i saw an earlier review where a girl was unhappy with this book because it wasn't hippy new age taoism. actually, her review was pretty fair - the book just wasn't what she wanted it to be. but i thank my lucky stars it wasn't. this book gives real guidance to people like me who want to practice taoism. isn't that exactly what the taoist community needs? no more endless speculation about philosophy that may not even have any connection to taoism. instead, this book taught me how taoists approach their calendar, their deities, and their practices. it doesn't make me a taoist, and maybe i'll never be one, but at least now i have a better appreciation for who they are and how they live. that's all i could ever ask for. great book, i highly recommend it.

The religious or devotional side of Taoism is little known and rather belittled in the West, and this book aims to repair the deficiency by providing a sympathetic overview of the tradition as it is actually lived in Chinese cultures. It's an admirable effort as it reflects much first-hand knowledge on the part of the author, who includes many attractive photos from his visits to Taoist temples. Be warned, however, that this is not actually a detailed how-to manual of any aspect of Taoist worship or practice, but at most a starting point for further exploration. The actual details of Taoist religious practice remain much more obscure than other Eastern traditions such as Buddhism or Hinduism.