Have You Read These 8 Books by Authors from Asia?

Have You Read These 8 Books by Authors from Asia?

This year I am celebrating reading globally. I have visited my archives and pulled out eight books written by authors from Asia that you may want to read. Although many of the books are well written, I didn’t always enjoy them. One book is a bit dark for my liking, but I am still glad that I read it. I am presenting the books because reading books by authors from countries that are very different from our own gives us insights into what life is like in other places. This also allows us to better understand them. After you have read the posts about the eight books by authors from Asia, you can decide if you would like to read any of them.

Further Reading

Reading Globally: Travel the World in 120 Days with The Invisible Mentor 

8 Books by Authors from Asia

1. The Art of War by Sun Tzu, Book Review: Whenever I read classics such as The Art Of War, The Way of the Samurai and The Book of Five Rings, I always look for metaphors to make the text relevant for today. Sun Tzu, a Chinese philosopher, military general, and strategist from 722481 BC wrote The Art of War, which is one of the earliest books on military strategy. In The Art of War, Sun Tzu says that there are 5 constant factors that you have to consider when you’re planning your military strategy.

2. Review: Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu is a guidebook of Chinese philosophy and tenets to live by. Lao Tzu lived in the 6th century BC and is believed to be a contemporary of Confucius. Tao Te Ching is comprised of 81 wisdom teachings, so it’s a short book to read.

3. Review of The Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy, Miyamoto Musahi: I reviewed Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy for my newsletter Ambeck Edge in Nov. 2005. The Book of Five Rings, written in 1645, is about the “Way of Strategy,” which is using certain techniques to take down the enemy. Because of when the book was written, you have to be aware of the imagery and language used – enemy, weapon, combat, sword, cutting and so on. Once you get beyond that, and use those words as metaphors, you can glean a lot from the book.

4. The Way of the Samurai by Inazo Nitobe: Overall, I didn’t like The Way of the Samurai because of the imagery, but there are some profound lessons that we can learn. This quote moved me, “Courage is doing what is right….Tranquility is courage in repose. A truly brave man is ever serene; he is never taken by surprise; nothing ruffles the equanimity of his spirit. If there is anything to do, there is certainly a best way to do it, and the best way is both.”

5. The Analects of Confucius, Book Review: The Analects of Confucius is a collection of the teachings of Confucius, the Chinese philosopher and great thinker who lived 551 BC – 479 BC. Presented as a series of discourses and dialogues that Confucius had with his disciples, The Analects of Confucius was written by his disciples several years after he died. The Analects consists of 20 Books (Chapters) and is essentially a rule book of life.

6. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami: The story is centered on Toru Watanabe, a quiet and very serious university student in Tokyo. Toru is telling the story 20 years later. He is very devoted to Naoko, a beautiful and introspective young woman who was his best friend, Kizuki’s girlfriend. The trio often did things together until Kizuki committed suicide. As I am reading Norwegian Wood, the way the story is written, I have this sense foreboding that Naoko is doomed and that she is going to commit suicide. Norwegian Wood made me very uncomfortable, and I do not know if this is a good or bad thing. Is it good writing when an author creates such strong reactions in people?

7. Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior by Chogyam Trungpa: Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior by Chogyam Trungpa is the kind of book that you have to read for yourself. A summary cannot adequately deliver the true essence of what Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior is about. The book is about Eastern philosophy, which is more common today in the West. The author tries to demonstrate what he is writing about so you might understand and appreciate his message. There are times when Chogyam Trungpa says something that sounds odd, but when you pause to reflect on what you just heard it makes complete sense to you.

8. Ru: A Novel by Kim Thúy: I was reminded of a mature student I met in Calgary who came over on a boat from Vietnam. In his efforts to avoid persecution in his home country, he took the risk and during his journey he lost both legs. He was a very angry man, and now having read Ru: A Novel by Kim Thúy I can better understand his anger. This was more than two decades ago, and at the time, although he had a brilliant mind, his inability to speak English fluently, and his anger created barriers for him. Knowing his story, and similar stories of countless people, how might we embrace them and be more compassionate?

If you are interested in reading globally, this is a great place to start!

Get Started Here – I want to help you get started on your learning journey. Read The Invisible Mentor 2015 Reading Challenge, then Join the Facebook Group for the Reading Challenge today, connecting the ideas from the books you read!

In the meantime, THANK YOU for your time… Thank you for sharing this post, and thank you for connecting with me on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest! What was your biggest takeaway from today?

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