In one of my English classes last quarter, a fellow student said her favorite book was a short little novel from the 1980s called The Tao of Pooh. Over break, I decided I needed something light to read, so I picked up this novel by Benjamin Hoff.
I went to Borders to buy the book, where both the information desk clerk and the checkout stand clerk literally exclaimed with excitement when they saw the book I picked out. “You’ll love this book,” one of them told me.
So in starting Hoff’s book, my expectations were already high. Luckily, I was not disappointed when I finished reading this book. The Tao of Pooh is short — my copy is a paperback and only 158 pages long. It’s an easy book to read in one sitting, or to pick up and put back down for some leisurely reading, too.
The premise is perfectly simple: Hoff writes of the principles of Taoism (pronounced DAO-ism) through a familiar Western symbol of childhood, Winnie the Pooh.
With A.A. Milne’s anthropomorphized animals acting as characters in The Tao of Pooh, Hoff is able to hold conversations with Pooh, Owl, Piglet and all the rest. Additionally, Hoff excerpts favorite stories from The House at Pooh Corner to illustrate the dominant tenets of Taoism.
Through the eyes of Hoff and Pooh, Taoism seems quite appealing as a way of life. As one of the predominant three Asian religions, Taoists do not believe that life is bitter, like Buddhists, or that life is sour, like Confucianism’s followers.
Instead, Taoists try to appreciate life for what it is, leaving a sweet taste in the mouth, as opposed to sour or bitter.
The back cover of the book puts this a different way: “While Eeyore frets, and Piglet hesitates, and Rabbit calculates, and Owl pontificates, Pooh just is.”
Pooh, as a symbol for the joys of childhood, captures the spirit of Taoism in his sometimes-hapless but always well-intentioned actions.
Pooh personifies simplicity, which Taoism preaches. He values spontantiety, and he is able to enjoy his quiet time.
Filled with the original illustrations from Milne’s Pooh books, it’s fun to revisit the world of Pooh all over again. Remember the story of hunting a Heffalump or of Tigger losing his Bounce in the Forest?
Those stories, and many others, make the Tao of Pooh a worthwhile read. I highly recommend a return back to the days of Pooh.
— Amy Korst
The Tao of Pooh by Amy Korst
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