Reviews
"Smith offers an unparalleled biography of the most revered book in China's entire cultural tradition, and he shows us how this enigmatic ancient classic has become a truly global phenomenon."-- RSR, Buddhism Now, "One of the advantages to this book is Smith's prose; not only is it clear and accessible, but he writes in a way that brings the material to life. He is an engaging writer. . . . This 'biography' of the Yijing is an attractive and thorough resource. It should prove to be a useful addition to any library (academic or not) and a valuable help in any high school or college courses that incorporate study of the Yijing in any classroom context."-- Robert Steed, Education About Asia, Smith offers an unparalleled biography of the most revered book in China's entire cultural tradition, and he shows us how this enigmatic ancient classic has become a truly global phenomenon. ---RSR, Buddhism Now, Smith's fascinating history of what he usually calls the Yijing--around 3,000 years old; first sanctioned by the Chinese state as a classic in 136 BCE--traces its influence on western artists such as Philip K Dick, Raymond Queneau, John Cage (who composed aleatory music with its help) and Jorge Luis Borges, as well as its enthusiastic reception by scientists (Leibniz saw in it his binary system confirmed), and its hermeneutic and political history in China itself., "One of the advantages to this book is Smith's prose; not only is it clear and accessible, but he writes in a way that brings the material to life. He is an engaging writer. . . . This 'biography' of the Yijing is an attractive and thorough resource. It should prove to be a useful addition to any library (academic or not) and a valuable help in any high school or college courses that incorporate study of the Yijing in any classroom context." --Robert Steed, Education About Asia, "Smith's biography does what an introduction should do: encourage the reader to want to know more and provide a smooth over-arching conceptual framework, in economic fashion, through which one may understand the details. It would, therefore, be a helpful tool in a university course on Eastern or World religions and is highly recommended." --Stephanie L. Derrick, Relegere, "[N]ever before in English has the substance of this vital text been explicated with such transparency, lucidity, and--on balance--objectivity. However, even in charitably demystifying it, Smith has simultaneously retained and even enhanced the compelling attraction of this ever-tantalizing essentialist work for the would-be initiated. Such is a balancing act deftly executed, for which we should commend the author lavishly." --Don J. Wyatt, Journal of Chinese Religions, One of the advantages to this book is Smith's prose; not only is it clear and accessible, but he writes in a way that brings the material to life. He is an engaging writer. . . . This 'biography' of the Yijing is an attractive and thorough resource. It should prove to be a useful addition to any library (academic or not) and a valuable help in any high school or college courses that incorporate study of the Yijing in any classroom context. ---Robert Steed, Education About Asia, "Smith's book succeeds admirably in making the history and importance of this esoteric and enigmatic classic accessible and understandable to a wide audience. A must read for anyone interested in fathoming 'the Way' (Tao/Dao) in ancient China." -- Choice, Smith's book succeeds admirably in making the history and importance of this esoteric and enigmatic classic accessible and understandable to a wide audience. A must read for anyone interested in fathoming 'the Way' (Tao/Dao) in ancient China., "This one-of-a-kind biography of the I Ching is a masterpiece of scholarship for general readers as well as scholars and teachers. The first book in English to explain the history and impact of this ancient text from a global perspective, it will remain a must-read in I Ching studies for a very long time. A welcome and important contribution." --Benjamin Wai-ming Ng, author of The I Ching in Tokugawa Thought and Culture, To all [ I Ching ] aficionados and many others, Richard J. Smith's book, The I Ching: A Biography , will be usefully informative. ---Yu Liu, European Legacy, Smith's biography does what an introduction should do: encourage the reader to want to know more and provide a smooth over-arching conceptual framework, in economic fashion, through which one may understand the details. It would, therefore, be a helpful tool in a university course on Eastern or World religions and is highly recommended. ---Stephanie L. Derrick, Relegere, "Smith's book demonstrates that if the Book of Changes is anything, it is alive." --James Carter, Los Angeles Review of Books, "[N]ever before in English has the substance of this vital text been explicated with such transparency, lucidity, and--on balance--objectivity. However, even in charitably demystifying it, Smith has simultaneously retained and even enhanced the compelling attraction of this ever-tantalizing essentialist work for the would-be initiated. Such is a balancing act deftly executed, for which we should commend the author lavishly."