This book is a delightful little read - it aims to put Taoism in practical and friendly terms by looking at Whinnie the Pooh, and succeeds at this.
The writing style is engaging and makes for a fast read.
If there's any down side, it's that sometimes a slight bitter tone from the author comes through at. But all in all it's a very worthwhile read; I've read it twice and have recommended it to several friends/family.

Those who want to learn specifically about Taoism probably will not learn much from this book. I feel as though the author should re-title the book "Poohism". There is much more material gathered from "Winnie the Pooh" stories than from actual Taoism. I do not think that the author's views reflect those of Taoism and the author injects some negative views which sometimes detract from his presentation. Despite this problem, it is still a cool book.

I have been reading this book to get insight into life. So far, it has been pretty effective. The author offered some harsh criticism of academic people, like myself. After some self-examination, I realized that most of the criticism was well deserved. Also, during conversations with others, I would actually cite examples from this book. I would say something like..."The Tao of Pooh says 'blah blah blah...etc', therefore you should try to make amends with your roommate". It has been useful to me. The irony is that this book actually predicted that I would cite things from books and offer these things to others in a pedagogical manner. I probably behave like Owl more than I would like to admit.

While I'll concede that this book gives a nifty introduction to the tenets of Taoism by means of the extended Pooh analogy, the manner in which the author achieves this is downright dogmatic. You can't read a full page without him openly denouncing other belief systems, and his overly contemptuous attitude towards intellectualism is alarming. He portrays anybody who values the beauty of complexity or academics as a close-minded, arrogant bookworm, and grossly misrepresents the followers of various religions/faiths. Hoff definitely borders on the fanatical here, using far-reaching comparisons to make his offensive points, many of which don't even align with the true characteristics of Taoism. Jumping to conclusions and articulating uneducated descriptions regarding many aspects of contemporary culture and scholarship, I'm certain that Hoff has Lao Tzu turning over in his grave at his downright hateful quasi-environmentalist commentary. Don't waste your time with this book.

This book was good and explained Taoism clearly to me. I just don't really think like that so I couldn't get into it, but my friend really enjoyed reading it and the Te of Piglet also. It's a great concept, I just have too many emotions to ever just BE, lol. Maybe someday I can relax and focus and get the point, but until then it would probably be best if you're actually interested in Taoism before buying this book.

Personally, I enjoy learning. I study the human psyche. I read a lot about the how people face the question of, "who am I?" "The Tao of Pooh" by Benjamin Hoff provides a view into answering this question, however, I found the use of the Pooh story to describe the Tao and life to be a little deep. As I worked through the pages sometimes I struggled to make the connection and to learn, but then I recognized the simplicity of the message and was able to grasp the author's intent. My roller coaster experience in reading this book went from deep reflective, intellectual investigation, to internalizing the simple messages of the Tao, to a conclusion of "what did I get from this read?" On the one hand, during the read I said to myself, "I will need to re-read this book, or chapters", then again, despite my apetite for learning, I wondered if I wanted to work that hard to get the message. Judge for yourself if you can gain the simplicity of the book's message for life.

The "collectors box" that this set came in was extremely cheap, hardly felt like the collectors piece that I wanted to put on my shelves, but it's a good book to have, and I'll keep this copy around until I can find a boxed copy to be proud of. This certainly isn't it.

If you're going to buy this boxed-set, buy a used copy and examine photos first. This latest printing feels horribly cheap.

These books are westernized nonsense that present a view of Taoism that bears very little resemblence to real Taoism (the traditions practiced in China for over 20 centuries). These books are a pure marketing scheme and amount to cultural colonialization (or cultural theft). If you want to learn more about real Taoism, try searching for books that are published by university presses - not the discount bin at Walden Books. For more on this topic, read some publications and presentations by Dr. Russell Kirkland and check his sources for other great works that are accurate treatments of real Taoism.

I gave these books at least one star because they have introduced many in the West to Taoism (including myself) and, thus, they have served a good purpose. However, do not read these books and think you understand Taoism. You will need to take what you have read, empty your cup, and start over. Search for academic treatments of Taoism (not commercial). As well, if you are really interested in practicing Taoism, you should shop around for a good Tai Chi or Qijong instructor (sifu). Try to find one that really emphasizes the spiritual side of the martial arts.

NOTE: These books fall into the same category as the translation of the Tao Te Ching by Stephen Mitchell. STAY AWAY FROM THIS TRANSLATION. It is written by a poet who does not even speak/read Chinese and is so chopped up and poorly translated that it retains virtually none of the original meaning. There is a good translation out there by Gia Fu Feng and Jane English.

I've been wanting to read this book for such a long time, but not because of an interest in Taoism. I was intrigued by the concept that Winnie the Pooh could teach people academic concepts. It seemed like such a cute novel idea. I wasn't certain if I even took the idea seriously, but after reading the book not only have I learned about the basic concepts of Taoism, but I was taken for a joyous ride.

