Puh och psykologerna

by John Tyerman Williams

Här löser den välkände björnen sina vänners problem och bevisar att han är en briljant terapeut. Med sina insikter i vitt skilda psykologiska teorier och deras tillämpningar lyckas Puh till exempel förvandla den ängslige och alltför beroende Nasse till en frimodig hjälte. Han vägleder den depressive Ior mot ett öppnare och lyckligare liv. Ja, han åstadkommer betydande förändringar i alla sina vänners tillvaro - med hjälp av psykologiska teorier men också genom ödmjukhet som sunt förnuft.

John Tyerman Williams är doktor i filosofi och har tidigare gett ut ytterligare två uppskattade studier av Puhs värld: "Puh och filosoferna" och "Puh och de gamla mysterierna".

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Philosophy

214 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2000

Reviews

[jenkamichiko Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't finish this one. Too much boasting, he didn't convince me fully. At least I tried... It's a pity since I love Winnie-the-Pooh and psychology.

[Maren]

I will say that I’m only about a quarter of the way through this book, so it is possible that this review will change in the future but so far this book is an absolute delight. I will say that if you want a completely serious psychological breakdown of Winnie-the-Pooh, this is probably not for you. This book absolutely contains truths about Pooh, his friendships, and his striving to help his friends, don’t get me wrong, but it also doesn’t take itself too seriously and has an occasional satirical tone to it. I’m vaguely concerned that some other readers seem to have missed many of the jokes within this work but I suppose that every great work of satire comes from being able to trick the reader.

TLDR: A very sweet book that definitely leans satirical in places but also teaches some valuable lessons about friendship and bettering oneself through the words of (as the author commonly refers to him) “The Great Bear.”

[Sankolite · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad book. Interesting to see examples of what Pooh has done to help good friends and the physiologist angle for it.

[Laura McKenzie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring

[Naciye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book holds a very special place in my heart. Every time I think of this book, I hold my heart and sigh deeply. It brings back special memories and I hope it is just as meaningful to you and all those who read it.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genius, & also delightful! This Bear of very Enormous Brain is an example to us all!

[Noah Oanh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not like very much at beginning because I feel it was kind of putting words in Pooh's and Milne's mind and Milne did not mean to turn Pooh into a psychologist amongst friends in Forest. But the more I read the more I feel like a lot of things start making more sense. But as John Tyerman Williams said why not a lot of people did not recognize how wise our Great Bear is really it could be because a lot of us read this book when we was still kids so obviously we would not recognize much about his theory sessions to help each of his friends.

Besides that, I learnt a great deal of tactics through the book such as Jungian typology, Adler's theory of the Inferiority Complex, Transactional Analysis, Behavioral Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, Cognitive Therapy and I will use different case studies provided by the books to study each tactic carefully.

Last but not least, will try to learn "The Cottleston Pie" poem by heart this time - the one is based on the song Cottleston Pie that Pooh sang in Winnie The Pooh. Reading this one does calm me down a bit recently and remind me 3 things:

- Respect yourself, respect your Inner Nature. Make friends with what you are, because that’s the only thing you have.

- Respect your limitations, respect what you can’t do. If you know what is that you can’t do you’ll work on it, and that will save you from trouble.

- Stop trying to find an explanation for everything, stop over analyzing, things are as they are. Learn to accept them as they go.

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.”

Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie,
A fish can’t whistle and neither can I.
Ask me a riddle and I reply:
“Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie.”

Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie,
Why does a chicken, I don’t know why.
Ask me a riddle and I reply:
“Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie.”

[Chloe Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-3.5 stars. I was slightly shocked to see how many 1/2-star reviews there are, because it is not that bad. In fact, Williams has drawn numerous links between the Pooh series and psychology, which is what I really like seeing in texts (references/ allusions to other fields), fictional or non-fictional.

Williams pays a lot of attention to detail - and maybe some would argue that he pays too much attention to the little details, to an extent some arguments might be stretching it a little too far at times. Of course it does seem like the case every now and then - though the stretches can be excused and accepted, and I attribute that to my being an English major, and we are expected to read into the texts and interpret them in a way that might not be familiar even to the authors themselves.

Moreover, as a student I have been constantly told to "link back to the question" (be it literature, humanities or social sciences). It seems that it has been the case here as well - yet this is Williams might be trying tooooooo hard. To accommodate to the title Pooh and the Psychologists, Williams's reiteration of Pooh being the super-psychologist is emphasised too often, and hence that might accidentally stifle the analyses a little. Moreover, to portray Pooh as a bear who knows practically everything might be going against what Milne originally intended (or either I was too influenced by The Tao of Pooh). Likewise, by trying to recreate Pooh as an omniscient character, Williams might have belittled Piglet's character (further influenced by The Te of Piglet). However, the other analyses on the other characters are very spot-on.

