The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff

Religion & Spirituality

176 pages

Four stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Pub date: 06 October 2026

My thoughts:

This title was first published a number of years ago and is being reissued.

I was drawn to this book when I saw Pooh on the cover. As someone unfamiliar with Taoist principles, I was interested to learn more and was curious to see what Pooh would teach me. As a person who loves Winnie, I was eager to find out.

I found this book to be interesting and engaging. I enjoyed the many extracts from the Pooh stories. The author integrated these with teaching about the Tao. I very much liked some of the principles that were described.

Hoff writes in an engaging style. I like how there are conversations between the author and Pooh in these pages.

This is a nice book to read a bit of each day.

Many thanks to Simon & Schuster-Simon Element for this title. All thoughts are my own.

Description:

from the publisher

Experience the gentle character of Winnie-the-Pooh through the lens of ancient Taoist principles, illustrating how simplicity, humility, and naturalness lead to a happier and more harmonious life.

First published in 1982, The Tao of Pooh introduces the principles of Taoist philosophy through the gentle humor and familiar world of Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne. Rather than offering an academic study, Benjamin Hoff examines these core ideas in an engaging and accessible way.

At the heart of the book is the concept of living in harmony with the Tao—the natural way of things. Pooh, with his unpretentious and sincere outlook, embodies the principle of wu wei, or “effortless action.” He does not strive to be clever or ambitious. Instead, he responds naturally to life as it unfolds. In contrast, characters such as Rabbit, Owl, Eeyore, and Tigger reflect common human tendencies toward overthinking, worry, gloom, or restless energy.

Blending storytelling with philosophical insight, Hoff presents Taoism as a path of simplicity, authenticity, and inner balance. Illustrated with E. H. Shepard’s original drawings, The Tao of Pooh remains a timeless and inviting guide to finding wisdom in the uncomplicated, natural self.

Editorial reviews:

“Hoff explains the central tenets of Taoism and further illustrates them with familiar excerpts from The House at Pooh Corner stories, Chinese proverbs, maxims, and tales from Lao Tzu and others. The result is at once thought-provoking and charming.”– “Library Journal”

“Hoff’s classic introduction to religion places A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh characters in fictional scenarios to explore the ideas behind Taoism, bringing Western familiarity to an Eastern philosophy that might seem, at a cursory glance, a bit difficult to grasp. Hoff draws clear parallels between Milne’s characters and the central tenants of Taoism.” –Publishers Weekly (starred review).