The Tao of Wu Hardcover - 2009

Name: The Tao of Wu
Price: 35.07 USD
Availability: InStock
Author: The RZA
ISBN: 9781594488856

by RZA; Chris Norris (With)

A unique book of wisdom and experiencethat reaches from the most violent slumsof New York City to the highest planesof spiritual thought by the RZA, hip-hop'smost exalted wise man.

The RZA, the Abbot of the Wu-Tang Clan andhip-hop culture's most dynamic genius, imparts thelessons he's learned on the journey that's taken himfrom the Staten Island projects to international superstar,all along the way a devout student of knowledgein every form he's found it-on the streets, inreligion, in martial arts, in chess, in popular culture.Part chronicle of an extraordinary life and part spiritualand philosophical discourse, The Tao of Wu isa nonfiction Siddhartha for the hip-hop generation-an engaging, seeking book that will enlighten, entertain,and inspire.

The legions of Wu-Tang fans are accustomedto this heady mix-their obsession with the band'spuzzlelike lyrics and elaborate mythology has propelledthe group through fifteen years of dazzling,multiplatform success. In his 2005 bestseller TheWu-Tang Manual, the RZA provided the barestglimpse of how that mythology worked. In The Taoof Wu, he takes us deep inside the complex sense ofwisdom and spirituality that has been at the core ofhis commercial and creative success.

The book is built around major moments in theRZA's life when he was faced with a dramatic turningpoint, either bad (a potential prison sentence)or good (a record deal that could pull his family outof poverty), and the lessons he took from eachexperience. His points of view are always surprisingand provocative, and reveal a profound, genuine,and abiding wisdom-consistently tempered withhumor and peppered with unique, colloquial phraseology.It is a spiritual memoir as the world has neverseen before, and will never see again.

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Summary

A unique book of wisdom and experience that reaches from the most violent slums of New York City to the highest planes of spiritual thought by the RZA, founder of the Wu-Tang Clan and hip-hop's most exalted wise man.

The RZA, the Abbot of the Wu-Tang Clan and hip-hop culture's most dynamic genius, imparts the lessons he's learned on the journey that's taken him from the Staten Island projects to international superstar, all along the way a devout student of knowledge in every form he's found it-on the streets, in religion, in martial arts, in chess, in popular culture. Part chronicle of an extraordinary life and part spiritual and philosophical discourse, The Tao of Wu is a nonfiction Siddhartha for the hip-hop generation-an engaging, seeking book that will enlighten, entertain, and inspire.

The legions of Wu-Tang fans are accustomed to this heady mix-their obsession with the band's puzzlelike lyrics and elaborate mythology has propelled the group through fifteen years of dazzling, multiplatform success. In his 2005 bestseller The Wu-Tang Manual, the RZA provided the barest glimpse of how that mythology worked. In The Tao of Wu, he takes us deep inside the complex sense of wisdom and spirituality that has been at the core of his commercial and creative success.

The book is built around major moments in the RZA's life when he was faced with a dramatic turning point, either bad (a potential prison sentence) or good (a record deal that could pull his family out of poverty), and the lessons he took from each experience. His points of view are always surprising and provocative, and reveal a profound, genuine, and abiding wisdom-consistently tempered with humor and peppered with unique, colloquial phraseology. It is a spiritual memoir as the world has never seen before, and will never see again.

From the publisher

The RZA is most famous as the founder and leader of the Wu-Tang Clan, the platinum-selling hip-hop group that is widely considered one of the most important of all time, and has also spanned multiplatinum solo careers for many of its members, including RZA. Originally from Staten Island, he is currently based in Los Angeles, where he has continued his music career while successfully branching out into lecturing, television, and film.

Details

Title The Tao of Wu
Author RZA; Chris Norris (With)
Binding Hardcover
Edition 1St Edition
Pages 208
Volumes 1
Language ENG
Publisher Riverhead Books, New York
Date 2009-10-15
ISBN 9781594488856 / 1594488851
Weight 0.69 lbs (0.31 kg)
Dimensions 8.36 x 5.42 x 0.85 in (21.23 x 13.77 x 2.16 cm)
Ages 18 to UP years
Grade levels 13 - UP
Library of Congress subjects Rap musicians - United States, RZA
Library of Congress Catalog Number 2009030866
Dewey Decimal Code B

Media reviews

"RZA is a towering artist and deep thinker who has much to teach us. I salute his courageous vision and compassionate witness-as manifest in this book and his life!"
-Cornel West

"I congratulate the world for this beautiful gift, wisdom from the life and travels of RZA, wisdom I truly believe draws from the deepest pools of human thought and spirit...When a wise monk passes away, the monastery builds a pagoda in his memory. Some pagodas get one floor, some get two or three. But if the man was known as the wisest and most enlightened of all monks, his pagoda gets seven. I believe the seven pillars of wisdom in this book are like the seven floors of an exalted monk's pagoda. They represent the wisdom, knowledge, and enlightenment of a soul that has never stopped training, never stopped learning."
-Sifu Shi Yan Ming, thirty-fourth generation Shaolin Temple warrior monk

About the author

The RZA is most famous as the founder and leader of the Wu-Tang Clan, the platinum-selling hip-hop group that is widely considered one of the most important of all time, and has also spanned multiplatinum solo careers for many of its members, including RZA. Originally from Staten Island, he is currently based in Los Angeles, where he has continued his music career while successfully branching out into lecturing, television, and film.