What was amazing about this book is that it teaches you the principles of Taoism by stating full well it will not be a book of stuffy academic knowledge. Instead Pooh and his friends interrupt the book and you read about their adventures and tales that highlight some of the major concepts of Taoism. It's written in such a fluid way that the reader can not really know when the author stops talking and when the beloved characters of Piglet, Pooh, Eeyore and others take over.

The book does not aim to be pretentious or horde this philosophy as the only correct philosophy. Instead, we're introduced to Taoism shown how the concepts work in all of our lives-especially Pooh and friends, and told that understanding certain jargon isn't essential to being a Taoist expert. As long as we practice the concepts and ideals we are living a Taoist lifestyle.

The book is a wonderful mixture of simplicity and wisdom. The fact that Hoff is able to replicate Pooh's voice perfectly only adds to the enchanting aspect of this book. This should be a must read for anyone interested in Taoism, without being bogged down with extra information and those who want to enjoy the simple joys of life.

Went right to the "marketplace" for this purchase.
Great Seller Fast Shipping, Perfect as Described.
Thanks!!!

This one of my favorite books and came in record time! I would order it this way every time. David

(Note, this review discusses only the first book.)


The idea of the book is to explain Taoist principles by using characters, setting and events from "Winnie the Pooh." My first problem with the book is the intended audience is unclear, because a child is not serious and deep enough to understand such deep sayings and I felt bit awkward thinking about Disney Company's, for lack of a better term "cash cow" in my early teen years. However, in all honesty, I am horrible example for my age group because I am an easily disoriented person. Despite all I just said, for what it tries to do, it does a good job. Case and point, I now understand Taoist beliefs. Despite what I am about to say, you have to respect anything that does a good job, but it seems to have a few value a judgments I don't agree with.


A picture called "The Three Vinegar Tasters" is supposed to represent three similar belief sets (Buddhism, Confucius and Taoist) attitudes towards life (according to the author). It seems immoral to have other teachings unhappy (tasting the vinegar symbolizing life as bitter and sour.) I personally think Hoff and the artist of "The Three Vinegar Tasters" misunderstood the first of the Buddhist noble truths. They see Buddha as a bitter person. I think what Siddhartha meant when said "life is suffering" was life is full of suffering and you can't always get what you want, which similar to message I got from the book and the Tao te Ching which is "things are the way they are." And I am not the only one who thinks the first noble truth is being misunderstood. A Buddhist practitioner I interviewed for a school project thinks so too. Thus, I think it would wrong to call Siddhartha "bitter" since both Taoists and Buddhists principles give me the same general message. Also, it seems a bit inhumane to criticize a person, rather than their teachings, who was born sixth centuries before current era, since the connotations of the word "bitter" characterize Siddhartha in a negative way. Though, in all honesty, I'm probably not the best source in the world, since I was only studying Buddhism for a month and I have no knowledge of Taoism other then the book and the Tao Te Ching.


Throughout the book, I kept on wondering what does the author have against "book smart" scholars. For example, saying that they are smart to the point of uselessness and not noticing what matters. Another part he said when scientists say "instinct" it means "they don't know," which is not true in the slightest. Instinct is what we are naturally programmed to do because we didn't have instinct, we would be dead. Hoff goes on to say that it doesn't matter that we don't know and goes on to explain a principle. I do not want to spoil the book nor misrepresent it, so I will let it go at that.


The way Hoff explains Taoism through Winnie the Pooh is by having himself talk about the principles with Winnie the Pooh characters and having them represent different life styles. For the most part it works, but the way he has inserted himself into the stories it seems egotistical because he is using an entertainment goldmine. Overall, the book is good, the only reason I bad mouthed it is that if I only talked about the good parts, I would have nothing to talk about and I'm a critic.

Excellent choice! Book was a gift to my teenage son. Prompted many a philosophical discussion!

Ordered these books as a late Christmas gift for my room mate. However I had to contact the book seller on the 19th of January to inquire about where they were. I received an email back stating that it had been returned damaged and reshipped on the 6th of January and to allow 7-14 business days to get them. Okay so If I waited 14 business days not including holidays, then I should have my books by today or tomorrow right? These guys suck! All I have gotten is the run around and no one should order from them ever.

Simply put, this book is excellent. It is simple and concise, and it keeps you reading. I also think it does a great job giving you the basics of Taoist thought.

I'm right to review this book for two reasons, and wrong for one. First, AA Milne was the first book I remember looking for in the school library, as a child. My "inner child" (which is mostly in control of the outer adult, anyway) rejoiced in an excuse to revisit 100 Acre Wood. Second, as a missionary in China (and later author of a book on "How Jesus fulfills the Chinese Culture"), I also learned to love Lao Zi and Zhuang Zi, and learn from them. Third, however, while as Hoff correctly points out, there's a little of each these characters in each of us, the owl usually emerges in me when I start critiquing books.

By and large, this is a pleasant and successful introduction to philosophical Taoism. Sometimes it's confusing which are the bits Pooh said in Milne, and which are the bits Hoff added -- even though the font is different -- but then, Hoff's Pooh sometimes sounds quite different from Milne's Pooh. Sometimes he even comes across as overly clever, which is not in character.

