The Pooh dictionary is delightful. It gives you quotes from the book, and the definition of the book, and is just adorable.

The Pooh Sketch Book is a wonderful look at the creative genius of Ernest H. Shepard. This collection of preliminary sketches for the classic Pooh illustrations is a must for any serious patron of illustration. Shepard's economy of line and his mastery of gesture and movement are even more evident in pencil form. The softness of the medium coupled with the charm of the subject is a perfect combination. Even though Shepard is a well known and well loved illustrator, this book gives you a new appreciation for the artist. The book is well produced and the illustrations are handled well. One does not often find a collection of studies for finished illustrations, and when one becomes available it offers the reader a rare chance to see the masters mind at work. I simply can not say enough about Ernest H. Shepard, and this amazing collection of drawings.

Anything with Pooh and friends is full of fun. Now even Workouts acn be fun. By using the Pooh's Workout Book - you can gain those cuddly love handles you always wanted. There are other shapes you can workout for. We have Tigger shape and a Piglet shape - plus more. We have water sports, as done with Eeyore. You can even workout to your own shape.

This lovely publication commemorates the 75th anniversary of the publication of "Winnie-the-Pooh." It's not a storybook -- it's a sort of "biography" of Winnie-the-Pooh, the Milne family, and Ernest Shepard. The book has lots of interesting trivia for Pooh-ophiles like me and lots of quotes from the Milne stories and verse, as well as beautiful prints of some of the well-known and lesser-known Shepard illustrations. I'm not sure why the book was designed as oversize. This is a lovely, well done book that's going to have a permanent place on my shelf next to my beloved Pooh books. I love it.

This book was the primary text in a university workshop I just took on "Philosophy in Children's Literature." Being a big fan of Benjamin Hoff's "The Tao of Pooh," I approached the book with great hopes. Williams' tongue-in-cheek conceit is that the Bear of Little Brain is, in fact, the greatest philosopher that ever lived. All of western philosophy before Pooh was mere preamble and the twentieth-century existentialists were familiar with an heavily influenced by the "Great Bear."
I felt that Williams was more interested in being clever than in whatever other goal he had in mind. He presents the philosophical concepts too briefly and dismissively to be of much value. Worse, it seems he spends more space extolling the brilliant Pooh that really discussing how the (sometimes stretched past the breaking point) passages from A. A. Milne's stories relate to philosophies. Like any one-joke movie or TV series, it just got repetitive and annoying after awhile.

This book is funny. The author has a great sense of humour in making his arguement. I found it enjoyable even though there are philosophers that he obviously enjoyed writing about more. As a bonus, it serves as a great indroductory "philosophy for dummies" sort of book for a beginner to the subject like me.

"In which it is shown that all of western Philosophy is merely a preamble to Winnie-the-Pooh." This book proves, once and for all, that Pooh bear is in fact a Bear of Enormous Brain. It also shows how Eeyore is obsessed with the Platonic Forms, and how Christopher Robin is indeed stupid compared with the Great Bear. This book will delight all readers, not just Ursinian scholars (students of Pooh) and philosophers.

I ran across a reference to Postmodern Pooh about a week ago, and I decided to read Crews' first Pooh satire before reading the latest. What a gas! Crews takes the prevalent methods of literary criticism leading up to the 1960s and apes them with a deft touch. One of my favorite moments was when "C. J. L. Culpepper, D.Litt., Oxon.," after determining the Christic nature of Eeyore, declares that Christopher Robin is a stand-in for God the Father. He proves this simply: "Christopher Robin" is an anagram for "I HOPE CHRIST BORN. R." ("I take this to be a decree in the hortatory imperative, dispatched to the Heavenly Host, urging the speedy fulfillment of the Incarnation and signed 'R' for REX.")

Admittedly, the book does drag at times, but only rarely, and probably due to Crews' too perfect mimicry of the rather dry literary personae being roasted over the flames. Not many books make me laugh out loud on every page -- this is one of them.

This is a brilliant send-up of the pretentious critiques that has masqueraded as literary criticism since pseudo-intellectualism was first invented by which mental-nonentities could parade as our moral superiors. Just read it. Absolutely convincing, and a breath of fresh air. You will love it - unless you are one of the poseurs, of course. But it will still be devastatingly funny.

