Helpful Score: 5
Probably one of my top twenty favorite & most recommended reads ... Beautiful!
Helpful Score: 4
Review copied from Amazon:
This book is based around the idea that A. A. Milne's stories of Winnie-The-Pooh can be used to illustrate the basic notions of Taoism. Hoff is not by any means arguing that Milne was a Taoist. He is merely saying that Milne's inner attitude to life, as revealed by the stories, intuitively follow along the same path as Taoism. Owl is wise, Rabbit is cleaver and Eeore is smugly superior but the real hero of the books is Pooh, the apparently stupid yet strangely successful and able bear.
The book covers the Taoist principles of:
Tao, or the indescribable Way of the universe,
P'u, or natural simplicity, the Uncarved Block,
Inner Nature, being those things that make us exactly who we are,
Wu Wei, or proceeding without doing, causing, or making,
Tzu Jan, or 'self so', meaning that things happen by themselves, spontaneously,
Tz'u, or caring and compassion, and,
T'ai Hsu, or the Great Nothing.
Along the way we learn the pitfalls of being too busy and the benefits of doing nothing (for example meditation and contemplation). Having read this I now try to arrange my day so that I can spend half an hour a day in my garden with my cat just doing nothing but observing nature and thinking the thoughts that come to mind. I recommend it to everyone.
This book is based around the idea that A. A. Milne's stories of Winnie-The-Pooh can be used to illustrate the basic notions of Taoism. Hoff is not by any means arguing that Milne was a Taoist. He is merely saying that Milne's inner attitude to life, as revealed by the stories, intuitively follow along the same path as Taoism. Owl is wise, Rabbit is cleaver and Eeore is smugly superior but the real hero of the books is Pooh, the apparently stupid yet strangely successful and able bear.
The book covers the Taoist principles of:
Tao, or the indescribable Way of the universe,
P'u, or natural simplicity, the Uncarved Block,
Inner Nature, being those things that make us exactly who we are,
Wu Wei, or proceeding without doing, causing, or making,
Tzu Jan, or 'self so', meaning that things happen by themselves, spontaneously,
Tz'u, or caring and compassion, and,
T'ai Hsu, or the Great Nothing.
Along the way we learn the pitfalls of being too busy and the benefits of doing nothing (for example meditation and contemplation). Having read this I now try to arrange my day so that I can spend half an hour a day in my garden with my cat just doing nothing but observing nature and thinking the thoughts that come to mind. I recommend it to everyone.
Helpful Score: 2
This book uses the characters of Pooh to teach in easily understandable language the philosopy of Taoism. It will delight people both new to this philosophy & those who have tried to follow this philosophy in their own life. The characters bring alive practical ways to weave the philosophy into everyday life.
Helpful Score: 2
Quick little read, great for a Sunday afternoon, in which the author explains the principles of Taoism as it relates to our old friend Winnie the Pooh and his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood. A bit silly at times, but all in all enjoyable read with very good examples pulled from the works of A.A. Milne and correlated to Taoist theory/belief.
Just finished this book and will be lending to someone. Loved it! Kind of childish simply because it uses Winnie the Pooh, however very adult in content (but appropriate)! I absolutely loved it, and I think that it has had a profound impact on my spiritual life.
I read it quite a while ago when I was on a spiritual kick. It was enjoyable and a very quick read.
Husband found it insipid, but philosophy major son thought it was okay.
This is a light and whimsical way to look at the principles of Tao. I thouroughly enjoy it every time I read it and while it is very entertaining it still gives you something to think about. Everytime I reread this book I find something new in it. A good read for anyone from young to old.
SImply put philosophy. Easily read. Nice book to read in pieces.
A must for the lovers of Pooh.
Light but thought provoking reading.
Explains the basic tenets of Taoism through the vehicle of Winnie-the-Pooh.
Fun for fans of Pooh, and educational too! I enjoyed it a lot.
fabulous!
Gentle philosophy presented in a sweet tone.
this was a cute entertaining read
The how of Pooh? The Tao of who? in which it is revealed taht one of the world's great Taoist masters isn't Chinese . . .
A book that inspires reflection--a quick but useful read.
Not my cup of tea.
I got three of them to pass out as gifts. I also memorized the song, Coddlestone pie. It teaches meditation.
Excellent!
One of my favorites of all time.
This is a clever little book that gets across what Tao means. And who can resist Pooh? I always thought this would be a good book for a philosophy course.
I read this book years ago and really loved.
I was so happy to find a copy of my own.
I really liked it the second time as well.
a great read
I was so happy to find a copy of my own.
I really liked it the second time as well.
a great read
oh sweet sweet pooh bear
Exllent I could not put it down.
This is actually a trade paperback. It was interesting, but Tao is not for me.
