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Somewhere, a Boy and a Bear
‘Whatever subject an author chooses or has chosen for him, he reveals no secret but the secret of himself’ A A Milne
When Winnie-the-Pooh first appeared in print on Christmas Eve 1925, his creator had no idea that this bear, and the fellow inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Wood, would go on to capture the imaginations of people of all ages all over the world for the next hundred years.
In this new biography Gyles Brandreth tells the remarkable story of A A Milne – and of the ‘bear of very little brain’ who went on to become a global phenomenon.
Drawing on his friendship with Milne’s son, the real Christopher Robin, Gyles Brandreth has produced a revealing and intimate portrait of a prolific author whose legacy came to be defined by his most famous creation, and of the divided Milne family who for many years had a conflicted relationship with the iconic bear.
This is the story of a man, a boy and a bear – but it is also a gripping family drama, and a fascinating exploration of the complicated nature of growing up, and the impossible longing for a return to the enchanted places of childhood.
‘Gyles Brandreth has a touching access to the secrets of the human heart’ The Times
When Winnie-the-Pooh first appeared in print on Christmas Eve 1925, his creator had no idea that this bear, and the fellow inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Wood, would go on to capture the imaginations of people of all ages all over the world for the next hundred years.
In this new biography Gyles Brandreth tells the remarkable story of A A Milne – and of the ‘bear of very little brain’ who went on to become a global phenomenon.
Drawing on his friendship with Milne’s son, the real Christopher Robin, Gyles Brandreth has produced a revealing and intimate portrait of a prolific author whose legacy came to be defined by his most famous creation, and of the divided Milne family who for many years had a conflicted relationship with the iconic bear.
This is the story of a man, a boy and a bear – but it is also a gripping family drama, and a fascinating exploration of the complicated nature of growing up, and the impossible longing for a return to the enchanted places of childhood.
‘Gyles Brandreth has a touching access to the secrets of the human heart’ The Times
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About the author
Gyles Brandreth
464 books400 followersFull name: Gyles Daubeney Brandreth.
A former Oxford Scholar, President of the Oxford Union and MP for the City of Chester, Gyles Brandreth’s career has ranged from being a Whip and Lord Commissioner of the Treasury in John Major’s government to starring in his own award-winning musical revue in London’s West End. A prolific broadcaster (in programmes ranging from Just a Minute to Have I Got News for You), an acclaimed interviewer (principally for the Sunday Telegraph), a novelist, children’s author and biographer, his best-selling diary, Breaking the Code, was described as ‘By far the best political diary of recent years, far more perceptive and revealing than Alan Clark’s’ (The Times) and ‘Searingly honest, wildly indiscreet, and incredibly funny’ (Daily Mail). He is the author of two acclaimed royal biographies: Philip Elizabeth: Portrait of a Marriage and Charles Camilla: Portrait of a Love Affair. In 2007/2008, John Murray in the UK and Simon & Schuster in the US began publishing The Oscar Wilde Murder Mysteries, his series of Victorian murder mysteries featuring Oscar Wilde as the detective.
As a performer, Gyles Brandreth has been seen most recently in ZIPP! ONE HUNDRED MUSICALS FOR LESS THAN THE PRICE OF ONE at the Duchess Theatre and on tour throughout the UK, and as Malvolio and the Sea Captain in TWELFTH NIGHT THE MUSICAL at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Gyles Brandreth is one of Britain’s busiest after-dinner speakers and award ceremony hosts. He has won awards himself, and been nominated for awards, as a public speaker, novelist, children’s writer, broadcaster (Sony), political diarist (Channel Four), journalist (British Press Awards), theatre producer (Olivier), and businessman (British Tourist Authority Come to Britain Trophy).
He is married to writer and publisher Michèle Brown, with whom he co-curated the exhibition of twentieth century children’s authors at the National Portrait Gallery and founded the award-winning Teddy Bear Museum now based at the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon. He is a trustee of the British Forces Foundation, and a former chairman and now vice-president of the National Playing Fields Association.