A remarkably funny, yet substantial introduction to literary criticism through the works of A A Milne

Christopher Finch is one of the premier authors on Disney and animation history. Winnie-the-Pooh: A Celebration of the Silly Old Bear is definitely one of his best works. While it may not quite match up to the sheer power of his most recognized book on Disney, The Art of Walt Disney, it is definitely a wonderful look at Winnie-the-Pooh. The book appropriately starts out with a look at A.A. Milne, the author of the original Pooh books. The chapter on Milne is clear, concise, and very informative. As the book slides into the Disney version of Pooh is starts to "Disnify". There is the chapter on the four Pooh shorts, the chapter on each of the characters, etc. While these sections are interesting, they seem a little static. There could be more on the relationships and interactions between the characters. The book serves as more of a basic guide to the world of Pooh than anything else.

If you want a nice gift book that is a fantastic overview of how the Disney pooh came to be, you will probably enjoy this book. There is yet to be a book published, though, that truly delves into how Disney made Pooh such a worldwide smash success, but right now this is the definitive book on the Disney Pooh.

The greatest thing about this book is the large number of pictures that show the evolution of the "pooh" phenomenon. It has a large number of cell reproductions, artist storyboard sketches, as well as drawings from the original books. The writing is also wonderful, covering the orginal books, each of the movies, and pooh collecting! A must have! I received one as a gift, and am ordering copies for my pooh collecting friends.

Published just after "When We Were Very Young" and before "Winnie-the-Pooh", this book displays a transition in Milne's writing. Although the title would suggest it was written for children, it's probably more correct to say it was written for parents. The stories, while good, are not quite the exciting tales we might tell our children today, but have that distinct rhythm of Milne's that is very soothing and will aid in the children falling asleep. The joy is not so much in the stories themselves, but in the manner in which they are told.

There are eleven stories in the book, and in several you can see the foundations for what would be the Pooh books. He often speaks in the first person, including himself as a character in the stories. In "Miss Waterlow in Bed", we find a character that could easily be Pooh himself. And the real gem of the book is the last story, "Castles By the Sea". Told partly in verse, and partly in prose, it's a fun tale that draws you in. Parents will enjoy getting into the role of the story teller for that one.

Readers who only know the Pooh books might be disappointed in this book, but fans who have read and enjoyed Milne's other works will find this one very familiar and a welcome addition to their collection.

Definitely not just a children's book, it will appeal to the adult in each child and the child in each adult. The most interesting aspect is that each story was written about it's illustration, rather than the other way around. Le Mair's exquisite drawings and Milne's prose and poetry are so woven together that you find yourself flipping back and forth between them as you read.

As with all Milne's stories and verse, these children are strong and independent. The last story, "Castles by the Sea", is politically correct enough to have been written today. Anyone who loves Milne should give these children a try.

Meets gopher is a good book for kids who want a freind or

want to know how to get a freind. Pooh first time meeting

gopher was exciting because its always nice to meet someone

new. When want someone to be your freind just go up to them and

ask them what there name is then start a conversation like Pooh

does. That is why this is a good book for a kid who likes to

make new freinds.

i love this book! my mommy bought it at a garage sale. it's funny. pooh visits rabbit and eats too much honey and gets so fat, he gets stuck in rabbit's door! he has to not eat for a long time untill he gets less fat. i loved it!

'The Tao of Pooh', a fascinating synthesis of Eastern philosophy and Western children's literature, is done largely in conversational style between Benjamin Hoff, erstwhile writer, photographer and musician with a penchant for forests and bears. Thus, Pooh makes a natural philosophical companion. But, more than a companion, Pooh is, for Hoff, the very embodiment of the Tao.

'It's about how to stay happy and calm under all circumstances!' I yelled.
'Have you read it?' asked Pooh.

This is two-way book: to explain Taoism through Winnie-the-Pooh, and to explain Winnie-the-Pooh (not always an easy task itself) through Taoism. Taoism, more academically, is a religion indigenous to China, built upon teachings primarily of Lao-tzu, with significant influence from Buddha and K'ung Fu-tse. It is in the teachings of harmony and emptiness and being of Lao-tzu, however, that Taoism draws its meaning, believing that earth is a reflection of heaven, and that the world 'is not a setter of traps but a teacher of valuable lessons.'