[Eduardo Santiago · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, although a little—okay a lot forced. I know it’s fun to run with the Pooh-as-paragon-of-X idea for many values of X (Taoist, philosopher, database designer), but there really just isn’t enough material in any of those for a book. It wears thin: cute & clever becomes tedious and pompous. I found myself eagerly searching for signs of authorial self-recognition in Case 6, the one on bombastic old Owl. Looking for a wink to the reader. Nope, didn’t find one.

Even with that, I enjoyed the book. Williams treats Milne and his characters with respect and kindness. And he does offer a fresh new lens for me to view Pooh with on my next rereading — a lens I actually like. One that shines light on Milne himself and why his books resonate so deeply with so many of us.

This is a good book for a Pooh aficionad@. You will gain new appreciation for Milne. But you know another great way to gain new appreciation? Read Winnie-the-Pooh itself. Especially if you haven’t read it for a while.

[Jonatan Almfjord · Rating 2 out of 5]

Den här boken var jag bara tvungen att läsa. Konceptet såg vid en första anblick extremt förföriskt ut för mig. En klassisk barnbok som analyseras ur ett psykologiskt perspektiv. Det behövs mer sånt i vår värld! Men efter att ha skrattat mig genom de första sidorna så tröttnar jag snabbt.

Själva premissen för boken är att Puh är tidernas främste psykolog, som med sina eklektiska metoder gång på gång hjälper sina vänner i Sjumilaskogen att besegra sina respektive demoner - vare sig det är arktofobi (rädsla för björnar), xenofobi (i detta fallet, rädsla för tigrar och känguruer), självförtroendeproblem (à la Nasse) eller extrem neuriticism (à la I-or).

Och visst låter det charmigt? Men det håller inte i längden. Författaren är mycket kunnig i både psykologi och filosofi, men det blir för mycket billiga poänger, för många överdrifter och för många omskrivningar av något som egentligen hade kunnat sägas med väldigt få ord. Och resultatet blir att intresset inte hålls uppe. Tyvärr faller bitarna på plats när jag inser att boken inte är den första av sitt slag. Författaren har tidigare bland annat skrivit Puh och filosoferna. En försiktig gisning från min sida är att den boken är mer läsvärd än denna.

[Ryann P · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5. I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book. While I enjoyed and appreciated the deep analytical look into a character and story that can be just passed off on as a children’s book, the writing style and editing really bothered me. There were way too many instances where the author had a condescending attitude, with phrases like “serious Ursinologists are amazing that even devout readers don’t pick up on this” and “that some, though hopefully none of my present readers, have [misinterpreted]...”. I didn’t grow up reading Pooh so these too-often asides at the observational abilities of the average reader were really off-putting. This analysis and insight could have been much more interesting and enjoyable had it been presented in a less condescending and haughty manner.
(Side note- it may be even more frustrating to read if you don’t have much or any psychology-terminology understanding)

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Winnie-the-Pooh lives in a forest all by himself under the name of Sanders and he had the name over the door in gold letters. Why Sanders? And why gold letters? Might not the gold letters stand for the brass plate of a physician or a psychotherapist? Would the bell inform Pooh that a patient was waiting for his attention?
"Discover the answers to John Tyerman Williams' hypothesis that Winnie-the-Pooh is a super-psychologist in this brilliant expose of the truth about the real Winnie-the-Pooh."
~~back cover

I'm sorry. I found this book to be convoluted and not very humorous. Which surprised me because I do love Winnie-the-Pooh. But I only got to page 34 before realizing I wasn't enjoying the book at all.

[Max · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Tyerman Williams provides evidence of Pooh being a psychotherapist ahead of his time through a variety of case studies. This read wasn't easy in the sense that there were a plethora of terms relating to psychology and, as I haven't studied this subject in detail, I had to reread certain paragraphs again. However, as a Winnie the Pooh fan, the book was nostalgic. This book could be viewed as an academic debate, so it may not appeal to everyone. Nevertheless, it was a pleasant read and has inspired me to read some of Tyerman William's other works on Winnie the Pooh.