Gyles Brandreth’s forebears include George R. Sims (the highest-paid journalist of his day, who wrote the ballad Christmas Day in the Workhouse) and Jeremiah Brandreth (the last man in England to be beheaded for treason). His great-great-grandfather, Benjamin Brandreth, promoted ‘Brandreth’s Pills’ (a medicine that cured everything!) and was a pioneer of modern advertising and a New York state senator. Today, Gyles Brandreth has family living in New York, Maryland, South Carolina and California. He has been London correspondent for “Up to the Minute” on CBS News and his books published in the United States include the New York Times best-seller, The Joy of Lex and, most recently, Philip Elizabeth: Portrait of a Royal Marriage.
A former Oxford Scholar, President of the Oxford Union and MP for the City of Chester, Gyles Brandreth’s career has ranged from being a Whip and Lord Commissioner of the Treasury in John Major’s government to starring in his own award-winning musical revue in London’s West End. A prolific broadcaster (in programmes ranging from Just a Minute to Have I Got News for You), an acclaimed interviewer (principally for the Sunday Telegraph), a novelist, children’s author and biographer, his best-selling diary, Breaking the Code, was described as ‘By far the best political diary of recent years, far more perceptive and revealing than Alan Clark’s’ (The Times) and ‘Searingly honest, wildly indiscreet, and incredibly funny’ (Daily Mail). He is the author of two acclaimed royal biographies: Philip Elizabeth: Portrait of a Marriage and Charles Camilla: Portrait of a Love Affair. In 2007/2008, John Murray in the UK and Simon & Schuster in the US began publishing The Oscar Wilde Murder Mysteries, his series of Victorian murder mysteries featuring Oscar Wilde as the detective.
As a performer, Gyles Brandreth has been seen most recently in ZIPP! ONE HUNDRED MUSICALS FOR LESS THAN THE PRICE OF ONE at the Duchess Theatre and on tour throughout the UK, and as Malvolio and the Sea Captain in TWELFTH NIGHT THE MUSICAL at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Gyles Brandreth is one of Britain’s busiest after-dinner speakers and award ceremony hosts. He has won awards himself, and been nominated for awards, as a public speaker, novelist, children’s writer, broadcaster (Sony), political diarist (Channel Four), journalist (British Press Awards), theatre producer (Olivier), and businessman (British Tourist Authority Come to Britain Trophy).
He is married to writer and publisher Michèle Brown, with whom he co-curated the exhibition of twentieth century children’s authors at the National Portrait Gallery and founded the award-winning Teddy Bear Museum now based at the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon. He is a trustee of the British Forces Foundation, and a former chairman and now vice-president of the National Playing Fields Association.
Gyles Brandreth’s forebears include George R. Sims (the highest-paid journalist of his day, who wrote the ballad Christmas Day in the Workhouse) and Jeremiah Brandreth (the last man in England to be beheaded for treason). His great-great-grandfather, Benjamin Brandreth, promoted ‘Brandreth’s Pills’ (a medicine that cured everything!) and was a pioneer of modern advertising and a New York state senator. Today, Gyles Brandreth has family living in New York, Maryland, South Carolina and California. He has been London correspondent for “Up to the Minute” on CBS News and his books published in the United States include the New York Times best-seller, The Joy of Lex and, most recently, Philip Elizabeth: Portrait of a Royal Marriage.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 15, 2025
3.5 rounded up! An interesting read but at times quite wandering, but overall I enjoyed this biography.
November 12, 2025
A bit meandering but a lovely story that makes me want to read Pooh again and make sure my children have a wonderful childhood.
December 29, 2025
Rating: 4.5 stars
Review to follow (eventually)
Review to follow (eventually)
October 30, 2025
A great biography about AAMilne ..didn't realise he had writing gift for many genres and a sad life ..amazing read if a Winnie the Pooh fan! and Christopher Robin of course
October 13, 2025
Just finished Gyles Brandreth’s biography about A A Milne ‘Somewhere, A oh & A Beaf. What a fascinating read- I never knew A A Milne only wrote 4 children’s books, nor that a was also a playwright - even though I have seen one of his plays - The Wi d in the Wilows - many years ago at Sadlers Wells. The whole book is interwoven with quotes from the Pooh Books to the main narrative. I am also going to start a campaign to get the original Pooh Bear & friends, back home from the NYC Public Library 😂😂. Here’s the blurb…
When Winnie-the-Pooh first appeared in print on Christmas Eve 1925, his creator had no idea that this bear, and the fellow inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Wood, would go on to capture the imaginations of people of all ages all over the world for the next hundred years.
