Tao Te Ching: The Definitive Edition
The author's best-known and most representative translation.
Author guide
Jonathan Star Books in Order
Jonathan Star is a translator, editor, and author whose work focuses on Rumi, the Tao Te Ching, and sacred and mystical writings from multiple traditions. His bibliography also includes the sports-psychology book Game "On" and the co-authored Dreamwork and the Path of the Higher Hypothesis. He lives in upstate New York.
translationmysticismspiritualityphilosophypoetrysports psychology
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Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (2)
- Game "On"
nonfiction · 2012
Poetry (2)
- A Garden Beyond Paradise
poetry-translation · 1993
- Rumi: In the Arms of the Beloved
poetry-translation · 1997
Edited works (2)
- Two Suns Rising
anthology · 1991
- The Inner Treasure
anthology · 1999
Other (1)
- Tao Te Ching: The Definitive Edition
translation · 2001
Frequently asked questions about Jonathan Star
Who is Jonathan Star?
Jonathan Star is a translator, editor, and author known for making Rumi, Taoist writings, and Christian mystical texts accessible to English-language readers. He lives in upstate New York.
Sources: penguinrandomhouse.com (opens in a new tab)jonathanstar.com (opens in a new tab)
What is Jonathan Star best known for?
He is best known for his widely acclaimed translations of Rumi and the Tao Te Ching, especially Rumi: In the Arms of the Beloved and Tao Te Ching: The Definitive Edition.
Sources: penguinrandomhouse.com (opens in a new tab)penguinrandomhouse.com (opens in a new tab)
How did Jonathan Star approach translating the Tao Te Ching?
HumanMedia reports that Star devoted 12 years to learning the ancient dialect behind the text. His approach combines close attention to meaning with clear, contemporary English intended to preserve the work’s spiritual depth.
Sources: humanmedia.org (opens in a new tab)penguinrandomhouse.com (opens in a new tab)
Which spiritual traditions influence Jonathan Star’s work?
His work spans Sufi poetry, Taoist philosophy, and Christian mysticism. His own site also describes continuing projects involving the Tao Te Ching, Rumi, and other spiritual writings.
Sources: penguinrandomhouse.com (opens in a new tab)jonathanstar.com (opens in a new tab)
What is Jonathan Star’s literary legacy?
Star’s legacy is that of an interpreter who brought major mystical and philosophical texts to general readers in an accessible, literary form. His publisher describes his translations as widely acclaimed, while his official site shows that he continues revising and presenting this material for new audiences.
Sources: penguinrandomhouse.com (opens in a new tab)jonathanstar.com (opens in a new tab)