The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Tao of Pooh
Book Review: A must read for Pooh Lovers
Summary: 5 Stars
I grew up with Winnie-the-Pooh, so the topic is familiar. Combining the venerable Pooh with the Tao was a great idea and Hoff pulls it off very well. There are two classifications (to my mind) of "The Tao of..." books: one is poorly thought out and the other is very enlightening. The Tao of Pooh is in the latter group. In other words, the ideas fit together and one simultaneously gets new insight both on Pooh and the Tao.Book Review: A must read for those who want to know.
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of the best books I've come across on Taoism.I don't remember if I found it, or it found me.I've probably read it at least ten times.The bad news is many Americans won't be able to understand it. "Those who know don't say, those who say don't know".You can only dumb down a thought so much.Taoism is a religion of peace.They don't use threats of hell to gain members.They expect people to be able to think for themselves.For anyone interested in Taoism, this is the best book to start with, a long with the book that followed a few years later.Book Review: A must read!
Summary: 5 Stars
This has honestly been one of the best books I have ever read in my life. Unlike other books I have read that explain Taoism, it is fun, interesting, and easy to read. I believe it can be read, enjoyed, and understood by anybody, even if they have no idea what Taoism is. As a child, I would read Winnie the Pooh, but I never at all knew the vast knowledge that was sitting right under my nose. My search for the perfect book explaining Taoism stops at "The Tao of Pooh."Book Review: A philosophical marvel
Summary: 5 Stars
It's all so simple when you reduce it to the level of Pooh.
It's often hard to understand the nuances of religions and philosophies other than one's own. For many people, the beliefs and rituals of faraway lands -- or even of the folks next door -- are a jumble of mixed-up oddities. But understanding a people's system of faith is vital to understanding the people.
In the case of the Eastern philosophy known as Taoism, Winnie the Pooh is here to help.
"The Tao of Pooh" boils the Taoist faith down into simple truths, each using Pooh and his friends to explain them in easy, bite-sized pieces. Some of the examples are original to author Benjamin Hoff's book, while others are lifted directly from the original text by A.A. Milne.
Passages from "The House at Pooh Corner" blend surprisingly well with the tenets of Chinese philosophy, including religious maxims and excerpts from the writings of Chuang-tse. The result is a charming explanation of faith that even Pooh -- a notorious bear of little Brain -- can understand, particularly since he exemplifies the Taoist way so perfectly.
Those around him -- Owl, Rabbit, Eeyore, Tigger and of course Piglet -- are less serene in their activities in the Hundred Acre Wood. Hoff handily explains why they do not fit the Taoist mold, and how Pooh would have handled similar situations. As he explains on the back cover of the book, "While Eeyore frets, and Piglet hesitates, and Rabbit calculates, and Owl pontificates, Pooh just is." There, a lesson learned and you haven't even opened it yet. You'll learn more when Hoff explains the Taoist concept of P'u, the Uncarved Block, and the many facets of Cottleston Pie.
At the same time, Hoff avoids diminishing his message by dumbing it down. While much of the slim book is written in the childlike prose of a Pooh story, it is still surprisingly deep, thought-provoking and grown-up at its root. By book's end, readers should have a fairly solid understanding of basic Taoist principles and how they relate to contemporary life.
Book Review: A simple reminder
Summary: 3 Stars
If you are already a Taoist, this book will serve as a cute reminder of "the Way". If you are not familiar with Taoist principles, you may find this a bit too brief to really understand Taoism. I recommend "365 Tao: Daily Meditations" by Deng Ming-Dao, for daily reminders and teachings.