A perennial classic, the Tao Te Ching is a short work of only eighty-one single-page chapters in verse, but in this age of information overload you have to appreciate quality over quantity or drown in a sea of words - and that’s what this little gem contains - an enduring, flowing, beautifully poetic quality of unparalleled philosophical wisdom. Often cited as the “second most translated book on earth,” this is the translation that brings the words in English closest to the intended meaning - and I’ve read heaps of them. It’s my favourite book, the one for which I would forsake all others, and has had a profound impact on me since first reading it fifteen years ago, continuing to provide guidance still. The words, “be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete,” alone are worth the asking price. If you want the best of the best, the ultimate manual of living and perhaps the most entertaining book you’ll ever read, forget “The Art of War,” and forget crap-buckets like “The DaVinci Code” and the latest bestsellers - and for once just forget all about those god-forsaken newspapers - just buy this and read it. Nothing on this earth comes close. Full stop.