The Tao of Womanhood by Diane Dreher
The Tao te Ching, reputedly by the Chinese sage Lao-tzu, is one of the great spiritual books of all time. Most translations into English use the masculine generic, making it seem as though only males were intended to benefit from its wisdom. Thus one welcome aspect of Dreher's book is the recasting of Taoist thought into language directed at or inclusive of women. Dreher's adaptations are direct and lyrical: "Treasure this knowledge: / The woman of Tao / Wears common clothing / And precious jade / Close to the heart." But she also expands upon the insights provided, fleshing them out with her own grounded, mature philosophy. As a self-help book that affirms women's right (and obligation) to help themselves into greater serenity and agency, this is one of the best and most thoughtful of such books in several years.