The Tao of Pooh

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search
The Tao of Pooh  
Taopooh.jpg
Author Benjamin Hoff
Illustrator Ernest H. Shepard
Language English
Genre(s) Taoism, Philosophy
Publisher Dutton Books
Publication date 1982
Pages 158
ISBN 0-525-24458-1
OCLC Number 8031952
Followed by The Te of Piglet

The Tao of Pooh is a book written by Benjamin Hoff. The book is an introduction to Taoism, using the fictional character of Winnie the Pooh. Hoff later wrote The Te of Piglet, a companion book.

Hoff uses Winnie the Pooh and the other characters from A. A. Milne's stories to explain the basic principles of philosophical Taoism. Winnie the Pooh, for example, represents the principles of Wu Wei, or Wei Wu Wei. The book also includes translated excerpts from various Taoist texts, from authors such as Lao Zi and Zhuang Zi.

The beginning of the book starts with a story about the vinegar tasters, which is an actual painting concerning Lao Zi, Buddha, and Confucius over a vat of vinegar. Then the story unfolds backing up this analogy.

The book was on the New York Times bestseller list for 49 weeks and is used as required reading in some college courses.[1][2][3][4]

Hoff wrote the book at night and on weekends while working as a tree pruner in the Portland Japanese Garden in Washington Park.[4]

Contents

[edit] Table of Contents

  1. Foreword (p. X)
  2. The How of Pooh? (p. 1)
  3. The Tao of Who? (p. 9)
  4. Spelling Tuesday (p. 23)
  5. Cottleston Pie (p. 37)
  6. The Pooh Way (p. 67)
  7. Bisy Backson (p. 91)
  8. That Sort of Bear (p. 115)
  9. Nowhere and Nothing (p. 141)
  10. The Now of Pooh (p. 153)
  11. Backword (p. 157)

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ "Mid and Far East Literature (ENGL. 332)". Marywood University. http://www.marywood.edu/english/hoffmanmidfarsyll.stm. Retrieved 2008-06-12. 
  2. ^ "Asian Studies 190 - Tao Reasoning". California State University, Long Beach. http://www.csulb.edu/~wweinste/ast190.html. Retrieved 2008-06-12. 
  3. ^ "Introduction to Philosophy PHIL 001.005" (PDF). University of Nevada, Reno. Spring 2008. http://www.unr.edu/philosophy/pdf/s101dl_sp.pdf. Retrieved 2008-06-12. 
  4. ^ a b Leigh Brown, Patricia (1992-11-29), Peace Is a Bookshelf Away, New York Times, http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE2D91431F93AA15752C1A964958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all, retrieved 2008-06-12 

[edit] External links