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I recently discovered her translation of the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu. It’s become one of my favorite books to open and read a random page from and meditate on. In it I think she also really shows the roots of her philosophy that she expressed throughout all of her writing. The original writing is ofcourse Lao Tzu but the voice in the translation is very much Ursula’s. I’d highly recommend it for fans of any of her writing, regardless of genre.

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The Tao Te Ching is one of the most profound books I've ever read in my life.. but it's hard to recommend just one translation.

Reading different translations of it is like looking at a diamond through its many facets.

I would agree with that, however in the context of understanding Ursula Le Guin and her writing I stand by my call out to this translation specifically.

IIRC she called out a number of fairly respected earlier translations of the work as not correct or not serious, in her introduction. It was honestly a little off-putting and, I thought, disrespectful to those who had come before her in working to bring this important work to a Western audience.

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