast, widemeshed net of heaven, who is there to say just how it is cast | Oftentimes before meditation, I’ll just open Tao Te Ching randomly to a page and read about something and then just have that be what I steep in as I sit. | Once you get to a certain level, it’s like, wow. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization | The author's depth of teachings are complicated to decode and provide foundations for wisdom. | These are some good ones plus Essentialism, Tao te Ching, Striking Thoughts, Meditations”
Source →“A few books that have influenced me 1. Personal Finance: Rich Dad, Poor Dad 2. Trading: Trading in the Zone 3. Mindfulness: The Power of Now 4. Philosophy: Letters from a Stoic, Tao Te Ching 5. Read Anytime: A Book of Simple Living | Always what you need to read at that particular period of time. It’s a magic book, in that way, in that it always fits. | Hugely just unbelievable deep. | I find those verses which were the sole output of this philosopher to be remarkably right on. | I remember reading it and being like okay, this makes no sense. But you just keep reading it again and again and slowly, I started to get the point of it. | Inspired my study of softness and receptivity as a counterpoint to my mad passions. | Meticulous reading and rereading of key philosophy books Some: Upanishads World as Will and Representation Hero With a Thousand Faces Freedom from the Known Sleeping, Dreaming, and Dying No death, No Fear Living Life Backwards Tao Te Ching Metaphysics (Aristotle) | My personal religious philosophy, stressing the rightness of what is, if only we can accept it. Most people who know me have heard me quote from this book. Seeing as how nothing is outside the vast, widemeshed net of heaven, who is there to say just how it is cast | Oftentimes before meditation, I’ll just open Tao Te Ching randomly to a page and read about something and then just have that be what I steep in as I sit. | Once you get to a certain level, it’s like, wow. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization | The author's depth of teachings are complicated to decode and provide foundations for wisdom. | These are some good ones plus Essentialism, Tao te Ching, Striking Thoughts, Meditations”
Source →“A few books that have influenced me 1. Personal Finance: Rich Dad, Poor Dad 2. Trading: Trading in the Zone 3. Mindfulness: The Power of Now 4. Philosophy: Letters from a Stoic, Tao Te Ching 5. Read Anytime: A Book of Simple Living | Always what you need to read at that particular period of time. It’s a magic book, in that way, in that it always fits. | Hugely just unbelievable deep. | I find those verses which were the sole output of this philosopher to be remarkably right on. | I remember reading it and being like okay, this makes no sense. But you just keep reading it again and again and slowly, I started to get the point of it. | Inspired my study of softness and receptivity as a counterpoint to my mad passions. | Meticulous reading and rereading of key philosophy books Some: Upanishads World as Will and Representation Hero With a Thousand Faces Freedom from the Known Sleeping, Dreaming, and Dying No death, No Fear Living Life Backwards Tao Te Ching Metaphysics (Aristotle) | My personal religious philosophy, stressing the rightness of what is, if only we can accept it. Most people who know me have heard me quote from this book. Seeing as how nothing is outside the vast, widemeshed net of heaven, who is there to say just how it is cast | Oftentimes before meditation, I’ll just open Tao Te Ching randomly to a page and read about something and then just have that be what I steep in as I sit. | Once you get to a certain level, it’s like, wow. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization | The author's depth of teachings are complicated to decode and provide foundations for wisdom. | These are some good ones plus Essentialism, Tao te Ching, Striking Thoughts, Meditations”
Source →“A few books that have influenced me 1. Personal Finance: Rich Dad, Poor Dad 2. Trading: Trading in the Zone 3. Mindfulness: The Power of Now 4. Philosophy: Letters from a Stoic, Tao Te Ching 5. Read Anytime: A Book of Simple Living | Always what you need to read at that particular period of time. It’s a magic book, in that way, in that it always fits. | Hugely just unbelievable deep. | I find those verses which were the sole output of this philosopher to be remarkably right on. | I remember reading it and being like okay, this makes no sense. But you just keep reading it again and again and slowly, I started to get the point of it. | Inspired my study of softness and receptivity as a counterpoint to my mad passions. | Meticulous reading and rereading of key philosophy books Some: Upanishads World as Will and Representation Hero With a Thousand Faces Freedom from the Known Sleeping, Dreaming, and Dying No death, No Fear Living Life Backwards Tao Te Ching Metaphysics (Aristotle) | My personal religious philosophy, stressing the rightness of what is, if only we can accept it. Most people who know me have heard me quote from this book. Seeing as how nothing is outside the vast, widemeshed net of heaven, who is there to say just how it is cast | Oftentimes before meditation, I’ll just open Tao Te Ching randomly to a page and read about something and then just have that be what I steep in as I sit. | Once you get to a certain level, it’s like, wow. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization | The author's depth of teachings are complicated to decode and provide foundations for wisdom. | These are some good ones plus Essentialism, Tao te Ching, Striking Thoughts, Meditations”
