Editorial Content for Somewhere, a Boy and a Bear: A. A. Milne and the Creation of "Winnie-the-Pooh"
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
One of the most recognizable and important characters in both fiction and popular culture, Winnie-the-Pooh came solely from the inventive mind of English author A. A. Milne, who was inspired by the stuffed bear he gave his son, Christopher, on the boy’s first birthday.
Gyles Brandreth is friends with Christopher Milne and is connected to Winnie-the-Pooh and A. A. Milne through a play he wrote, as well as the teddy bear museum he founded at Newby Hall, The Bear House. SOMEWHERE, A BOY AND A BEAR not only chronicles the lives of the Milne family and the events surrounding the unexpected success of Winnie-the-Pooh, it also provides information and tidbits that were little known or never before published, making for a remarkably insightful read.
"SOMEWHERE, A BOY AND A BEAR is not to be missed by fans of A. A. Milne and Winnie-the-Pooh, or anyone who enjoys seeing the creation of something legendary."
In the 35-page prologue, Brandreth outlines the heart of the story to come. A list of characters that appears just prior to the start of the book allows readers to have a better understanding of Alan Alexander Milne and all those who touched his life. The best way to describe what to expect is by using Brandreth’s own words: “This is a book about a boy and a bear, but it is also a book about fathers and sons, about the effects of parents on their children, about the nature of childhood itself --- about the magic and the mystery and the importance of childhood.”
We get to visit the New York Public Library, where, in early 2025, Brandreth took in an exhibit that featured some of the stuffed animals, all remarkably preserved, that made up the original Pooh gang. He recounts a funny story about how President Bill Clinton and Prime Minister Tony Blair were in negotiations to bring the dolls back to London.
Milne credits some of his love of creativity to his close family friend, H.G. Wells, who continued to inspire him throughout his career. There are some wonderful photos here, including the first illustrations of Pooh from 1924.
It is amazing to learn about the eventual resentment that both Milne and his son had toward the Pooh stories, and even toward each other. Milne felt that its success overshadowed all of his other great work, and it would take many years for Christopher to be able to live with the fact that he forever will be Christopher Robin to the rest of the world. It was not until after Milne passed away and his wife, Daphne, sold the film and merchandising rights to everything involving Winnie-the-Pooh to Walt Disney that the popularity of the franchise really took off. Christopher learned to live with this and actually love it.
Timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of WINNIE-THE-POOH's publication, SOMEWHERE, A BOY AND A BEAR is not to be missed by fans of A. A. Milne and Winnie-the-Pooh, or anyone who enjoys seeing the creation of something legendary.
Teaser
SOMEWHERE, A BOY AND A BEAR tells the remarkable story of A. A. Milne, a playwright, a bestselling crime writer, a poet, a polemicist, a humorist, and the man who created Winnie-the-Pooh. Gyles Brandreth explores Winnie-the-Pooh, a bear beloved by millions: his genesis, his life across a hundred years, his special philosophy, and the reasons for his worldwide popularity. Brandreth’s book is also the intimate biography of three generations of the fascinating and troubled Milne family, which knew fame and fortune, despising both for a time, but a family that ultimately found a profound reason to be grateful for the riches Pooh brought them.
Promo
SOMEWHERE, A BOY AND A BEAR tells the remarkable story of A. A. Milne, a playwright, a bestselling crime writer, a poet, a polemicist, a humorist, and the man who created Winnie-the-Pooh. Gyles Brandreth explores Winnie-the-Pooh, a bear beloved by millions: his genesis, his life across a hundred years, his special philosophy, and the reasons for his worldwide popularity. Brandreth’s book is also the intimate biography of three generations of the fascinating and troubled Milne family, which knew fame and fortune, despising both for a time, but a family that ultimately found a profound reason to be grateful for the riches Pooh brought them.
About the Book
For the 100th anniversary of the publication of WINNIE-THE-POOH, Gyles Brandreth chronicles the writing of this beloved classic and the life of its creator, A. A. Milne.
SOMEWHERE, A BOY AND A BEAR tells the remarkable story of A. A. Milne, a playwright, a bestselling crime writer, a poet, a polemicist, a humorist, and the man who created Winnie-the-Pooh.
Gyles Brandreth explores Winnie-the-Pooh, a bear beloved by millions: his genesis, his life across a hundred years, his special philosophy, and the reasons for his worldwide popularity. Brandreth’s book is also the intimate biography of three generations of the fascinating and troubled Milne family, which knew fame and fortune, despising both for a time, but a family that ultimately found a profound reason to be grateful for the riches Pooh brought them.
With an extraordinary cast list that includes Elizabeth II and Walt Disney, SOMEWHERE, A BOY AND A BEAR moves from idyllic childhood games in the English countryside to New York in the 1930s and the love affairs, litigation and heartrending family rifts that touched the life of one of Britain's most brilliant writers and his most famous creation.
Audiobook available, read by Gyles Brandreth
