The Te of Piglet

The Te of Piglet
by Benjamin Hoff

The Te of Piglet
List Price: $15.00
Our Price: $4.84
You Save: $10.16 (68%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions


(Click here)
Buy this book at online book store in your country
Canada | UK | Germany | France

Book Summary Information

Author: Benjamin Hoff
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1993-11-01
ISBN: 0140230165
Number of pages: 272
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)

Book Reviews of The Te of Piglet

Book Review: The virtue of the small
Summary: 5 Stars

If Pooh is the embodiment of the Tao, the Piglet is the embodiment of the Te, the Chinese word and principle for Virtue. Benjamin Hoff, in his first book `The Tao of Pooh' talks about the religio-philosophical tradition of Taoism, and in this follow-up book, he explores in more detail with Piglet, who felt neglected in the first volume, but felt it only natural considering he's a Very Small Animal (and life is not always easy for a Very Small Animal), the concept of virtue, or the Te.

The Te is not so easily contained in the word virtue, however. `It is instead a quality of special character, spiritual strength, or hidden potential unique to the individual--something that comes from the Inner Nature of things. And something, we might add, that the individual who possess it may be quite unaware of--as is the case with Piglet through most of the Pooh stories.'

Of course, virtue un-enacted is a Very Small Virtue, indeed, so it become the responsibility of those with a Te to bring it forward in transformation. A Very Small Virtue, like a Very Small Animal, can be a good thing if the dreaded Heffalump comes by -- it might not get squashed; it might be ignored. But this is not the way of the Te.

The Te such as Piglet's can overcome distraction such as the Tigger Tendency -- the tendency to bounce off in different directions simply because they feel good. It can also help overcome the increasing drive toward acquisition (a Very Small Animal doesn't need Very Many Things; a society with cares for Virtue must not have an overpowering care for Things).

The modern person tends to overlook the small virtues in favour of Progress, in pursuit of reaching a potential, which `is seen as an increase of tools'. Of course, with more tools we can do more stuff! And with more stuff, we can make yet more tools!

The trend is not only material, but academic and philosophical, too. `Western philosophy, having little connection with everyday living, is (to this observer, at least) comparatively egocentric and impractical, with much Arguing and Theorising, and much bounding back and forth across the intellectual landscape--a pleasant, part-time diversion formulated by and aimed at the likes of Owl, Rabbit, and sometimes Eeyore, but not particularly supportive of the likes of Piglet and Pooh.'

Of course, one has an image to maintain, too. This is the point of existence of some Owls, who must be able to spell TUESDAY to gain respect, even if they postulate that any 'variant' of the spelling is sufficient. (Some lessons are repeated from The Tao of Pooh, because they are Very Important Lessons, and some people won't read both books, being of Very Little Time).

The Te is subtle and compassionate. It is not vocal, it is not loud. Lao-tse wrote, 'The skilled worker leaves no tracks' -- the worker is so at one with nature that no disturbance is made. Certainly making a broad show of Virtue is to cause a disturbance.

And yet, it is vital that virtue be prominent in action and life. What is a Very Small Animal to do?

After much more searching and being, Piglet arrives at the stage where he can finally be positive, to ward off the Eeyore effects, and thus attract positive with positive, attract virtue with virtue, in a low-key and subtle form. And finally, Piglet, a Very Small Animal of seemingly no consequence, attains recognition: `Piglet, Esq. My Dear Sir: The Board of Regents of Sandhurst University wish me to inform you of their desire to grant you an honorary degree of Brave Animal (B.A.). We should be most pleased if you could be present at the awards ceremony, which shall be held on...'

Piglets in the world, unite! Take a lesson, perhaps from one of the most Piglet-y figures of our century, Mohandas Gandhi -- a frail and shy man, frightened by crowds and a Very Small Animal in many ways. But with a great and irresistably subtle Te, virtue, that defeated the greatest empire on earth (a Very Big Animal indeed) without an army, and without backing down.

Every ending is a beginning. Now Piglet's tale is over. Now you must begin.

Summary of The Te of Piglet

The Te of Piglet . . . in which a good deal of Taoist wisdom is revealed through the character and actions of A. A. Milne's Piglet. Piglet? Yes, Piglet. For the better than impulsive Tigger? or the gloomy Eeyore? or the intellectual Owl? or even the lovable Pooh? Piglet herein demonstrates a very important principle of Taoism: The Te--a Chinese word meaning Virtue--of the Small.

Humor Books

Book Subjects
Most talked about in Humor Books
Snuff ImageSnuff
by Chuck Palahniuk
Anchor; Published: 2009-04-07; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.95
Price in other shops: $14.95
Don't Eat This Book ImageDon't Eat This Book
by Morgan Spurlock
Penguin Audio; Published: 2005-05-19; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $4.67
Price in other shops: $29.95
I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell ImageI Hope They Serve Beer in Hell
by Tucker Max
Penguin; Published: 2006; Paperback; Book
The Saber-Tooth Curriculum ImageThe Saber-Tooth Curriculum
by J.Abner Peddiwell
Mcgraw-Hill; Published: 1959-06-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.00
Miss America ImageMiss America
by Howard Stern
It Books; Published: 2010-08-24; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.71
Price in other shops: $16.99
101 Places Not to See Before You Die Image101 Places Not to See Before You Die
by Catherine Price
Harper Perennial; Published: 2010-06-22; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.49
Price in other shops: $13.99
My Life and Hard Times (Perennial Classics) ImageMy Life and Hard Times (Perennial Classics)
by James Thurber
Harper Perennial Modern Classics; Published: 1999-10-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.80
Price in other shops: $11.99
Equal Rites: A Discworld Novel (Discworld Novels) ImageEqual Rites: A Discworld Novel (Discworld Novels)
by Terry Pratchett
Harper Perennial; Published: 2005-09-13; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.24
Price in other shops: $13.95
Mirth of a Nation: Audio Companion, Fellow Traveler and Friend for Life--Laff Tracks From America's Most Trusted Humor Anthology ImageMirth of a Nation: Audio Companion, Fellow Traveler and Friend for Life--Laff Tracks From America's Most Trusted Humor Anthology
by Michael J. Rosen
HarperAudio; Published: 2002-11-12; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $4.51
Price in other shops: $29.95
Red, White & Liberal ImageRed, White & Liberal
by Alan Colmes
HarperAudio; Published: 2003-10-28; Audio Cassette; Book
Best price: $0.01
Price in other shops: $25.95
Similar Books and other products
A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy ImageA Source Book in Chinese Philosophy
Princeton University Press; Published: 1969-04-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $30.00
Price in other shops: $45.00
The Tao of Daily Life: The Mysteries of the Orient Revealed The Joys of Inner Harmony Found The Path to Enlightenment Illuminated ImageThe Tao of Daily Life: The Mysteries of the Orient Revealed The Joys of Inner Harmony Found The Path to Enlightenment Illuminated
by Derek Lin
Tarcher; Published: 2007-09-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.85
Price in other shops: $15.95
Simple Taoism: A Guide to Living in Balance ImageSimple Taoism: A Guide to Living in Balance
by C. Alexander Simpkins, Annellen Simpkins
Tuttle Publishing; Published: 1999-05-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.95
Price in other shops: $12.95
The Tao of Pooh ImageThe Tao of Pooh
by Benjamin Hoff
Penguin Books; Published: 1985; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.36
Positively Pooh: Timeless Wisdom from Pooh ImagePositively Pooh: Timeless Wisdom from Pooh
by A. A. Milne
Dutton Juvenile; Published: 2008-03-27; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $9.55
Price in other shops: $20.00
Tao of Pooh and Te of Piglet Boxed Set ImageTao of Pooh and Te of Piglet Boxed Set
by Benjamin Hoff
Penguin (Non-Classics); Published: 1994-11-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.99
Price in other shops: $28.00
The Tao of Pooh ImageThe Tao of Pooh
by Benjamin Hoff
Dutton Adult; Published: 1982-04-30; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $10.58
Price in other shops: $19.95
365 Tao: Daily Meditations Image365 Tao: Daily Meditations
by Ming-Dao Deng
HarperOne; Published: 1992-07-17; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.08
Price in other shops: $15.99
Tao of Pooh - 1983 publication ImageTao of Pooh - 1983 publication
by Benjamin Hoff
Penguin Books; Published: 1983; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.38
The Tao of Pooh ImageThe Tao of Pooh
by Benjamin Hoff
Penguin (Non-Classics); Published: 1983-07-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.12
Price in other shops: $14.00
Book store. Illustrated catalog of books on different categories