“Nerdection Good Read”
Spoiler-free Plot
The author, Jack Parkinson, had been working as a teacher in China for 13 years and had a lot of exposure to the country’s culture and philosophy. This led him to read the legendary Dao De Jing writings by the scholar Laozi, who wrote them many centuries ago. A Dao for the Third Millennium is an understanding and reevaluation of these teachings and what they represent in the modern day.
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My Take on A Dao for the Third Millennium
Jack Parkinson had a big challenge with this book for a lot of different reasons. One of the biggest challenges is trying to interpret material that was written centuries ago and trying to understand what the author, in this case the scholar Laozi, was trying to accomplish and convey to the audience. This is difficult because it was a different time, of course, and what people were thinking was a far cry from what we think these days.
There is also the cultural barrier, which may lead to some people thinking this book might not be “cultural appropriation”. It is In no shape or form this book is that. It’s an interpretation of what an author wrote many centuries ago and how some of these writings could help people in the modern day and age, which is something that could be beneficial to everyone, not just China. Literature, like any art form, should be for everybody, not just a selected few.
However, leaving those elements aside, the reason this book works so well is that Parkinson is a good writer and manages to add a lot of different sources and influences to make this read all the more exciting. This is a man who can cite Winnie the Pooh and Plato in the same book, which is always quite enjoyable to see on a page. There is a certain joy in this book while exploring some strong philosophical elements that make it quite fun to read.
That is perhaps one of the book’s biggest strengths: the fact that it tackles some very complicated topics and still manages to be quite easy to digest. A lot of writers seem to think that the more complex words you use, the better author you are. That is not the case. Writing, whether it’s fiction or non-fiction, is all about conveying a certain message and for people to understand it. Sure, there should be room for nuances and interpretation, but clarity is also very important so the experience can be a lot more enjoyable.
Perhaps my only criticism of A Dao for the Third Millennium, or at least the one prominent criticism that I have, is the fact that it is a direct result of another person’s writings. While this might not be a problem for a lot of potential readers, it is something I don’t enjoy much because it requires the first book to exist for this one to do likewise. I feel that it takes away a bit from that.
However, the book itself is great because it explores a lot of old and modern literature as well as understanding different types of philosophies and how they could be applied to life itself. It is a very refreshing read, especially considering Parkinson’s background as a man who has lived in China for more than a decade, adding his own experiences in the process.
A Dao for the Third Millennium is definitely a great read for those who are looking to read a bit about philosophy and also want to do it in a way that is quite straightforward and easy to digest. A very good book and one that is worth your time.
About The Author Of A Dao for the Third Millennium
Jack Parkinson’s early background was in various creative and managerial roles in electronic and print media.
He has lived and worked on three different continents, and more recently, taught for 13 years on (mostly) British university campuses around China. He was Deputy Director of the Language Centre at XJTLU (Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University) in Suzhou for 8 years.
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