Elegant, Philosophical & Reflective

"The Book of Tea" was written, in English, in 1906. I found it to be a book about history, philosophy, social commentary, and aesthetics. It is, but also not really, about tea. (While listening I was reading a free download copy from Project Gutenburg, otherwise I think I would have been lost in the dense and didactic prose).

There were a lot of musings upon tea, the "the liquid amber within the ivory-porcelain" and also about teaism (yes, that sent me running to the wikipedia page on the topic).

I loved the wordy, elegant style of writing “Teaism is the art of concealing beauty that you may discover it, of suggesting what you dare not reveal. It is the noble secret of laughing at yourself, calmly yet thoroughly, and is thus humor itself, - the smile of philosophy”

Many of the musings were profound “Those of us who know not the secret of properly regulating our own existence on this tumultuous sea of foolish troubles which we call life are constantly in a state of misery while vainly trying to appear happy and contented. We stagger in the attempt to keep our moral equilibrium, and see forerunners of the tempest in every cloud that floats on the horizon. Yet there is joy and beauty in the roll of billows as they sweep outward toward eternity.”

The narrator was a great choice, and I found this short book interesting. I do think I will revisit it in the future.

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