Source →“A few books that have influenced me 1. Personal Finance: Rich Dad, Poor Dad 2. Trading: Trading in the Zone 3. Mindfulness: The Power of Now 4. Philosophy: Letters from a Stoic, Tao Te Ching 5. Read Anytime: A Book of Simple Living | Always what you need to read at that particular period of time. It’s a magic book, in that way, in that it always fits. | Hugely just unbelievable deep. | I find those verses which were the sole output of this philosopher to be remarkably right on. | I remember reading it and being like okay, this makes no sense. But you just keep reading it again and again and slowly, I started to get the point of it. | Inspired my study of softness and receptivity as a counterpoint to my mad passions. | Meticulous reading and rereading of key philosophy books Some: Upanishads World as Will and Representation Hero With a Thousand Faces Freedom from the Known Sleeping, Dreaming, and Dying No death, No Fear Living Life Backwards Tao Te Ching Metaphysics (Aristotle) | My personal religious philosophy, stressing the rightness of what is, if only we can accept it. Most people who know me have heard me quote from this book. Seeing as how nothing is outside the vast, widemeshed net of heaven, who is there to say just how it is cast | Oftentimes before meditation, I’ll just open Tao Te Ching randomly to a page and read about something and then just have that be what I steep in as I sit. | Once you get to a certain level, it’s like, wow. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization | The author's depth of teachings are complicated to decode and provide foundations for wisdom. | These are some good ones plus Essentialism, Tao te Ching, Striking Thoughts, Meditations”
Source →“A few books that have influenced me 1. Personal Finance: Rich Dad, Poor Dad 2. Trading: Trading in the Zone 3. Mindfulness: The Power of Now 4. Philosophy: Letters from a Stoic, Tao Te Ching 5. Read Anytime: A Book of Simple Living | Always what you need to read at that particular period of time. It’s a magic book, in that way, in that it always fits. | Hugely just unbelievable deep. | I find those verses which were the sole output of this philosopher to be remarkably right on. | I remember reading it and being like okay, this makes no sense. But you just keep reading it again and again and slowly, I started to get the point of it. | Inspired my study of softness and receptivity as a counterpoint to my mad passions. | Meticulous reading and rereading of key philosophy books Some: Upanishads World as Will and Representation Hero With a Thousand Faces Freedom from the Known Sleeping, Dreaming, and Dying No death, No Fear Living Life Backwards Tao Te Ching Metaphysics (Aristotle) | My personal religious philosophy, stressing the rightness of what is, if only we can accept it. Most people who know me have heard me quote from this book. Seeing as how nothing is outside the vast, widemeshed net of heaven, who is there to say just how it is cast | Oftentimes before meditation, I’ll just open Tao Te Ching randomly to a page and read about something and then just have that be what I steep in as I sit. | Once you get to a certain level, it’s like, wow. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization | The author's depth of teachings are complicated to decode and provide foundations for wisdom. | These are some good ones plus Essentialism, Tao te Ching, Striking Thoughts, Meditations”
Source →“A few books that have influenced me 1. Personal Finance: Rich Dad, Poor Dad 2. Trading: Trading in the Zone 3. Mindfulness: The Power of Now 4. Philosophy: Letters from a Stoic, Tao Te Ching 5. Read Anytime: A Book of Simple Living | Always what you need to read at that particular period of time. It’s a magic book, in that way, in that it always fits. | Hugely just unbelievable deep. | I find those verses which were the sole output of this philosopher to be remarkably right on. | I remember reading it and being like okay, this makes no sense. But you just keep reading it again and again and slowly, I started to get the point of it. | Inspired my study of softness and receptivity as a counterpoint to my mad passions. | Meticulous reading and rereading of key philosophy books Some: Upanishads World as Will and Representation Hero With a Thousand Faces Freedom from the Known Sleeping, Dreaming, and Dying No death, No Fear Living Life Backwards Tao Te Ching Metaphysics (Aristotle) | My personal religious philosophy, stressing the rightness of what is, if only we can accept it. Most people who know me have heard me quote from this book. Seeing as how nothing is outside the vast, widemeshed net of heaven, who is there to say just how it is cast | Oftentimes before meditation, I’ll just open Tao Te Ching randomly to a page and read about something and then just have that be what I steep in as I sit. | Once you get to a certain level, it’s like, wow. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization | The author's depth of teachings are complicated to decode and provide foundations for wisdom. | These are some good ones plus Essentialism, Tao te Ching, Striking Thoughts, Meditations”
Source →Recommended by 12 notable people, including Naval Ravikant and Tim Ferriss
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Amazon availability
Reading Profile
Should I read this?