When I asked young people in China, I found that more seemed to admire Confucius than Lao Zi. Let me devote the rest of my review to explaining that, in light of Hoff's depiction of both.

If Pooh disses Owl, you can't blame him because (1) He's a stuffed animal; (2) It's funny; and (3) Hoff is critiquing archeotypes, not individuals. When Zhuang Zi disses Confucius, the second two excuses also apply: there's a bit of sectarian edge, but it's more Saturday Night Live than Inquisition. When Hoff steps out of character to diss "dissicated" intellectual types, there's a bit of humor, but it's harder to draw the line between fair critique and cheap shot.

The truth is, lots of "owls" are reasonable people. Confucius was one: he loved music, took disciples hiking, and admitted when he didn't know something. And lots of "Poohs" can't tell their heads from the hole in a honey jar, making them not cute and wise, but common, ignorant gluttons.

But this is a critique of Taoism in general, not just Hoff, and certainly not Pooh. This is why Taoism was never "the Way" in China. There was a reaction, often a healthy one, to the Lao-Zhuang philosophy. It's the weakness of early Taoist philosophy -- reflected by Hoff's over-generalizations and over-simplicities -- that it did not make the difference clear. Folk Taoism ran off in one diametrically different direction -- as Hoff appears not to know, but probably does -- and Buddhists and Confucius' more proper and stuffy disciples (who often did live down to the caricature) in another. Each had its up side and its down side. Imagine Pooh singing and philosophizing cheerfully at the still-warm grave of Piglet: that's Zhuang Zi, at one point.

The world would be poorer without Pooh, and much poorer without the aphorisms of Lao Zi and the stories of Zhuang Zi. They don't make a full philosophy of life, but they do make part of one; and Hoff's little book is a good, sometimes flawed and sometimes too accurate, but often fun, introduction.

It is true that Hoff seems to display a certain "dislike" or "bias" against things that go against his vision of the Tao, but overall, this is a wonderful, enjoyable book that gets across in a rather easy and simple manner some ideas central to Taoism, especially when it uses quotes from the Tao Te Ching in explaining Pooh's actions.

In fact, I have used several quotes from the book in a compilation of useful Taoist guides towards the right Path:

Simple Tao:
http://www.blueboard.com/tao/

This elegant and well-written volume by Benjamin Hoff, along with its sequel âaeThe Te of Pigletâ, is perhaps one of the finest pieces of writing about Taoism in the West. Having just read and enjoyed the original Pooh stories by A.A. Milne, I became intrigued by this book and obtained it. As soon as I opened it I could not find a good point to lay it down. I kept reading and reading until I finished it in a single day. The book was so pleasurable, so well-written, and so intriguing. I kept thinking and imagining all the different concepts of Taoism that this book introduces me to. âaeWu Weiâ or effortless action; living in harmony with nature; Nowhere and Nothing; the importance of the present; the extreme alienation we in the West create for ourselves by being constantly busy. These are all important issues that relate to my life personally, and I feel I have gained something from reading this book, in addition to spending an enjoyable time reading it.

Those who didnâ(tm)t like this book for some reason are missing the point. The âaeTao of Poohâ was never meant to be the definite treatise on Taoism, or the dispassionate comparison of East and West. As a matter of fact, this book is classified under âaeHumorâ. In fact, it is this humor of pooh which lends itself so aptly to introducing Taoism. Since reading this book, I became interested in reading the other book by John Tyerman Williams called âaePooh & the Philosophersâ. What a disaster that turned out to be! See, the defining character of Pooh is that he never really takes himself seriously, which is perfectly in line with the attitude of major Taoist philosophers. Yet Western philosophy thinks of itself as a serious subject, an attitude that is quite un-Pooh-ish, so I donâ(tm)t know what on earth Williams was thinking in using Pooh to illustrate Western philosophy. Anyways, donâ(tm)t buy Williamâ(tm)s book, buy this! If you like Pooh and feel intrigued with Eastern Philosophy, you will find a pleasurable reading in this masterpiece that was the first to recognize this beautiful match.

I gave this book 3 stars because it reads easily enough, there are some insightful moments, and because it is fairly enjoyable with the exchange between the author and Pooh bear. But, this book is not recommended for anyone wanting to understand taoism. Much of the book contains almost bitter western bashing, or the condemning of certain modes of life, which does not actually help to reinforce taoist concepts. There are portions that read more like rants, even.

Apparently, Taoism is about lazy, bitter Westerners superficially embracing Eastern mysticism in order to boost their own egos - and then cashing in on a beloved childhood icon to make a quick buck.

Hoff does a reasonable job of using actual quotations from Pooh to illustrate various simple points, but his depiction of Taoism ends up being a collection of empty mantras that have no relationship to real life, where people frequently have both aspirations and problems. Do you want to work towards a career where you can make a difference for people? Hoff's answer is "don't strive - just be". Upset about global inequality and mass starvation? "Cottlestone Pie".

