Tao of Pooh and Te of Piglet Boxed Set

by Benjamin Hoff

Tao of Pooh and Te of Piglet Boxed Set

book data

1498 ratings, 4.08 average rating, 186 reviews (more data...)

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published

November 1st 1994 (first published 1992) by Penguin (Non-Classics)

binding

Paperback

isbn

014095144X (isbn13: 9780140951448)

description

Is there such thing as a Western Taoist? Benjamin Hoff says there is, and this Taoist's favorite food is honey. Through brilliant and witty dialogue w...more

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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 1838)

All ratings | 5 stars (566) | 4 stars (562) | 3 stars (294) | 2 stars (67) | 1 star (16) | avg 4.08

all | this edition

Katie

Katie rated it:

02/07/08

I read this book late one night in a drafty garage three weeks ago when I was in California for my aunt's funeral. I read in the garage because there were people literally sleeping in every room of my dad's house---on the floors, in the hallways---it was impossible to find a place after 9:45 where I could turn a light on without disturbing anybody. It was the only thing I could find to do as my computer was out of juice and the only other reading material was a TIME magazine from the early 90s...more

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Clint

Clint rated it:

08/30/07

As if the Tao of Pooh weren't enough, the Te of Piglet had to come along. And as if that weren't enough, there's a boxed set. A boxed set?! This is not the Velevet Underground, this is self-consciously wacky pseudo philisophical bullshit! Where's my razors, I feel the urge to flee this world for good.

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Kelly

Kelly added it

10/25/08

everyone should read this

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Manzoid

Manzoid rated it:

07/28/08

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 ne...more 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....less

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Skyler

Skyler rated it:

07/31/08

Read in December, 1995

Brilliant.

My first book on Eastern philosophy, and it will probably hold a special place forever. This is a charming walk through basic concepts of Confucianism, Buddhism, and (of course) Taoism. By using many examples from A. A. Milne's books and crafting a few first-person interactions with the characters himself, Hoff relates the brilliant simplicity of Taoist life.

This book is extremely easy to read and an excellent starter philosophy book for anyone, even 'tweens. While I do not ...more

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Kyle

Kyle rated it:

04/12/08

Has a copy to sell/swap — Read in November, 1990

These books started me down the path to reading more philosophical/non-fiction fare. They're so simple, and express the tenets of the ancient Chinese philosophy of taoism through A.A. Milne's central childhood icons - Winnie-the-Pooh and his pal, Piglet.

The Tao of Pooh is still my favorite. It's so clean and clear with its allegories and parallels between Milne's depictions of Pooh and taoism's central ideas. Hoff's writing is playful and comical, yet really drives home the point o...more

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Adam

Adam rated it:

03/24/08

Read in March, 2008

An amusing read, although its perspective was a little one-sided. The intrusion of Pooh characters into his discussion make it infinitely more entertaining--the little critters are all so incorrigibly British! Many of his statements about Western culture, religion and philosophy are overly dismissive and simpleminded (though I think Hoff would take that last criticism as a compliment). The humor was heavy-handed at times but usually amusing.
I read this because I wanted to develop a basic unde...more

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Janet

Janet rated it:

04/06/08

The Tao of Pooh is a great read if you don't know anything about Buddhism (well, Taoism) and you want to begin to understand it. But it's funny and interesting to read anyway, even if you're not that interested in Taoism and early Eastern Philosophies. The author uses Winnie the Pooh to relate Taoist principles to everyday life. I laughed out loud at parts (like the Busy Backson) and our obsession with consumerism and keeping up appearances. I can now categorize people into group of Winnies,...more

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Philip

Philip rated it:

04/22/07

bookshelves: currently-reading

Has a copy to sell/swap — Read in April, 2007

recommends it for: everyone and anyone

I can hardly sit still and focus without having to get up and move around. I lose my concentration quite easily. The Tao Of Pooh is incredible in that it gives insight into Taoism through the timeless childhood character of Winnie the Pooh and his friends. I easily forget how small things should be timeless and never taken for granted, and Pooh constantly applies to his life whether he is giving Eeore a jar of honey or going to see Piglet or Rabbit.

