Published by Dutton on 28 Jul 1983
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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 with the beloved Pooh-bear and his companions, the author of this smash bestseller explains with ease and aplomb that rather than being a distant and mysterious concept, Taoism is as near and practical to us as our morning breakfast bowl.
This is an aesthetically-pleasing pocket book that taps into nostalgia, though I must give the disclaimer that I never read Winnie-the-Pooh growing up (or ever). In The Tao of Pooh, Benjamin Hoff explains how Pooh embodies Tao philosophy, and he includes Pooh and his friends on this discovery by actually writing/speaking to them in dialogues interspersed with the rest of the text, as I'd imagine Christopher Robin might have spoken to them (again, I've never read Winnie-the-Pooh, so I can't say for sure).
However, I found the format of this writing very roundabout, and it took a bit of effort to read. I suppose I was hoping for a little more straightforward clarity with an informative non-fiction book like this, and I suppose it's my own fault for being a lazy reader! I would rather have read the original Winnie-the-Pooh by AA Milne. Perhaps I would have been more charmed by The Tao of Pooh if I was more familiar with Winnie-the-Pooh.
Further reading: Lessons in mindfulness from The Tao of Pooh -- a straightforward summary of lessons from the book. I would recommend just reading this article and reading the original Winnie-the-Pooh for fun.