Reading the Tao Te Ching feels like stepping into a mist of aphorisms—some luminous, some frustratingly opaque. Its usefulness lies in its ability to unsettle fixed thinking and open a space for intuitive understanding. But it will likely annoy you if you expect clear definitions or systematic philosophy; many verses feel contradictory, deliberately evading logical grasp. You’ll either find it a profound companion or an exercise in poetic vagueness.
Read this if...
- •A software engineer in burnout questioning the endless optimization of life, who needs a counterweight to productivity culture and permission to value stillness.
- •A new parent exhausted by the noise of parenting advice, seeking a quiet, flexible wisdom that doesn’t prescribe but reframes challenges as natural rhythms.
- •A creative stuck in a cycle of over-effort, who will find relief in the book’s repeated insistence that true effectiveness comes from non-doing and yielding.
Skip this if...
- •Skip if you want concrete steps or actionable frameworks; the text offers no program, just poetic suggestion—likely lose interest when you realize there’s no ‘how-to.’
- •Avoid if you dislike ambiguity or paradox; the book thrives on contradictions like ‘do nothing and nothing is left undone,’ which can feel like intellectual cop-out rather than insight.
- •Not for readers seeking narrative or character; it’s a collection of 81 short, impersonal chapters that can feel monotonous and detached.
Before You Buy
Reading Specifications
Difficulty:hard
Length:96 pages (Short)
Audience Fit
- A software engineer in burnout questioning the endless optimization of life, who needs a counterweight to productivity culture and permission to value stillness.
- A new parent exhausted by the noise of parenting advice, seeking a quiet, flexible wisdom that doesn’t prescribe but reframes challenges as natural rhythms.
- A creative stuck in a cycle of over-effort, who will find relief in the book’s repeated insistence that true effectiveness comes from non-doing and yielding.
- Skip if you want concrete steps or actionable frameworks; the text offers no program, just poetic suggestion—likely lose interest when you realize there’s no ‘how-to.’
- Avoid if you dislike ambiguity or paradox; the book thrives on contradictions like ‘do nothing and nothing is left undone,’ which can feel like intellectual cop-out rather than insight.
- Not for readers seeking narrative or character; it’s a collection of 81 short, impersonal chapters that can feel monotonous and detached.
Check formats, pricing, and availability options for Kindle, physical print, or audiobooks directly.
View available editions on AmazonKey themes
Why recommended
Recommended by 29 sources and appears in Eastern Philosophy, Chinese Medicine, and Philosophers.
Recommended by notable people
People and public figures who have recommended this book.
Recommendation Signals
Recommendation proof is sourced from public posts, interviews, reading lists, and cited references.
Brian MacKenzie
“A few books that have influenced me 1. Personal Finance: Rich Dad, Poor Dad 2. Trading: Trading in the Zone 3. Mindfulness: The Power of Now 4. Philosophy: Letters from a Stoic, Tao Te Ching 5. Read Anytime: A Book of Simple Living | Always what you need to read at that particular period of time. It’s a magic book, in that way, in that it always fits. | Hugely just unbelievable deep. | I find those verses which were the sole output of this philosopher to be remarkably right on. | I remember reading it and being like okay, this makes no sense. But you just keep reading it again and again and slowly, I started to get the point of it. | Inspired my study of softness and receptivity as a counterpoint to my mad passions. | Meticulous reading and rereading of key philosophy books Some: Upanishads World as Will and Representation Hero With a Thousand Faces Freedom from the Known Sleeping, Dreaming, and Dying No death, No Fear Living Life Backwards Tao Te Ching Metaphysics (Aristotle) | My personal religious philosophy, stressing the rightness of what is, if only we can accept it. Most people who know me have heard me quote from this book. Seeing as how nothing is outside the vast, widemeshed net of heaven, who is there to say just how it is cast | Oftentimes before meditation, I’ll just open Tao Te Ching randomly to a page and read about something and then just have that be what I steep in as I sit. | Once you get to a certain level, it’s like, wow. | Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization | The author's depth of teachings are complicated to decode and provide foundations for wisdom. | These are some good ones plus Essentialism, Tao te Ching, Striking Thoughts, Meditations”
Appears In
Not sure if this is the right fit?
Consider The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy. Recommended by 8 sources.
“Soft-spoken, heavily illustrated fable built from short dialogues and watercolor sketches. Each spread pairs a spare line of text with a loose drawing, so the pleasure is visual and aphoristic rather than narrative; readers collect felt-true sentences more than plot. Most useful when you want quick consolations, a prompt for conversation with a child, or a pause during a rough day. Limiting if you want sustained argument, concrete advice, or tightly plotted storytelling: the repetition of gentleness can feel sentimental or thin after a while.”
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Each recommendation is collected from a public source — interviews, articles, or curated lists — and linked to its original URL. Books with many verifiable recommendations from respected people rank higher.