[Bay · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
This semi-academic study of the psychological depths of Winnie-the-Pooh was a bit of an ambivalent experience.
Even though some of the interpretations were a bit of a stretch, it certainly had some interesting points, and I am looking forward to reread Winnie-the-Pooh with a new outlook.
I was however not a fan of the tone of the book. I think Williams was trying to be humourous, but he wouldn't let me in on the joke, which meant it sometimes felt condescending and left me feeling annoyed.
It is however a rather short book, and if you love Pooh and the others from the Hundred Acre Wood and you want to appreciate the books even more, then this is perhaps a book for you.

[Stuart · Rating 3 out of 5]

One is the helpless victim of circumstance or, worse still, of malignant enenies

"confronting ones shadow is always deeply painful"

So at last lifting up his head...made a loud, roaring noise of Sadness and Despair

Fear of the repressed fierce side within himself

Being lost and alone in the misty forest stimulated desire

When next he met him he had relapsed into the deepest gloom

... any morbid tendancy to self martyrdom...he demonstrates this...

"and if eeyores back snapped suddenly, then we could all laugh. Ha ha! Amusing... But not helpful"

[Sandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so disappointed in this book. It was repetitive and just didn't catch my attention. I imagine that if it was introduced as a lecture it would be so much better but the written word just couldn't convey the humour and wit for some reason. It was a struggle to finish but I always want to respect the hard work of an author if possible.

[Julie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Somehow I got through this. I love Pooh and took several psychology classes in college as electives, as it interested me, but this was just not very interesting to me. Much of the writing style was not compelling, the topic could have been interesting if I’d been drawn in. Just a miss for me.

[BookWithAView · Rating 3 out of 5]

Certainly an interesting take.
I mean - Eeyore and depression have been widely noticed, why wouldn’t there be a problem in most homes in the wood?
If you’re keen on psychology and/ or Winnie The Pooh, you’ll likely get something from the book.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting but still enjoyable. I would recommend a basic knowledge of psychology going in.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love winnie the Pooh. I just could not get in to this book

[Preston · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a therapist whose favorite character has always been Winnie the Pooh, I thought this would be the perfect book for me. I couldn’t finish it though - so boring and the author reaches consistently.

[Eve · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretentious, boring, myriad grammatical errors, yet masses of potential - what a shame.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was about the many ways Pooh treats the animals in the forest. Pooh is proven to be a great physiologist helping Christopher Robin, Piglet, Rabbit, Tiger, and Eeyore. Pooh has different method and approaches for each animal he treats. I think this book is a good book to read if you have taken a phycology class. For me, there were many terms that I didn't understand referencing to many phycologists and techniques they use and how Pooh used them. It is interesting to see how Pooh treats his "patients" but the book was hard to understand. Overall I think this is a book that is good to read and your are actually interested in the topic or field of study.

[Heikki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Löysin tän suomeksi kirpputorilta, ja täytyy sanoa että jos meinaa lukea niin suosittelen lukemaan Nalle Puhista kertovat kirjat ennakkoon, koska niiden tarinoihin tämä kirja perustuu. Kirjassa sommitellaan Puh-tarinoihin psykologisia ja psykoterapeuttisia interventioita joissa Puh toimii psykologina ja terapeuttina. Aika hauskaa, mutta kyllä mielestäni vaatii jonkin sortin uskoa nähdä asiat tuolla tavalla. Kolme tähteä siksi että tällä tavalla kirjottaminen kun alkuteokset on mitä ne on vaatii kovaa tahtoa, psykologista tietoa ja myös ehkä mielikuvitusta - kolme asiaa mitä mun ei oo vaikea arvostaa.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall, it was very interesting to read how a none psychologist would pull psychological theory out of a popular children's story. In most cases, I felt that the examples were quite accurate. It provided a nice reminder of the history of some of psychology's theories. It is definitely not a "must read."

[Hanna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Jos psykologia tuntuu tylsältä, tämän kirjan jälkeen se vasta erityisen puuduttavaa onkin ja suurin syy mahalaskusta tulee Williamsin tapa hehkuttaa Puhia aivan ylivertaiseksi. Kun samaa toistetaan kerran toisensa jälkeen loputtomasti se alkaa enemmänkin kuin puuduttaa.

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fantastic! A marvellous read ^_^ Definitely one for the real bookshelf and a perfect present for those 'hard-to-buy-for' people (assuming they have good taste and grew up with 'the bear with very little brain')

[Carolyn Dawson · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting look at the various theories and concepts of psychology through the behaviour of Winnie the Pooh and his interactions with his friends.

[Lucky Christi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really for the "average joe" reader. There are lots of big psychology words. If you are into psychology and know the pooh stories you mignt find it interesting.