Source - Depop
“Lots of people talk to animals. Not very many listen, though.. That’s the problem.”
- Benjamin Hoff
Spirituality, the broad concept of a belief in something beyond oneself. It is a holistic belief in one’s connection to others and to the world as a whole. Benjamin Hoff in this children’s literature explains that a spiritual path can be traveled even in our most mundane activities.
If you seek a way to change your outlook towards life and enjoy reading about philosophies, this book is a great place to start.
Introduction
Book’s Name - The Tao of Pooh and the Te of Piglet
Author’s Name - Benjamin Hoff
Genre - Children’s Fiction
Language - English (20th Century Children’s British Literature)
Synopsis - Spoiler Alert!
The world’s most loved bear Winnie-the-Pooh has his own way of doing things which seem strangely close to the ancient principles of Taoist philosophy. The same way for Piglet, the ‘Te’, a Chinese word meaning virtue is what he relies on in times of distress. The very strength of virtue is embodied in this little creature possessing a special character.
The book has been divided into two parts- the first part consists chapters demonstrating Pooh as a childlike vulnerable character that wanders around asking silly questions, making up songs and goes on various adventures without accumulating any amount of intellectual knowledge.
Pooh has been portrayed as a character that has disregarded arrogance and embraced simplicity that comes from the ability to enjoy the quiet and plain and allows for spontaneity.
The second part of the book consists of chapters demonstrating a very small animal, Piglet, as brave not because he is small but also because he has a great heart.
The author explains that Taoism and Te is not an ancient and remote philosophy but something very useful to know and apply, anywhere and anytime. Hoff’s analysis in the book goes beyond Taoism and demonstrates the destructive nature of ‘anti-Tao’ Approach to the world.
About the Author
Source- Elizabeth Thorson
Benjamin Hoff is an American author and is best known for his books ‘The Tao of Pooh’ (1982) and ‘The Te of Piglet’ (1992). Both books are companions of each other that introduce the Eastern people’s beliefs of the Taoism system to Western readers.
The books have also been the international bestsellers of their times with having spent 49 and 59 weeks on the bestsellers list respectively.
Hoff grew up in a rural area outside Portland, Oregon and he spent most of his time outdoors observing animals and insects.
About the Book
Source- Amazon
The book is a compilation of Hoff’s bestseller works ‘The Tao of Pooh’ and ‘The Te of Piglet’. It was published in 2002 and embodies stories and uses characters from A.A. Milne’s children classics to illustrate the Taoist belief of living in harmony with nature.
It is written in a very unique and accessible manner that makes complex concepts easy to understand with the help from Pooh and his friends from the Hundred Acre Wood. The book also goes through other characters like, Tiger, Owl, Rabbit and Eeyore.
To not bore the readers, original line drawings by Ernest H. Shepard are illustrated in the book.
Themes Involved
Source- Medium
Taoism - A philosophy and religion understood as a system of beliefs, attitudes and practices towards a way of living in harmony with Tao, the ‘Way of Universe’, a particular way of appreciating, learning and working with whatever happens in everyday life.
It is the ‘path/way’ of understanding and accepting oneself leading to inner peace. The book puts a lot of emphasis on recognizing inner nature and working with things as they are - that nothing should be forced and what is worth doing requires minimal efforts.
Famous Quotes
“You can’t save time. You can only spend it. But you can spend it wisely or foolishly.”
“Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie, A fly can’t bird, but a bird can fly. Ask me a riddle and I reply: Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie.”
The Bottom Line
This is the type of book that different readers will take away different lessons from, depending on their individual mental state and stage of life. The book reads effortlessly, still being profound with a clear message: Fretting will not change the outcome of situations, it will only cause you to miss the beauty of every walking moment.
Though sometimes you may find yourself pondering much over what is written, it is a must read if you are hoping to understand the foundations of both Eastern and Western philosophies that this book provides in a simple yet effective way.
My ratings for the book - 4 on 5
Get your copy from Amazon - The Tao of Pooh and the Te of Piglet
Written By - Umme-Aiman
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