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The Tao of Willie: A Guide to the Happiness in Your Heart Audiobook
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(4.00) - 571 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Born in small-town Texas during the Great Depression, Willie Nelson was raised to believe in helping his neighbors and living without pretense. After many hardscrabble years as a poorly paid songwriter (often watching his work become a gold mine for other performers), Willie finally found his own voice?the gentle but unmistakably honest sound that has made him an American icon. Now the master of harmonization has created a guide to finding harmony in everyday life. Featuring vignettes from each chapter of his seventy-plus years (along with plenty of his favorite jokes), The Tao of Willie captures his views on money, love, war, religion, cowboys, and other essential Willie topics.
Loosely based on the principles of the Chinese philosophy of the Tao Te Cheng, which Willie has admired and followed for much of his adult life, this inspiring and entertaining collection of ?Willie wisdom? takes us from his roadhouse days, when he united redneck rockers with straitlaced country music fans, to the mega-sized benefit concerts and environmentalism that define his boundless heart. In the spirit of his fellow Texan Harvey Penick?s Little Red Book, Willie?s timeless insights sparkle with clarity: It?s like having a one-on-one conversation with the sage himself.
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"Simple, chatty, choppy and wise, Willie's book of wisdom at age 72 (he's 80 in 2013) is like running into him over and over and remembering something he's said. His values make me feel better--family and friends and love and music--he has kept them all close always. He knows himself: "I'm a troubadour" he says, and that captures it. He gives us the essential skeleton of his life, earliest family, four wives, seven children, many miles. My takeaway line is "the [Chinese] concept of Wu Wei, which suggests fulfilling every task with the least necessary actions." He loves Texas and he loves Maui, but most of all he loves the people are there with him. A happy-making book."
— Kay (4 out of 5 stars)
The Tao of Willie Listener Reviews
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" everyone should read this book "
— Laci, 2/14/2014 -
" I got this when my best friend was in China for the summer and I was still at home in Montana. You know, a way for me to combine our two worlds. Anyway, I loved this easy and entertaining read and should probably read it again--it did help me remember to just chill out and relax! "
— Joelle, 2/10/2014 -
" Sometimes you just gotta stop and smell the flowers, or.... "
— Phishintripp, 1/16/2014 -
" I rather enjoyed this book, and have always felt there is more to life than meets the eye or mind. I like Willies jokes and laid back natural attitude and his music most of all! I will most likely be reading his newest book soon! "
— Robyn, 1/15/2014 -
" This is one of those that will probably be reread and I will continue to learn from it. Simple reading but hits home on several levels that make you think. "
— Ladame, 12/31/2013 -
" A very basic and funny book about finding happiness, and lord knows, Willie is happy, the man just oozes it! Best advice: pee a lot, you'll live longer. Drink Water! "
— Kim, 12/1/2013 -
" Willie is the man. I didn't know much about him before starting this book, but I'm so glad I got to know him. He's just great. A country-fried Dalai Lama, he's a simple, peace-loving dude who loves people, golf, and corny jokes, and just wants the world to be a happy place. Maybe it's all the weed he smokes, but there's not one mean bone in his body, and in a society that is currently fueled by vitriol and superiority complexes, this is a breath of fresh air. Don't get me wrong, Willie's no saint, but his mistakes have given him a certain palpable wisdom that we mere mortals can follow. Definitely one I'll refer to again and again. "
— Melissa, 11/21/2013 -
" comfortable and funny. Some good insights, some amusing anecdotes and a little encouragement. "
— David, 11/18/2013 -
" I read this once a year. It keeps me from jumping off a bridge onto the 401. "
— Mike, 11/17/2013 -
" Not an incredibly "heavy" read, but it is a good weekender. For Willie fans, another piece of memorabilia. For the converted, gives a little insight to the Red Headed Stranger. Though Willie is a Christian, he understands the philosophy. "
— Huskergibby, 11/1/2013 -
" Not as good as you would think. "
— Molly, 10/25/2013 -
" easy read, light hearted and up lifting "
— Alison, 9/18/2013 -
" My sister Robin gave me this book...it even went on our trip to Minnesota and back! He had some funny jokes but he is pretty darn liberal for me... "
— Diana, 9/8/2013 -
