by William Martin

The twentieth anniversary edition of William Martin’s free-verse interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, written expressly for those coming into the fullness of their wisdom

Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching reminds its readers that the sage has been venerated in China for thousands of years. Twenty years ago, William Martin subtly and powerfully captured the complex emotions connected with growing older in this free-verse interpretation of the Tao. His words resonate just as much now, encouraging today’s sages to recognize their inestimable worth in a youth-centric world that often goes astray: “If there is to be a transformation, it will be the sages among us who will show the way. The elders, the wisewomen, the shamans, the grandmothers, and the grandfathers will provide the guidance, for they have undergone the necessary initiations . . . and emerged into the spaciousness of simplicity, freedom, and joy.”

“Here is wisdom that is beauty and beauty that is wisdom. William Martin’s final book of his Tao Te Ching trilogy is a masterpiece. It illuminates all the unexplored potentials inherent in the second half of life and eases the mind into each one. Powerful, lyrical, insightful, The Sage’s Tao Te Ching is a guide that will lead your heart gently and surely to ‘life itself.’”—Hugh and Gayle Prather, authors of The Little Book of Letting Go

“Let this gem of a book and the wisdom it imparts enfold every aspect of your being. Whatever time you have remaining on this planet will be immensely enriched.”—David McNally, author of Even Eagles Need a Push