The Book of Tea (Penguin Little Black Classics, 112)

This 1906 guide to the beauty of the tea ceremony is both a paean to the art of simplicity, and a wry critique of the West’s view of Japan.

‘Meanwhile, let us have a sip of tea. The afternoon glow is brightening the bamboos, the fountains are bubbling with delight, the soughing of the pines is heard in our kettle.’
In this charming book from 1906, Okakura explores Zen, Taoism, Tea Masters and the significance of the Japanese tea ceremony.

One of 46 new books in the bestselling Little Black Classics series, to celebrate the first ever Penguin Classic in 1946. Each book gives readers a taste of the Classics’ huge range and diversity, with works from around the world and across the centuries – including fables, decadence, heartbreak, tall tales, satire, ghosts, battles and elephants.

About the author

Kakuzo Okakura (1863–1919)–scholar, well-known art critic, and curator of the Chinese and Japanese art collection at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts–devoted his life to the preservation and reawakening of traditional Japanese culture.