In this new biography Gyles Brandreth tells the remarkable story of A A Milne – and of the ‘bear of very little brain’ who went on to become a global phenomenon.
Drawing on his friendship with Milne’s son, the real Christopher Robin, Gyles Brandreth has produced a revealing and intimate portrait of a prolific author whose legacy came to be defined by his most famous creation, and of the divided Milne family who for many years had a conflicted relationship with the iconic bear.
This is the story of a man, a boy and a bear – but it is also a gripping family drama, and a fascinating exploration of the complicated nature of growing up, and the impossible longing for a return to the enchanted places of childhood.
When Winnie-the-Pooh first appeared in print on Christmas Eve 1925, his creator had no idea that this bear, and the fellow inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Wood, would go on to capture the imaginations of people of all ages all over the world for the next hundred years.
In this new biography Gyles Brandreth tells the remarkable story of A A Milne – and of the ‘bear of very little brain’ who went on to become a global phenomenon.
Drawing on his friendship with Milne’s son, the real Christopher Robin, Gyles Brandreth has produced a revealing and intimate portrait of a prolific author whose legacy came to be defined by his most famous creation, and of the divided Milne family who for many years had a conflicted relationship with the iconic bear.
This is the story of a man, a boy and a bear – but it is also a gripping family drama, and a fascinating exploration of the complicated nature of growing up, and the impossible longing for a return to the enchanted places of childhood.
November 16, 2025
3.5
This book takes a deep dive into A.A. Milne's life -his childhood, his writing career, his marriage and of course his son Christopher Robin and the characters of Winnie the Pooh. Most of it was interesting, although sad at times, except for his writing career. I was mostly interested in Winnie the Pooh, but he was also a playwright. There were so many tidbits of information that I was surprised by:
*Kanga - inspired by his own mother
*The original Winnie the Pooh is in the United States and they aren't willing to give it back to England
*The broken relationships in his life, yet had the sweet tender poetry and writing that created Winnie the Pooh
*Austin TX celebrates Eyeore Day every year in April
*The University of Texas has a vast amount on the book and the author - what a surprise!
For the fans of Winnie of the Pooh and those interested in A.A. Milne, you will find this book interesting.
My thanks to Net Galley, Penguin and Macmillian Audio for an advanced copy of this audio book.
This book takes a deep dive into A.A. Milne's life -his childhood, his writing career, his marriage and of course his son Christopher Robin and the characters of Winnie the Pooh. Most of it was interesting, although sad at times, except for his writing career. I was mostly interested in Winnie the Pooh, but he was also a playwright. There were so many tidbits of information that I was surprised by:
*Kanga - inspired by his own mother
*The original Winnie the Pooh is in the United States and they aren't willing to give it back to England
*The broken relationships in his life, yet had the sweet tender poetry and writing that created Winnie the Pooh
*Austin TX celebrates Eyeore Day every year in April
*The University of Texas has a vast amount on the book and the author - what a surprise!
For the fans of Winnie of the Pooh and those interested in A.A. Milne, you will find this book interesting.
My thanks to Net Galley, Penguin and Macmillian Audio for an advanced copy of this audio book.
November 20, 2025
This is the rather sad, and at times meandering, biography of A. A. Milne of Winnie the Pooh fame. Starting with the stories of his parents and going through the life of his famous son, Christopher Robin Milne, this book goes into great detail of who they were and the events of their lives that shaped them. For someone who only knows Milne as the author of Winnie the Pooh and one mystery novel, I was intrigued to learn of what a prolific writer he was, delving into different genres and styles. It is well written but it is repetitive in places.
Overall this was an interesting read and I would recommend it to lovers of biographies.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Overall this was an interesting read and I would recommend it to lovers of biographies.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
November 5, 2025
Really took quite the journey on A.A. Milne. It was interesting finding out the life story and I loved it was written by someone that had connected with the family. Personally, I always find it sad when reading about someone that created something I have loved to find out that they in the end didn't care to be as known and defined by creation. Still was an informative read about the man who gave us Winnie the Pooh and friends.
Thank you NetGalley for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you NetGalley for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
October 28, 2025
I thought this was a lovely biography that really made me think more about A.A. Milne and Winnie the Pooh in the original way the books were written and not the Disney adaptation (which I still like) and it’s nice to see what was behind all of that original work. I especially enjoyed the audiobook and reader
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews