Finding the Way: A Tao for Down-to-Earth People

The Tao Te Ching is to Taoism what the Bible is to Christianity. Originally written by Lao Tzu (ca. 600 bce), it centers around the Tao (the way of the universe), its workings in human life, and how we can bring ourselves into harmony with it.

Years after Susan Montag lost her uncle to a sailing accident, she discovered two translations of the Tao Te Ching among his books. Finding the translations supported her memory of her uncle as a gentle and caring person. As she learned more about Taoism, she wanted to share with her family the wisdom of the Tao Te Ching and her excitement that her uncle had owned these books.

At first, she purchased copies of existing translations and gave them to people, but they didn’ seem moved by the book. It occurred to her that as a writer with a down-to-earth, midwestern sensibility, she could create a new translation of the Tao Te Ching, one that used her native tongue of plainspoken English.Because the Tao cannot be described, the language of the Tao Te Ching is sometimes inscrutable to some readers.

Finding the Way makes the essential wisdom of the text accessible to all readers. It includes advice for leaders, followers, lovers, parents–people from all walks of life searching for peace.