Rating
Lilliann Too has a web site (wofs.com) through which she and her daughter answer feng shui questions via the persona of "Aunt Agga." This book is a compilation of those questions and answers. Generally I find question and answer books to be charming and readable, and this book is no exception. There is a delightfully human tone to both the questions and the answers. If you already like Lillian Too from her numerous other books, you'll love her after reading this book. It makes me wish she had a weekly newspaper column.
Too is very traditional Compass feng shui, with lots of numerology and astrology. This particular book doesn't explain how to do Flying Stars or Eight Mansions Formula or Four Pillars, but she references such things frequently. She assumes you will refer to her previous books for detailed instructions about the computations. So although the book is ultra-readable, it probably shouldn't be the very first feng shui book that you read. A bit of background is useful to appreciate the frequent astrological references such as KUA numbers.
While pointing out the differences between Compass feng shui and Black Sect, Too is never deprecating. She is a true grande dame and doesn't have to stoop to putdowns to make her skills seem superior. She is confident of her methods, and it shows in the tone of her writing. She is quick to point out the difference between good feng shui and superstition. This woman knows her stuff. In an answer on page 113, she lays down the law about poison arrows. "Poison arrows are best removed. It is only when you cannot do anything less that you look for easier remedies."
Only once in the book did I raise my eyebrows and say "What?!" On page 116 she says, "systematically brighten this corner [southwest] of the room. Move all the lights in every room to this south-west corner. Be very systematic and determined about this." She is answering a specific question, but it seem incredibly bizarre to move all lights in every room to a specific corner. Did she really mean this…?
As a rule Too is excellent about explaining the "why" of feng shui --- something that I dearly appreciate. On page 154, she says, "the form school is more important than the compass school, simply because poison arrows and afflicting physical structures cause feng shui to be bad even when directions may be auspicious." This is a mighty fine book.
Sterling Publishing Company, New York, www.sterlingpub.com, (800) 805-5489, 2001, 1-85585-844-4, 176 pages, color drawings, paperback, $12.95