Hoff blatantly misreads Pooh to tell us that knowledge and science bring nothing but trouble - as he puts it, discovering things only leads to more questions, so what's the point? He even rants against jogging and tennis. Better to remain ignorant and immobile - although complaining bitterly seems to be an acceptable activity.

These books were refreshing and simplistic views of spiritualism that provids the reader and new opportinity to reexamine and reaffirm their spirituality

The Woo Wei is in every line. Clever and accurate. Coming back to childhood of adults.

The Tao of Pooh is a book about Taoism. It takes Winnie the Pooh, and his friends and uses them to describe and explain a few eastern religions. Mostly it centers on Taoism but it also talks about Buddhism, and Confucianism.

Winnie the Pooh (Taoism) is without knowledge to cloud his mind and making things too complicated so he can find solutions that help him in the way he needs them to. He is not clever like Rabbit, who can cause quickly formed and misconceived intentions, he could conceive a solution but since he would have conceived it so quickly he doesn't have time to think if that was what he really wanted to do or if that was right. He isn't over-thought like Owl (Confucianism) which is to make him feel a boundary, to make him feel superior and higher than others, since he is being clouded by knowledge, he can't see the answer for what its good for, only how he can put him self above the others with that answer. Also there is Eeyore who is seeing a negative side to everything, never seeing for what its good for. Clouded by the negatives he can't see what he can use to help him.

I really liked the Tao of Pooh. It showed me a lot about eastern religion. I think that being a Taoist for a day could help everyone relax and feel the natural flow of things. This book showed me a good way to think and I think I might think in that way.

I love this book. It isn't dogmatic and it doesn't so much alter one's thinking as it does challenge someone to pay attention to the nature of individual perception. Perception is not as it's claimed "everything" but it does go a long way toward shaping how a person views the world, and Pooh is simply a master of life. What else can you say?

I read this book in high school as part of epistemology course. It is very easy to understand the basic principles of taoism through the ideas of pooh and his friends. I suggest this book for all philospohy students.

For those of you who are curious about this book and may be turned off by some of the "negative" comments, allow me to offer my humble opinion. I think that those people who did not like this book or felt it did not explain taoism, just really don't get the point. Taoism most certainly isn't something you seek and seek and then get frustrated at not finding, then angry, and then seek and seek. Taoism seen especially through Pooh's eyes and actions (or should I say "inactions") comes so near the mark to beginning to understand this ancient philosophy of harmonious existence on earth with the earth, and the duality of all things. I highly recommend this book for that open minded, non-judgemental, person open to the concept that indeed anything is possible...too many of us are so grounded in what we "absolutely know to be fact", when in reality anything in this universe is truly possible. Please explore this book on your path. I also highly recommend the companion book to this, The Te of Piglet, which delves ever more into taoism.

I first read this book when I was 19 years old - you always think you know who you are at that age, but you still have so much to learn.

using characters that I have always been familiar with, this book really shows you how to let go of stress and aspire to be, well, Pooh.

Depression, anxiety, stress, insecurity? Don't go to the doctor, take hold of your life and find your inner peace. This book is perfect for indroducing someone to the way.

Not since "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" have I labored so much to get through a book. I finally quit at page 35, unable to go on. A complete non-sequitur, stream of consciousness mess, best describes this book. Why this publication came so highly acclaimed I will never know. Do yourself a favor........if you feel inclined to give it a read, go to your local library. The paper and ink has already been wasted, don't waste your money too. A better title would be, "The Tao of Poop".

I picked up this book because it seemed so charming. The author took the stories and characters of A.A. Milne and juxtaposed them with the Taoist teachings of people such as Lao Tzu.

Pooh as western Taoist starts off interestingly enough but halfway through it I came to the realization that it was making me want to just read the actual Milne, who was frankly probably a genius writer. Those were great books with great characters, each with their own type of intelligence.

Then about two thirds through the book, it just becomes insulting. The author is against pretty much anything useful. Rather than believing in the give and take of Ying and Yang (or any other name it may go under) he's against intellectuals who are secretly foolish for trying to figure anything about the world, against people who work hard and care about their jobs or contributions (again that's just foolish), people who enjoy sports or exercise...heck he's against leaving your house or caring about the rest of the world. I understand the idea behind the Busy Backson rant, but is there no middle ground at all?
The idea of the Indian American culture being superior to that of the almighty Puritans is used as an example, which could be built upon in several interesting ways, but instead the author chooses to illustrate how everything that came after was just silliness without supplying a single idea about how it could be done better...yet useful.

At one point he actually uses the example of (paraphrasing here) turning on the T.V. news to hear "`Thirty thousand people were killed today when five jumbo airliners collided over downtown Lose Angeles" *click* Stop worrying about everything and go about life. Listen to the birds chirp, they will tell you more about the world." ---wait, we shouldn't care about thirty thousand humans being killed in a horrific accident?