I would recommend this book to anyone ...more

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John

John rated it:

05/05/08

Read in January, 1998

The best primer course on Taoism available to any open-minded product of western civilization. Also, the best follow-up to the AA Milne collection of Winnie The Pooh stories. And although I like to think of The Tao of Pooh and The Te of Piglet as the same book anyway, they really are different. The latter is one of the most moving environmental reads since Rachel Carson's Silent Spring. My friend Michelle has opined that these two are the best books in the world. There is a short list that I won...more

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Diane

Diane rated it:

08/24/08

Read in August, 2008

recommended to Diane by: Stuckey

I am giving this book only four stars because I think I could read it over and over again and get something new out of it everytime. I will wait for a few reads before I give it five. It was, ironically sugggested to me by someone that had no idea of all of the other new discoveries in my life. It follows many of the other avenues I am exploring and has inspired me to actually purchase the Tao te Ching.

It will put all of life back into perspective for you and remind to you that you alrea...more

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Sivyu

Sivyu rated it:

11/20/08

Read in July, 2007

Cute little intro to Taoism.

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Aaron

Aaron added it

11/20/08

a must read

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Matt

Matt rated it:

07/22/07

Read in January, 2002

recommends it for: anyone who wishes to remember what it felt like to be a child

wonderfully warm. it feels like cuddling up on a cozy chair underneath a toasty blanket, sipping a tasty cup of hot chocolate on a snowy winter evening. or exploring a large tree on a warm, breezy spring day and realizing that your curiosity has lead you into quite a dangerous predicament but then taking a deep breath and feeling a large smile curl across your face as you realize how much fun you're having.
A small, easily digesed book that stays w/ you like a deliciously healthy meal.

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Sam

Sam rated it:

07/30/07

bookshelves: favorites

recommends it for: people interested in eastern philosophy or life

this book is filled with humor and insight into an interesting creed, Toaism. But I feel the best part is how Pooh and all the animals of A.A. Milne's books are in the book and actually help explain toaism quiet well. Its a quick read, i got it done in about a day, while i was doing other things as well. I also have started the Te of Piglet this morning and am on page 40. Really fast, really fun, might change your outlook on somethings.

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Beth

Beth rated it:

04/16/08

bookshelves: love-philosophy

recommended to Beth by: Marshall Mock, I think
recommends it for: Thinkers

This is one I re-read from time to time and find new and different meanings each time. It's a really easy read, or a deep one ... depending on your state of mind as you read it.

After I read The Tao of Pooh and the Te of Piglet, I wrote a Baha'i version called "The Spiritual Assembly of Pooh" designed to teach children about the structure of the governing body of the Faith. We made it into a play and it was all kinds of fun.

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Dan

Dan rated it:

07/18/07

Read in July, 2007

recommends it for: everyone

Using the Winnie the Pooh charecters as examples, Benjamin Hoff does a wonderful job of highlighting the importance of applying a Taoist philosophy in the modern world. Hoff's writing is clear and simple. He also uses many stories from Chinese texts to parallel the lessons learned in Pooh's stories. A fun, quick read that helps keep the important things in perspective during stressful times.

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Mollie

Mollie rated it:

11/19/08

Read in November, 2008

recommended to Mollie by: Walker Mills

I am loving this! An easy going read. I didn't read Pooh as a child - but I do still know the characters and would recommend this to anyone interested in Taoism or of understanding how to live a simpler life. It is a great and easy way to be introduced to the ideals of Taoism. I like it because it allows me to continue living the life of loving the simple things without feeling wrong!

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The Fox

The Fox rated it:

07/14/07

An excellent introductory book for anyone interested in Taoism or seeing the wisdom in everday life. It very easily takes an identifiable, understandable character and uses his thoughts, journeys, and adventures to elucidate the sometimes paradoxical and complex inner workings of this ancient philosophy. To anyone who has said to me "Taoism what's that" I would hand him/ her this book.

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Sarah

Sarah rated it:

10/30/08

Read in October, 2008

recommends it for: People who are open minded about other religions and philosophies

I don't know much about Taoism, but this book was an easy way to learn about the basic philosophies behind it. I really enjoyed Hoff's style of writing, and the way he implemented the Winnie the Pooh stories and the characters was entertaining. Though it didn't convice me that I needed to become a Taoist, I definitely took some good life principles from the book.

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