The Tao of Pooh

By: Benjamin Hoff

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 2 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Winner, Personal Development, 2013

Author Benjamin Hoff shows that the philosophy of Winnie-the-Pooh is amazingly consistent with the principles of Taoism and demonstrates how you can use these principles in your daily life.

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. Romp through the enchanting world of Winnie-the-Pooh while soaking up invaluable lessons on simplicity and natural living.

While Eeyore frets and Piglet hesitates and Rabbit calculates and Owl pontificates, Pooh just is. And that's the clue to the secret wisdom of the Taoists.

The Tao of Pooh is an international bestseller and the first Taoist-authored book in history to appear on bestseller lists, it remained on The New York Times’ bestseller list for 49 weeks.

©1982 Benjamin Hoff (P)2012 Tantor

Tough read for audio book

I read thus book (with eyes not ears) many years ago. It is a much better book in reading than audio.

You wise old Bear

this is an amazing book. I found it just after my dad passed away and it really helped me rethink a lot of things. it is also a great way to be introduced to Tao as it dose an amazing job going through many of the main points of the philosophy. so if you have ever had an intrest to learn about Tao, but don't know where to start, or you like to wounder through the Hundred Acre Woods with an old friend I highly recommend this book.

Excellent performance!

Love the story, love the performance even more. The narrator really brings the characters to life. I've no doubt listening to this book was a better choice than reading it.

A lifechanger

As a person who deals with anxiety and overthinking, this was a wonderful way to introduce a means of managing it and make it easily understood. I loved it and the narration was lovely.

loved it

I think the concept of the book is brilliant and the narrator did a phenomenal job. Loved this book, will listen to again.

Not a lot of organization.

Concepts were interesting but the work did not build on itself.
No more to add even to make 15 words.

Fenomenal

I had read this book before and loved it. Wanted to listen to it this time around... I am so happy I did! The narrator was stupendous, making the ideas come alive again for me. Thank you Simon Vance!

simple and awesome

a lot of truth in this book. easy to listen to. I listen to it often as it is a simple reminder of what is important in life

Bisy backsons need not bother

For some time I referred to one co-worker as Eeyore, because every time anyone asked her in ordinary conversation how she was, instead of saying "fine" or what-have-you she always says "oh, well" and follows with a description of how tired or headache-y or what-have-you she is. The odd thing is she's always pretty darned cheerful. But it was still inevitable that she be labeled "Eeyore".

Then I realized that another co-worker, who barges into every situation, takes over conversations, assumes control over things she has no right to controlling, and never does anything quietly – she is Rabbit. And another girl, who climbs rock walls and goes for long hikes for fun (an alien mindset) and whose laugh can be heard rooms away, and who despite being half my size makes ten times more noise just walking … Tigger. It didn't take long to assign the rest of the Pooh Gang to coworkers. I would be Piglet – being somewhat round, and more than somewhat timid in some situations – but someone else round and timid wanted it, so I took a deep breath and admitted to being Wol Owl, the notorious know-it-all who really doesn't. So I laughed out loud when Simon Vance read the line "Owl told him in 25,000 monotonous words or more ..." Heh. Who (whoooo) knew? I'm even more Owl than I thought.

It's funny, though – I'd forgotten that in addition to being Mr. Frowny Face Eeyore was such a horrid know-it-all. That (sadly) means that my co-worker is not as Eeyore as I thought. Or rather, she is Disney Eeyore, not Real Eeyore.

It's been a very long time since I first read this, and I took on the Audible edition based on a low price and a Simon Vance narration. The great Simon Vance, one of the upper echelons of narration rock stars, reads Pooh? Oh, you know I'm in. And it was terrific. Now, the reason I listen to audiobooks at work is that my coworkers have no filters, and no indoor voices. Eeyore isn't so bad, but when I say Rabbit does nothing quietly, I mean it literally: she flops into her chair with a clunk that used to make me think she fell, badly injured; she types loudly with her artificial nails; she yawns at the top of her lungs. Between her and a coworker I will refer to as the Heffalump (I'm just deeply greatful that Tigger is in a different room), the volume and stupidity get so thick on some days you could cut it with a chainsaw; complaining (and breaking down into tearful whimpering) to management has resulted in absolutely no change in their behavior, but instead the suggestion that I listen to something using earphones.

Hence a really healthy Goodreads Challenge number.

And hence my very deep appreciation for the Taoist philosophy outlined in this book and illustrated by Winnie-the-Pooh. "He advised those who wanted strong health to: sit like a turtle, walk like a pigeon, and sleep like a dog. When asked for his major secret, though, he said 'Inner quiet'." To listen to that surrounded by people who have literally no concept of "inner quiet" is an interesting experience.

Like silence after noise or cool, clear water on a hot, stuffy day, emptiness cleans out the messy mind and charges up the batteries of spiritual energy. Many people are afraid of emptiness, however, because it reminds them of loneliness. Everything has to be filled in, it seems ...

I loved this book as a kid, and I think I love it more now. Benjamin Hoff takes not only a bone-deep understanding of Tao with an even more impressive knowledge and understanding of Pooh Bear and melds them beautifully. No: as he points out, they are already one, and he simply reveals that. He's right. And he's funny.

And as to that narration: I've been referring to Simon Vance and his ilk, and seeing them referred to, as rock stars for a long time. So when at one point Himself is called upon to recite some (possibly made-up - who knows?) popular music lyrics – "Oh baby don't leave me" – Oh, baby. It is magnificent. Just magnificent.

So. Listen to this book, and bask in the beautiful narration of a clever, clever book, and try – do try – to be more Pooh than Eeyore or Rabbit or Owl.

Just, whatever you do, don't be a bisy backson.

Delightful

An insightful and charming introduction to Taoism or should I say the Pooh way. Read beautifully.