I am in no way an expert on Taoism, but unless everyone who IS finds that idea posing as a representation of their philosophy to be offensive, I want nothing to do with it. It isn't enlightened to go around hating everything while doing nothing. And I'm sure the author realizes this since he spends so much time writing best=selling books.

"The Tao of Pooh" is a good book as an introduction to Taoism. The book does not only present Taoism in a very simple way; the involvement of Pooh makes the book very enjoying.

I was afraid that this book will assume some knowledge about Pooh, which I have only watched a handful of time - a couple of years ago. Thankfully the book only uses characters of Pooh to present the ideas, rather than make this another Pooh story.

I've been through this book a few times now. I admit that Pooh seems a good Taoist, if I remember my theology classes right. I will also go so far as to say that the book amuses from time to time. Where the book falls short in my opinion is the narrator's tone.

Mr. Hoff's contrasts between Taoist and Judeo-Christian approaches to life invariably give the air of self-satisfaction one so often finds in Western converts to Eastern religion. It is this pall of smug (apologies to Trey Parker and Matt Stone) that makes the book progressively more annoying as the pages turn.

I'd give it 3 or 4 stars for accuracy and explanation, were it not for the tone.

As a professional Taoist Arts instructor for over thirty years, I can only stand back and gaze in awe at this little book, wondering exactly WHERE Mr. Hoff received his inspiration from.

Like most wonderful things in life, this piece of literature is simplicity itself. Lao Tzu himself, the "Old Man" of Taoism and the (debated) author of the centuries-old "Tao Te Ching" couldn't have done better.

I picked up a copy of "The Tao of Pooh" when it first came out in the early 80's, having no great expectations of its content or wisdom. Taoists HAVE no expectations. :>)

I read the entire book in one sitting. And wanted more.

Never have I come across a more accessible introduction to the philosophy of Taoism; indeed, I strongly suggest this book to all of my students and patients as a wonderful beginners guide to the realm of the Tao. It's a non-threatening, non-preachy book filled with wisdom beyond measure.

My only complaint? I've had to buy several more copies to replace the ones I've worn out...

Telling us how great your philosophy is? Awesome.

Telling us how terrible other ways are? A bit heavy-handed, mayhaps.

ok so i heard about this book through the fx tv series "rescue me" where it was made reference to. i really want to read it now since i have an interest in philosophy. it was said on the show "your taking life lessons from a semi retared bear" which was kinda funny. i didnt really know this book was real.

I've always loved Winnie the Pooh, ...so I browsed around in the book store and ran across this book. When I opened it, I couldn't put it down. Who would have ever thought that inside a sweet children's story could be so much depth? Benjamin Hoff is a genious. He takes me down a river of patient thought. You'll love this, no matter where you are in life. A "have to read it at least once" book.

This book is truly heart warming. Whether you are interested in Taoism or just a little introspection, this book can help you to have a good time.

I don't know, nor do I pretend to know, the intricate workings of Taoism. But then, I didn't set out to write a book. I'm merely writing a book review.

Benjamin Hoff, regardless of his knowing the intricate workings of Taoism, comes off as pretending. At the very least, he talks the talk but fails to walk the walk. How can I say that, given my self-announced lack of knowledge? Hoff explains, quite clearly, one of the tenets of Taoism is to accept things precisely as they are. He then goes on to reject the other Pooh characters as they are. Instead, he proceeds to disparage them for not having the simplicity of Pooh. Likewise, he starts his book by doing the same of other religions.

The book reads like it was originally written to be a Taoism for Dummies book. By adding Pooh, the book becomes much more than that for Hoff. The book is annoying at times, having parables that sometimes work, other times not; occasionally coming from random space and not speaking to the point at hand. The author assumes we just GET it. But isn't the point of the book to explain, to make clear what might not be obvious to those not immersed in the subject matter already? It's hard to believe this is anything but a book for beginners. As such, he should treat the reader as such. Other times the points are illustrated well with the Pooh stories.

The book is too judgmental and critical of those not accepting The Way, which is in direct conflict with another of the tenets of the book - Cottleston Pie, for those who have read it. This lack of acceptance is bothersome. Overall, I guess things are NOT what they are, in the mind of Benjamin Hoff. Additionally, Pooh is often times omniscient and judgmental, qualities I would never imagine to label the cute little guy.

Many of the ideas expressed in this book embody things I currently believe. The text often reinforces those beliefs, other times expands upon them. However, as mentioned above, it makes me wonder at the style of the message delivered. On one hand, it's probably a good intro to the subject matter, regardless of your religious & philosophical beliefs. On the other hand, the book can't be taken too seriously due to the blatant hacking at the philosophies and beliefs of others. Still, the core of the book does entail a much ideology that helps get a person through everyday life. So it's probably well worth the read if you take the good and ignore the bad.

