Reddit mentions of Tao Te Ching: A New Translation with Commentary

I tried reading the Tao Te Ching before, but I found it too abstract for me at the time. It was interesting, but I couldn't find anything that I could directly apply to my life at a time when I needed something directly applicable. If it makes any difference, I was reading the Ellen Chen translation.

Mises, the economist? I didn't know he referenced Lao Tzu.

This is maybe a topic better suited to /r/taoism; you may want to ask there.

First realize that Taoism has several faces, which are sometimes vague and overlapping: Philosophical Taoism, which is conveyed through writings and is debated ad nauseum in online forums; Religious or Ritual Taoism, which involves a lot more form and ritual than one might expect; Folk Taoism, which arises in part from local cultures and traditional beliefs; Art Taoism, which is conveyed in countless internal energy and martial arts practices, among others; Enlightenment Taoism, which aims at complete attainment of the Tao. To make your way through all this territory it's helpful to know your own deepest interest and aim.

• For a good commentary along with scholarly translation, Ellen Chen's Tao Te Ching: A New Translation with Commentary is hard to beat.
  
  
• For an interpretation (loose translation) easily accessible by westerners, leaning toward practice rather than scholasticism, and illuminated by a realized practitioner, I recommend Stephen Mitchell's Tao Te Ching.
  
  
• For its beauty and intuitive expression of Taoist sensibilities, and its recent reworking to more closely reflect the original Chinese language, I like the oversized (photos included) 2011 version of Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English's Tao Te Ching.
  
  
• Other sources include Lao Tzu's Wen-Tzu: Understanding The Mysteries, translated by Thomas Cleary, and his Hua Hu Ching: Unknown Teachings Of Lao Tzu, translated by Brian Walker.
  
  
• As to learning more about Lao Tzu, other Taoist writers, and Taoism in general, it seems that some Zen teachers have a more lively and to-the-point teaching than other widely available discussions. Alan Watts' writings were very popular, if skewed by his own shallow understanding of some of the topics. Direct contact with living teachers is almost invariably the best way to attain the Tao (as opposed to just learning history and philosophy). The Kwan Um School Of Zen, its deceased master Seung Sahn, and its teachers are excellent sources for practice that allows the Tao to unfold in your life. Zen Master Seung Sahn's The Whole World Is A Single Flower includes several koans (Zen teaching questions) based on Taoist sayings; if you have training in koan practice this can be a useful resource. (Note that the translator Stephen Mitchell, above, was a student of Z M Seung Sahn.)
  
  
• True Taoist masters can be difficult to find, in part because the breadth, complexity, and rigor of the teachings make them less accessible, and partly because they have to some degree been suppressed in their home nation China. Taoist teachings are apt to appear within the context of some Qigong, Taiji, Bagua, and other energy cultivation/martial arts practices. Some more popular figures (some of whom appear in internet blogs and videos) mash up their own philosophy with Taoism.
  
  
• For a basic introduction to the Taoist way of thought, The Tao Of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff is surprisingly deep yet well organized. (I found the follow-up book a bit contrived.)

Tao Te Ching: A New Translation with Commentary by Ellen Chen. She deals with linguistics, showing you how a word was used in other contemporary works. Having studied paleo writings systems and ancient languages, I know how meanings change over time. So her approach was perfect for the way my mind works and gave me greater insight into what is being conveyed. Saves me from having to learn ancient Chinese to better understand the text. :)

Ellen Chen's Tao Te Ching has exceptional commentary, and her translation explains the particular Chinese characters in the original and the different meanings they could have.

Consider the classic Daodejing. There are many, many translations. My personal favorites are Liu Ming, Red Pine and Ellen Chen.

Here you go.