As with many religions, this one took various guises: philosophic, monastic, structural, folk. But through them all, the imperceptible Tao, the essence of being, essentially undescribable, shapes the universe continually out of chaos, with a yin and yang alteration of perpetual transformation, in which nothing remains eternal save the Tao.

This makes Pooh a perfect example and exemplar. 'For the written character P'u, the typical Chinese dictionary will give a definition of 'natural, simple, plain, honest.' P'u is composed of two separate characters combined: the first, the 'radical' or root-meaning one, is that for tree or wood; the second, the 'phonetic' or sound-giving one, is the character for dense growth or thicket.'

Through semantic changes, perfectly in keeping with the Tao, we find that Pooh, or P'u, is actually a tree in the thicket, or a wood not cut, or finally, an Uncarved Block. And this, of course, is what pure being is.

Pooh, in his journey through the Tao, with the Tao, of the Tao (it is a hard one to nail down, isn't it?) encounters many. This includes Eeyore, the terminally morose, who represents Knowledge for the sake of Complaining about Something. It also includes Owl, the Western successor of the 'Confucianist Dedicated Scholar', who believes he has all truth as his possession, and studies Knowledge for the Sake of Knowledge (even if it isn't always the best knowledge). 'You can't help respecting anybody who can spell TUESDAY, even if he doesn't spell it right; but spelling isn't everything. There are days when spelling Tuesday simply doesn't count.'

Of course, all of the knowledge of the Owl, accompanied by the variable helpfulness of Rabbit who cannot stop activity in favour of just being something, couldn't figure out what had become of Christopher Robin, who left the Very Clear Note on his door:

GON OUT
BACKSON
BISY
BACKSON

Who or what is a Backson? Backsons are those people trying to outrun their shadows and their footprints, not realising that to stand still and rest in the shade defeats the power of both. And of course, the Bisy Backson is never at a standstill. And of course, one cannot experience the Tao, be the Tao, know the Tao (well, you get the Tao) if one is perpetually on the run.

The Bisy Backson is always

GONE OUT
BACK SOON
BUSY
BACK SOON

or, maybe GONE SOON. Anywhere. Anywhere he hasn't been. Anywhere but where he is. Of course, the idea of not going anywhere is abhorrent to him, and there is no concept of being able to do nothing.

Nothingness frees the mind. Nothing works like nothing. For there is nothing to distract you. Nothing to get in the way. Nothing to hinder you. Nothing means anything.

Now, read that last sentence again, carefully.

Nothing means anything.

Any thing is by definition itself, but when it is no thing, it can become potentially any thing.

'Oh, I see,' said Pooh.

Wisdom lies in the way of Pooh, who shirks the busy-ness of Rabbit, the intellectual hubris of Owl, and the doom-saying of Eeyore. Pooh simply is, and enjoys being who he is. Pooh is a Master, who knows the Way. Learn from him. Learn to be with him.

For those of you who, like me, are interested in philososphy but find most philosophical writings boring and overly complicated, this is the book for you. Hoff explains Taoism through the adventures of Whinnie the Pooh. If you've ever read any of A.A. Milne's novels, the style of this book should be familiar. As Hoff writes about Whinnie the Pooh and his Taoist attitude towards life, Pooh and Piglet comment on his writing and ask him questions. So how is Pooh an example of Taoism? Because he is simple-minded and unconditionally happy. Pooh lives a life of harmony because he never frets or hesitates. He simply goes with the flow, and that is what Taoism teaches. This book is a happy retreat to childhood combined with philisophical teachings that only an adult could understand. I highly recommend it.

This is a well written, easily read book that provides an introduction and explanation of the general tenets of Tao through 5 main characters and the circumstances they are confronted with. Metaphor and real-life analysis and observation of how we live and think, and how Taoism can be applied to our perspectives and daily lives, if we want it to. Selection from the writings of Tao Te Ching, and other Taoist thinkers to the books characters and stituations help explain the meanings for the neophyte.
The significant influence of Puritanism on our past and present U.S. history is also delved into. The Puritan influence has always been with us and I am convinced it always will be.
The American work week gets longer every year, according to studies, and we have less and less time for the good things in life: family, friends, introspection, personal growth, and even pursuing hobbies. We are constantly running from one place to another, both literally and figuratively, in search of--something. Fulfillment, happiness, or what have you. We try to buy it, acquire it, reach out to it. But it's right in front of our faces--we just have to allow ourselves to see it.