Most books with the word "Tao" in their title have nothing to do with the Tao. THE TAO OF POOH actually explores the Tao and its finer points in a simple and delightful way. Hoff shows a deep understanding of ancient Taoist principles and presents them in the nurturing environment of A.A.Milne's classic WINNIE-THE-POOH. Very creative, and a fine introduction to the teachings of Lao Tzu. Of benefit to readers of all ages.

Benjamin Hoff's job comparing the lovable characters of the One Hundred Acre Woods to Taoism may be a stretch to some, but I found it delightful and very helpful. First of all, I taught Ancient History including the great world religions to sixth graders (roughly 11-12 year olds). I took some examples from the book and its theme and integrated them into my teaching on China and Taoism. The concepts in many of the great eastern religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Hinduism, etc. can be hard for many in the West to grasp, not to mention adolescents just being introduced to them. The comparisons in this book really allowed my students to absorb the overall theme of Taoism.

The two comparisons I love that Hoff gives:

1) How the Taoist tastes vinegar and unlike the rest, enjoys it because he realizes that everything in life is not sweet (Balance).
2) I also taught a character education class and this theme was particularly helpful: you should seek to live everyday of your life like you are about to open a present. That anticipation and excitement should be driving forces in your life. No matter how bad your day/ week/ month is there should always be a "present" to look forward to on your calendar. And when that event is over, there should be something else to keep in your mind; a new, exciting anticipation. It is a never ending cycle.

You don't have to be a Taoist to appreciate this book.

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.

The Tao of Pooh is a book comparing the ways of Pooh and his friends to Taoism. The author, Benjamin Hoff, tells this story with three differnent views. It holds stories of Taoism ways, excerpts from Pooh stories by A.A. Milne and him sitting and talking to Pooh himself.
My favorite parts of this book were any that included the original Pooh stories. I felt I was able to get closer to the characters. I also liked when I was able to piece together how the ways of Tao and Pooh fit. One more thing I liked was the fact that this book made me think about things in a differnt perspective.
Unless you'd like to get a headache I wouldn't recommened this book to you. The game of toss between the stories will boggle your brain. It goes from classic A.A. Milne stories to Taoist lengends to the author talking with Pooh himself. If you want to learn a thing about Taoism compared to the lovable Winnie the Pooh you should read it. Overall though I would stay away from this book if possible, you might regret it.

To see the behavior and mindset of Winnie the Pooh as representative of the Great Way is one thing; "just as he is," as one might say, even though as a fictional character Pooh is a secondary representation of sentient being-in-reality. That is to say, he exists only in our imagination as a construction of language but does not exist in the real world. He is an illusion; yet he can serve as an imagined role model of sentience, perhaps even of enlightenment if we choose to dream him as such.

But one should not confuse unenlightened ignorance with the sentience of non-duality no matter how childlike Pooh appears in his textual innocence. In fact, the very comparison jumps the track from The Tao into the trap of duality just as we all do here. I suppose we can excuse Benjamin Hoff as being "a finger pointing at the moon" despite that this allegorical attempt never gets the honey jar off its nose.

In the initial chapters, Hoff's treatment of science lacks a clear understanding of how capable many scientists are of simply observing natural phenomena, sometimes even in a Taoist or Zen Buddhist way. Einstein even described Buddhism, related to Taoism, as the perfect way of the scientist. Hoff was in his early 30s when he wrote this book and I wonder what he would say about science now that he is in his 50s with more maturity and skilled practice in the true art of living simply and "polishing the mirror" of his mind. In fact, any cognitive therapist or self-explored practitioner of meditation, whether Taoist or otherwise, can easily recognize the fallacies of "gross generalization" and "minimization" that he dualistically applies while erroneously committing science to the pejorative categories he falsely constructs somewhere in his own fogged mirror. As a practitioner of Zen, I found this ironic -- that he criticized science and scientists alike -- in fact he seemed to criticize all scholars and/or "thinkers" -- for being uselessly enthralled to their own narrowly labeled "categories" when in fact he was committing the very same egregiously unenlightened thinking errors with his own projected, biased, dualistic and overly simplistic categories.

This is not to say that the scientist never misses the forest for the trees -- which seemed to be his point. But in making it, he appeared in denial of the trees while condescendingly instructing the learned on the forest -- a mistake made by many a novice in the art of becoming effectively and truely aware.

At first I suspected he, like so many others, was unwittingly revealing himself a phony -- a tree trimmer by trade who seemed unconsciously jealous of scientists for their degrees, "knowledge" and learning. Certainly Emanuel Kant would be laughing his ass off. Of Kant's five recognized epistemological methods for knowing truth -- Tenacity, Authority, Experience, Reason and Science -- the young Benjamin Hoff seems to have fallen into the traps of the lower levels of "knowing" -- Tenacity, Authority and (unfortunately, unenlightened) Experience -- without recognizing that each of the five should be integrated, each supporting the others, and used as *tools* in coming to "Right Thinking" in the Great Universal "Way."

Poor Pooh! He is mistaken for one of the Holy Ones, a person of compassion and wisdom, a sentient being given to countless ways of loving kindness, a Bodhisattva, when in fact, if Pooh were real, he is being exploited and abused in the allegory crammed cerebral cortex of Been-Jamin' Hoff in Taoist drag.

