Reviews

A.A.Milne by Ann Thwaite

sonshinelibrarian's review against another edition

5.0

I have always been a fan of A.A. Milne. He is best known for being the creator of Winnie-the-Pooh and I have always felt it's a shame that people know him more from Disney than from his own writings. Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner are clever, witty, and charming - books that really the someone of any age can enjoy, and his two books of poems are lovely as well. Then I discovered The Sunny Side and got a taste for his essays and fell in love with him as a writer even more. There is so much more to this man than most people know and the interesting thing is that, he disliked the fact that he came to be known as a "children's author" rather than just as an author.

This book delves into his life from his early childhood at the school for boys his parents ran (H.G. Wells was his science teacher!!!!!), to his life in university, and his beginnings as a humorous essay writer all the way through two world wars, his life as a playwright (this was how was best known through most of his living life - at least until Pooh came along), and his ups and downs as a novelist, pacifist, father, and husband.

Thwaite's style is engaging and the life of this man, though not filled with terribly exciting events, is still fascinating to read about.

I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good biography.

gwynsvan's review

3.0

I liked the bits I read of this book. Milne's father ran a small school, and the commentary on educational philosophy is still relevant. The book had been lent to me by a student's father (two years ago!), and I had to return it, as they were moving away. Ah well, perhaps someday...