-- Don J. Wyatt, Journal of Chinese Religions, "Smith's biography does what an introduction should do: encourage the reader to want to know more and provide a smooth over-arching conceptual framework, in economic fashion, through which one may understand the details. It would, therefore, be a helpful tool in a university course on Eastern or World religions and is highly recommended."-- Stephanie L. Derrick, Relegere, "Richard Smith synthesizes a great deal of information about the I Ching and presents it with admirable clarity. I know of no one else who commands the history of this text to the extent that he does, whether in China or especially in its global context. His excellent book will find a ready and wide readership." --Edward L. Shaughnessy, author of Confucian and Taoist Wisdom, [N]ever before in English has the substance of this vital text been explicated with such transparency, lucidity, and--on balance--objectivity. However, even in charitably demystifying it, Smith has simultaneously retained and even enhanced the compelling attraction of this ever-tantalizing essentialist work for the would-be initiated. Such is a balancing act deftly executed, for which we should commend the author lavishly. ---Don J. Wyatt, Journal of Chinese Religions, Foreigners, even foreign devotees--and they have been legion over the centuries--find The Classic of Changes fundamentally hard to engage with. . . . As Smith demonstrates, in a rather premature 'biography,' the Yijing remains vibrantly alive. -- Brian Bethune, Macleans Magazine, "Richard Smith's 'biography' of the Book of Changes delivers to us just what the series promised: it is wide-ranging, clear, up-to-date, comprehensive, and entertaining." --Jonathan D. Spence, author of The Search for Modern China, Smith's book demonstrates that if the Book of Changes is anything, it is alive. ---James Carter, Los Angeles Review of Books, [F]or its material on the (ironically) obscure history of a well-known text, it is to be highly recommended., "This work serves both as a sinologically sound exposition of East Asia's Yijing, and a fearless foray into the West's endless fixations on the Yi's malleable meanings." --Russell Kirkland, Religious Studies Review, Winner of the 2013 Cover/Jacket Merit Award in the Professional, Scholarly Series category, New York Book Show, This work serves both as a sinologically sound exposition of East Asia's Yijing, and a fearless foray into the West's endless fixations on the Yi's malleable meanings. ---Russell Kirkland, Religious Studies Review, Smith's fascinating history of what he usually calls the Yijing--around 3,000 years old; first sanctioned by the Chinese state as a classic in 136 BCE--traces its influence on western artists such as Philip K Dick, Raymond Queneau, John Cage (who composed aleatory music with its help) and Jorge Luis Borges, as well as its enthusiastic reception by scientists (Leibniz saw in it his binary system confirmed), and its hermeneutic and political history in China itself. -- Steven Poole, The Guardian, "To all [ I Ching ] aficionados and many others, Richard J. Smith's book, The I Ching: A Biography , will be usefully informative." --Yu Liu, European Legacy, "Smith offers an unparalleled biography of the most revered book in China's entire cultural tradition, and he shows us how this enigmatic ancient classic has become a truly global phenomenon." --RSR, Buddhism Now, "Smith's book demonstrates that if the Book of Changes is anything, it is alive."-- James Carter, Los Angeles Review of Books, "Smith's book succeeds admirably in making the history and importance of this esoteric and enigmatic classic accessible and understandable to a wide audience. A must read for anyone interested in fathoming 'the Way' (Tao/Dao) in ancient China."-- Choice, Foreigners, even foreign devotees--and they have been legion over the centuries--find The Classic of Changes fundamentally hard to engage with. . . . As Smith demonstrates, in a rather premature 'biography,' the Yijing remains vibrantly alive., "The I Ching has had many guises and uses in what Richard Smith calls its 'transnational travels' during its three-thousand-year course. Smith's accessible book combines general orientation and fascinating detail in ways that enable readers to grasp the complicated, transcultural history of a vital, enigmatic little classic." --Willard Peterson, Princeton University