This book is for beginners written by a beginner. Watch out for traps! Old Lao-tzu should have slapped this student with his staff right into the river alongside Eyore....."just as he is."

First I have to address the 1 star reviews... were you reading the same book? How did you get all this negitivity from a simple book? Hoff isn't knocking anyone, if you read the book there's a whole section dedicated to the feeling that everyone has a place in life. The "Owls" The "Tiggers" The "Rabbits" ect... he's not saying that these are bad qualities just that too much "Rabbit" or too much "Eeyore" can be bad. It seems to me the people who gave this book a one star are exactly the people who this author is trying to get across too, it's your own pre judgements that don't allow you to enjoy this book.

That being said this is a wonderful book, I've always been a huge Pooh fan and I've always used these characters to discribe people. Everyone knows a "Eeyore" and a "Owl" and so on, and in some regards everyone has a "Piglet" part of them or a "Tigger" That's all this book is saying, the sooner you realize it the better. Hoff isn't saying if your a "Owl" change because you won't ever be happy. He's saying the sooner you know who you are and accept you for you, the happier you'll be. The sooner you can "Let go" of the things that we all get wrapped up in, the happier you'll be. It's a shame when people can't see that.

I was holed up in a hospital bed when I recieved this book. A friend thought that I was wallowing in self pity and wanted me to get a grip so this is what she brought me. The Tao of Pooh incorporates the teachings of Taoism and the great Lao Tzu who believed that people should be able to look at things and appreciated the beauty of its being and note the positives. Pooh bear and his friends make light of the Tao teachings by explaining simplicity, happiness, relaxation, and just not worrying or being overly concerned about trivial matters. Pooh is the perfect creature to explain this because he is just a simple bear who is laid back and gentle. Pooh does not worry about matters but just lets life flow and is grateful for his honey and his friends. Taoism reflects on the way to an understanding of concious simplicity and peace. Its a way to joy and mindfulness which is the ultimate keys to living well. This book is such a nice read since it includes picture of the characters to highlight points, and its narrator explains things simply since after all its the child like pooh who is the student. It really eased my mind and I have since tried to use some of these teachings in my life.

I respectfully disagree with Penny - this is the greatest explanation of the unexplainable that I have ever seen. Get it if you're a Taoist, interested in Tao, or just going through a rough patch. With humor and taste the author brings a basic understanding of the belief system and brightens the darkest day. Wonderful read!

This book was recommended to me early in my quest for information about Taoism, Buddhism, and Eastern thought in general. I kept anticipating that the next page might offer something of value, but I found myself at the end of the book and amazed that it was recommended at all. Maybe it was because I didn't grow up with Winnie the Pooh, or maybe it was because I already knew something - and believe me, it wasn't much - about Taoism.

In any event, this book is definitely not for you if you're seriously seeking, even if you are an absolute beginner and know nothing about the subject. It might be interesting for someone who just loves Winnie the Pooh and has HEARD of Taoism. It left me scratching my head and wondering, "What is the purpose of this book, and who is the intended audience?".

A great introductory book about Taoism presented in an accessible and fun way to the Western reader.

I don't think that one will necessarily get a sense of the depth of the Tao from this book, but they will certainly begin to know its spirit.

More enjoyable than a textbook and can be read in an afternoon.

Like a lot of people, I first read this book way back in high school. I seem to recall it being at the prompting of the same English teacher who pushed Hesse's Siddhartha on me. And, like Siddhartha, the Tao of Pooh served to pique my curiousity in regard to a religion/philosophy I knew little about. But, also like Siddhartha, I didn't find myself either learning or retaining much about said philosophy. (Which may say more about my high school lifestyle than it does about the merits of either of these books.)

So I set this book aside and, after a short time, set Taoism aside as well. 10+ years later, I've found myself re-evaluating Taoism and basically trying to read every Taoistic-related text I can get my hands on. (To be sure, an incorrect approach to Taoism, but I'm a reading junky). Which led me back to the Tao of Pooh. Which I found myself enjoying just as much as I did back in high school but which also, I suppose surprisingly, *does* have rather more to say in re: Taoism than I'd thought.

Certainly there are no revelations here that won't be found elsewhere. But Hoff does present the core elements of Taoism in a fairly lucid, clear and, above all, entertaining way. Yes, he doesn't paint the most charitable portrait of Confucianism (but neither did Chuang Tzu) or Buddhism, but I never get the sense that he's really bashing either religion.

I do think that having a bit of a background in Taoism helps with this book. Maybe a translation or two of the Tao Te Ching, Chuang Tzu, something by Alan Watts perhaps. Just to give you a grounding in the ideas that Hoff is throwing out. Then you'll be able to recognize them and appreciate the charming spin that Hoff puts on them. But, having said that, this isn't the worst introduction to Taoism - it could certainly spark your interest enough to want to check out some more authoritative sources.

