The Book of Tea (1906)

This book is short yet sweet. I just wish it had aged better. The first couple of chapters were good but the additional detail in the back half of the book lost my attention. Cool to read though, from the library, don't spend your money on this one for your bookshelf ( )

I read it twice, back to back on the same day (it's very short). I read it the second time to try and receive with a different expectation to see if it would make a difference. It is beautifully written but I didn't find it profound or insightful on either reading. ( )

This book, although a fine piece of literature, is utterly useless for use in teaching English Communication.

Okakura uses tea, a drink partaken of in both East and West, as a way of demystifying Japanese culture and challenging Orientalism in Europe and America. Written in English for a Western audience, it is a wonderfully poetic introduction to Japanese culture and aesthetics. ( )

The Book of Tea was written by Japanese scholar Kakuzo Okakura and was published in 1906.

While containing some interesting facts about the evolution of tea drinking and the history and significance behind the Tea Ceremony, this book is only marginally about tea. It’s more a treatise on Japanese art and culture as a whole. Entire chapters are devoted to architecture, art appreciation and flower arranging. However, Okakura eventually ties everything back to the importance of tea in the Asian cultures.

There is also considerable time spent discussing Taoism and its relationship to “Teaism.” The Book of Tea was written in support of a personal passion and it equates all "Teaist" practices to an art. While not an authoritative source of information for tea aficionados, the text is extremely quotable and has some beautiful descriptions of the importance of tea in the Japanese culture.

"In the liquid amber within the ivory porcelain, the initiated may touch the sweet reticence of Confucius, the piquancy of Laotse, and the ethereal aroma of Sakyamuni himself."

This book would be of interest to anyone wanting to better understand Japanese appreciation of beauty and order- regardless of whether you are a tea drinker. ( )