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annewithabook's review
4.0
While this book does delve into the traditions of Japanese tea ceremonies, most of it actually examines the philosophy behind how many Asian societies work. It's a beautiful and short book to read, more akin to reading Tao Te Ching or The Book of Chuang Tzu as opposed to a book listing off exact tea traditions. If you are interested in Asian philosophy or just love tea (both of which I do), then I highly recommend this book.
oliainchina's review
5.0
The Book of Tea by Kakuzo Okakura is a short collection of essays on the topic of tea and its place in Japanese culture. There are seven chapters dedicated to different subjects, like buddhism, tea hut, flower arrangements, art, and tea masters. One could read them all in a day, but I read one chapter at a time, so it took me a pleasant week to finish the book.
Although Okakura touches on history of tea (snubbing the West and the Chinese in the process), he writes mostly about philosophy behind tea ceremony, which I liked. The author happened to be a good company, and I would gladly read his other essays.
Recommended if you ate interested in Japan, its religion, philosophy, and tea, of course.
Although Okakura touches on history of tea (snubbing the West and the Chinese in the process), he writes mostly about philosophy behind tea ceremony, which I liked. The author happened to be a good company, and I would gladly read his other essays.
Recommended if you ate interested in Japan, its religion, philosophy, and tea, of course.
moma's review
4.0
Over the rim of a tea-cup Kakuzo tells about Teaism and the importance of tea in the Japanese life. He also describes the role of tea in Buddhism, Taoism and Zennism and the difference between the eastern and western world.
This book was really my cup of tea and had to read it with a cup of tea in my hand. Kakuzo beautifully tells the history of tea and it's place in the eastern world together with, what he thinks, are the difference between the clean East and wasting West. I had to laugh about the line 'A piece of antique metal work must not be attacked with the unscrupulous zeal of the Dutch housewife'. Maybe he's right. I know a story about a woman who cleaned an antique vase in the dishwasher...
One of the most interesting things to read was that the Dutch were the first to bring tea to Europe, which I didn't know. As a Dutch tea-addict that made me very happy.
This book was really my cup of tea and had to read it with a cup of tea in my hand. Kakuzo beautifully tells the history of tea and it's place in the eastern world together with, what he thinks, are the difference between the clean East and wasting West. I had to laugh about the line 'A piece of antique metal work must not be attacked with the unscrupulous zeal of the Dutch housewife'. Maybe he's right. I know a story about a woman who cleaned an antique vase in the dishwasher...
One of the most interesting things to read was that the Dutch were the first to bring tea to Europe, which I didn't know. As a Dutch tea-addict that made me very happy.
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