Somewhere, a Boy and His Bear: A. A. Milne and the Creation of Winnie the Pooh

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 crime writer, a poet, a polemicist, a humorist, and the man who created Winnie-the-Pooh. In his new book, 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 who knew fame and fortune, despising both for a time, but a family which ultimately found a profound reason to be grateful for the riches Pooh brought them.

With an extraordinary cast list that includes Winston Churchill, Elizabeth II and Walt Disney, Somewhere, a Boy and his Bear chronicles the love affairs, litigation, idyllic childhood games, and heart-rending family rifts that swirled around one of Britain’s most brilliant writers and his most famous creation. Somewhere, a Boy and His Bear is a book about childhood, about growing up, about nostalgia, and a bear named Winnie-the-Pooh who is described as being “of very little brain”, but whose steadfast, kind and thoughtful way of viewing the world has warmed the hearts of millions.

About the Author

Gyles Brandreth is a writer, broadcaster and former politician. His many books include the bestselling poetry anthology, Dancing by the Light of the Moon, and the international bestseller about spelling and punctuation, Have You Eaten Grandma? In the 1980s Gyles Brandreth wrote a play about the Milne family during which he became friends with the real Christopher Robin and his wife, Lesley, and began to discover the complex story of Christopher Robin’s parents. Brandreth is also the founder of the award winning teddy bear museum at Newby Hall, The Bear House.