" Pretty funny and pretty wise and mostly right on the money. "
— Jinnie, 8/13/2013 -
" Simple and straightforward, I loved Willie's wisdom. He gave me a chuckle or three, and he gave me advice that'll stick with me. My admiration for his music and character have grown as a result of this book. "
— Kelly, 8/4/2013 -
" Quick read. A book that makes you think. One that I'll keep around to revisit in the near future. "
— Jesse, 7/29/2013 -
" If you know anything about Willie or the Tao this book will just reaffirm your intuitions about life and your love of Willie Nelson. If you don't know anything about either, take a deep breath, light a candle, put on "Whiskey River," and read this book. "
— Becki, 3/3/2013 -
" Silly jokes, stories from the road, insight, wisdom - what I'd expect from the country music legend. Fun read. "
— Tracy, 1/19/2013 -
" I loved this book.It is funny and wise.5 STARS from me! "
— Diane, 8/15/2012 -
" A funny little book that will make you giggle throughout the entire read. Gets a bit political at the end, but what would you expect? :) An upbeat read to get through the end of winter! "
— Colleen, 3/20/2012 -
" "Appreciate life's mysteries and trust in its truths." "
— Jackie, 3/4/2012 -
" This is another one of my top five favorites. If I could I would give it ten stars. Willie puts Taoism into his country western, pot smoking, peace loving, farm aiding, terms. And he's funny too. I think I read this in a day and a half and enjoyed every moment of it. "
— Meshel, 11/5/2011 -
" Picked this one up at a library book sale the other day and really enjoyed it. I've read most of the books on Willie or the ones he has written but this one is a keeper. A fast read and a look into the life of a really nice guy who has a wonderful outlook on life with a lot of wisdom thrown in, "
— Sherman, 9/24/2011 -
" Worth reading just for the jokes. "
— Amy, 8/1/2011 -
" Excellent read! Keep an open mind while reading it and one may just learn a thing or two about themselves. But then again if not, it was an entertaining book. "
— Robert, 6/20/2011 -
" A good read, particularly for anyone familiar with Willie. I believe he misses on a couple of issues (the golden rule, and religion) but nonetheless if more folks would adopt his approach to life, there would be a lot more happy people in the world. "
— Brian, 3/30/2011 -
" comfortable and funny. Some good insights, some amusing anecdotes and a little encouragement. "
— David, 12/19/2010 -
" Simple and straightforward, I loved Willie's wisdom. He gave me a chuckle or three, and he gave me advice that'll stick with me. My admiration for his music and character have grown as a result of this book. "
— Kelly, 8/30/2010 -
" This is one of those that will probably be reread and I will continue to learn from it. Simple reading but hits home on several levels that make you think. "
— Ladame, 3/11/2010 -
" You have to love Willie Nelson. This is kind of a rambling summary of things he's learned in his life. I enjoyed listening to him talk about his friends, religion, politics. I don't know that he said anything earth-shaking, but that's not the point. It's about him sharing his thoughts. "
— Carol, 2/24/2010 -
" Pretty funny and pretty wise and mostly right on the money. "
— Jinnie, 2/18/2010 -
" I got this little gem as a gift, have re-read it several times and suggest that you get someone to give it to you as a gift as well. "
— Jeffrey, 1/13/2010 -
" This tiny book is amazing. What a guy. "
— Rosemaryknits, 12/28/2009 -
" L I F E C H A N G I N G "
— Rachel, 11/15/2009 -
" Oh Willie... How do I love thee? Let me count the ways... "
— Sara, 11/3/2009 -
" awesome, awesome, funny, funny, a very entertaining & yes insightful book on the tao & one of our texas heroes! "
— Chris, 10/29/2009 -
" My sister Robin gave me this book...it even went on our trip to Minnesota and back! He had some funny jokes but he is pretty darn liberal for me... "
— Diana, 9/17/2009 -
" Read it in one sitting - I enjoyed it very much. Willie is one smart guy! "
— Meredith, 8/16/2009
About the Authors
Willie Nelson Willie Nelson is one of the most popular, prolific, and influential songwriters and singers in the history of American music. He has recorded more than one hundred albums over six decades, appeared in several films, and written two New York Times bestsellers, It’s a Long Story and The Facts of Life and Other Dirty Jokes. He was inducted in the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1993.
About Willie Nelson
Tom Stechschulte (1948–2021) was an acclaimed narrator and winner of the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration. He had been a college athlete and business major when a friend dared him to audition for a play. He got the part and traded the locker room for the dressing room, eventually taking him to New York City and to recording audiobooks.