Pooh and the Philosophers

Explore the Ideas of Some of History’s Greatest Thinkers from Plato to Sartre to Winnie-the-Pooh

John Tyerman Williams author EH Shepard illustrator

Format:Paperback

Publisher:HarperCollins Publishers

Publishing:13th Aug '26

£8.99

This title is due to be published on 13th August, and will be despatched as soon as possible.

Pooh and the Philosophers cover

NEW edition for 2026. Explore the ideas of history’s greatest thinkers from Plato and Sartre to Winnie-the-Pooh

This book will confirm, once and for all, what many will have long suspected: that Pooh is a Bear of Enormous Brain.

This book will confirm, once and for all, what many will have long suspected: that Pooh is a Bear of Enormous Brain.

Celebrate 100 years of Winnie-the-Pooh in 2026!

New 2026 reissue edition of Pooh and the Philosophers by John Tyerman Williams, with a brand new cover design!

Featuring iconic, original quotes from A.A.Milne and decorations by E.H.Shepard from their much-loved story collections: Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner.

Author, John Tyerman Williams, sets out to prove that the whole of western philosophy, from the cosmologists of Ancient Greece to the existentialists of the twentieth century may be found in the pages of Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner.

He shows how the "Great Bear" explains and often illuminates the most profound ideas of the greatest thinkers of history from Plato, Hume and Kant to Nietzsche, Heidegger and Sartre. The book is beautifully illustrated with a selection of E.H. Shepard's iconic, original decorations.

Collect all the non-fiction Winnie-the-Pooh books:

Pooh and the Psychologists

Pooh and the Philosophers

The Tao of Pooh

The Tao of Pooh and the Te of Piglet

Collect all the Winnie-the-Pooh classic story and poetry collections:

Winnie-the-Pooh

The House at Pooh Corner

When We Were Very Young

Now We Are Six

Return to the Hundred Acre Wood

The Best Bear in All the World

Once There Was a Bear

Tales from the Forest

Winter in the Wood

The nation’s favourite teddy bear has been delighting generations of children for nearly 100 years. Milne’s classic children’s stories – featuring Piglet, Eeyore, Christopher Robin and, of course, Pooh himself – are gently humorous while teaching lessons about friendship and kindness.

Pooh ranks alongside other beloved character such as Paddington Bear, and Peter Rabbit as an essential part of our literary heritage. Whether you’re 5 or 55, Pooh is the bear for all ages.

‘There is something about Pooh, when you meet him in childhood, that drops a small seed into your subconscious that remains lifelong.’, Dr Pam Jarvis, Yorkshire Bylines

‘There is no bigger joy than when our beloved childhood books continue to teach us about life even in adulthood.’, Dr Valentina Stoycheva Ph.D., Psychology Today

‘I have long considered Winnie the Pooh to be one of my favourite philosophers. However, as a clinician deeply steeped in the field of trauma recovery, I have begun to think that his creator A.A.Milne may also be one of my favourite psychologists.’, Dr Valentina Stoycheva Ph.D., Psychology Today

‘Taken together, all the animals also make a creative and collaborative bunch, one capable of chasing great adventures and tackling great challenges with laughter, camaraderie, and compassion.’, Dr Valentina Stoycheva Ph.D., Psychology Today

Reviews about Winnie-the-Pooh:

‘Winnie-the-Pooh has always been a very special (albeit funny old) bear, not least of all because his books are filled with wonderful words of wisdom.', Stylist magazine

‘Winnie-the-Pooh is packed full of timeless wisdom and words that will resonate with you whatever your age.’, The Independent

‘With a rich storytelling heritage, the adventures of Pooh and his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood represent friendship, simple joys and the curious and gentle nature of a child’s imagination.’, Vintage Explorer

Steve Hogarty said about Winnie-the-Pooh: The Complete Collection of Stories and Poems: ‘Lovingly illustrated by E.H.Shepard, the stories of Pooh and his pals are sure to delight little readers and even younger listeners, as they did me.’, The Independent

Selected by Geri Halliwell-Horner in the round up of ‘Books for a Better World’, The Guardian, May 2024

ISBN: 9780008746629

Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 21mm

Weight: 270g

208 pages