In short, I'd recommend this as a good second-tier text on Taoism. One that's quite charming and very readable, but not neccessarily the first source you'd want to consult.

In "The Tao of Pooh", Benjamin Hoff uses the personalities of the characters in A. A. Milne's tales to illustrate Taoism alongside some competing worldviews.

The characters can divided into 3 categories of personality and philosophy: Rabbit/Owl, Eeyore, and Pooh.

Rabbit quickly develops and executes clever action plans that don't capture the essence of a given situation and usually go awry. Similar to Rabbit in terms of being too clever by half, Owl pontificates and analyzes and never actually does anything. Eeyore is also clever in his own way, but interprets everything negatively and is bitter and ineffectual. Whereas Pooh ambles along without the brains of the others, but with a stout heart, and muddles through to contentment.

Rabbit/Owl together embody logical analysis, clever planning, and ceaseless but largely misdirected hard work. The aim of all their analysis and effort is to exert maximum control over outcomes by actively 'understanding' and intervening in every situation. In the Eastern tradition, this approach corresponds to Confucianism, a very rigid and circumscribed approach to achieving harmony. In the Western tradition, the Rabbit/Owl approach seems very familiar, as the general attempt to organize and control our physical and social environments with logical tools and techniques is integral to the Western experience. The Rabbit/Owl approach regrets the past and worries about the future.

Eeyore represents knowing resignation. The aim of this hopelessness, and the ensuing lack of commitment and activity, is to shield oneself emotionally from the risk and reality of failure. In the Eastern tradition, this approach corresponds to Buddhism, which counsels that our world is illusion and suffering, and the best response is to actively disengage from it all. In the Western tradition, the Eeyore approach can be construed as loosely analogous to the easy cynicism and disengagement of the many people who are alienated by the overbearing and omnipresent Rabbit/Owl aspects of society. The Eeyore approach sees endless failure in the past and inevitable failure in the future.

Pooh, on the other hand, embodies warm-hearted, inclusive, and spirited enjoyment of what's happening in the moment. He unconsciously embodies the fact that we cannot control the infinitely complex interplay of forces and events out there, so the healthiest response to this overwhelming reality is to be true to our inner nature and in so doing, accept being part of the great flow of things. In the Eastern tradition, Pooh's approach is Taoist. He does not worry about the past. He does not worry about the future. He simply is himself, now, enthusiastically. He is simply honest and true to his friends and to his own nature. To Pooh, 'things are as they are', and do not need constant worry, analysis, self-doubt, and striving, unlike the flustered Confucian-Rabbits. But at the same time, he is quite engaged in the world, unlike the fatalistic Buddhist-Eeyores. When he wants hunny, he goes about getting it, quite tenaciously at times. When he wants to help a drowning Roo or Eeyore, he rushes to save them with whatever's handy. And so on.

"The Tao of Pooh" is overall a charming read. Hoff does a good job of maintaining the whimsical tone of the original Pooh tales, painlessly conveying some fairly abstruse concepts about the nature of reality and perception.

To be fair, it should be noted that there's a bit of apocalyptic sermonizing at the very end, to the effect that the Owls and Rabbits of the world will destroy everything if we don't learn a better way to be. Also some readers will construe Hoff's periodic mild teasing of the Rabbit/Owl way as irritating intolerance, hypocritically un-Taoist. Personally, I do not take his teasing that way at all; Taoist hermits probably did not show much deference to the great Confucian bureaucrats of their day! To me, these are minor and forgivable blemishes in a book that otherwise has a deft, light touch, though not as light as the childlike wisdom of the Way that it hopes to explain.

I bought this book in '95, and re read it about once a year. If you want a simple, wonderful introduction to how life can be, you might want to read this book.

I do not agree with the other reviewers in this thread, who say this book is against the western lifestyle. The author does have criticism about the western civilisation, and if you think about it, it all does make sense.

Thanks to this book I have found my path, and inner peace that goes with it. It has so many treasures inside, that I cannot even begin to mention them all...

Hoff's general premise is that Winnie-the-Pooh is a wonderful embodiment of some of the fundamental principles of taoism. If he limited himself to that discussion, the book would have been a much better read - he really does do a nice job of developing that theme.
Unfortunately, Mr. Hoff's un-tsaoist ego attempts to get in the way, especially, when he attempts to give direct "life lessons" to his readers (as opposed to allowing his readers to draw them from the anecdotes he desribes). Mr. Hoff at that point begins to evince a "more buddhist, and thus cooler, than thou" attitude in these portions of the book, and in the process reveals a lot of judgmentalism and close-mindedness. A minor example that I happen to recall: at some length, he belittles people who are devoted to exercise as being driven by some sort of vanity-driven compulsion. That may be true in some cases, but Hoff illustrates no ability to comprehend that some people may enjoy the act of running, or walking, or biking, or whatever, simply for itself (something the tao favors). If we all were truly at peace with ourselves, I guess we'd be attempting to package our personal spirituality for material gain like Hoff.