Once a Week

by A.A. Milne

Alan Alexander Milne (1882-1956) was an English author, best known for his books about the teddy bear Winnie-the-Pooh and for various children’s poems. After graduating from Cambridge in 1903, he contributed humourous verse and whimsical essays to the British humour magazine Punch, joining the staff in 1906 and becoming an assistant editor. During this period he published 18 plays and 3 novels, including the murder mystery The Red House Mystery (1922). In 1924, he produced a collection of children’s poems When We Were Very Young. However he is most famous for his two Pooh books Winnie-the-Pooh (1926) and The House at Pooh Corner (1928), about a boy named Christopher Robin and various characters inspired by his son’s stuffed animals. Amongst his other works are Once a Week (1914), The Sunny Side (1921) and The Dover Road (1922).

Genres: Humor, Short Stories, Classics, Fiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 1914

About the author

Alan Alexander Milne (pronounced /ˈmɪln/) was an English author, best known for his books about the teddy bear Winnie-the-Pooh and for various children's poems.

A. A. Milne was born in Kilburn, London, to parents Vince Milne and Sarah Marie Milne (née Heginbotham) and grew up at Henley House School, 6/7 Mortimer Road (now Crescent), Kilburn, a small public school run by his father. One of his teachers was H. G. Wells who taught there in 1889–90. Milne attended Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he studied on a mathematics scholarship. While there, he edited and wrote for Granta, a student magazine. He collaborated with his brother Kenneth and their articles appeared over the initials AKM. Milne's work came to the attention of the leading British humour magazine Punch, where Milne was to become a contributor and later an assistant editor.

Milne joined the British Army in World War I and served as an officer in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and later, after a debilitating illness, the Royal Corps of Signals. He was discharged on February 14, 1919.

After the war, he wrote a denunciation of war titled Peace with Honour (1934), which he retracted somewhat with 1940's War with Honour. During World War II, Milne was one of the most prominent critics of English writer P. G. Wodehouse, who was captured at his country home in France by the Nazis and imprisoned for a year. Wodehouse made radio broadcasts about his internment, which were broadcast from Berlin. Although the light-hearted broadcasts made fun of the Germans, Milne accused Wodehouse of committing an act of near treason by cooperating with his country's enemy. Wodehouse got some revenge on his former friend by creating fatuous parodies of the Christopher Robin poems in some of his later stories, and claiming that Milne "was probably jealous of all other writers.... But I loved his stuff."

He married Dorothy "Daphne" de Sélincourt in 1913, and their only son, Christopher Robin Milne, was born in 1920. In 1925, A. A. Milne bought a country home, Cotchford Farm, in Hartfield, East Sussex. During World War II, A. A. Milne was Captain of the Home Guard in Hartfield & Forest Row, insisting on being plain 'Mr. Milne' to the members of his platoon. He retired to the farm after a stroke and brain surgery in 1952 left him an invalid and by August 1953 "he seemed very old and disenchanted".

He was 74 years old when he passed away in 1956.

Reviews

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 An amusing and fun collection of sketches and short stories that he wrote for Punch Magazine at the start of his career; as with all collections, some work better than others but there are some great characters that crop up in several so and it was always nice to meet them again. Most of them could be read in 5 - 10 minutes.

[Yaaresse · Rating 2 out of 5]

Droll and pleasant, but mostly pointless, this collection of short stories shows that Milne had a keen and quick wit, but maybe plot wasn't his strong point. It's a fun little read, but fairly forgettable. If this is what passed for hilarity in the early 1900s, I can see how Monty Python and Benny Hill shook the Brits hard.

[Cera · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really amusing collection of early 20th century sketches from Punch. Some of them have not aged terribly well, but some were really funny, and I would have happily read an entire novel of some of these characters.

[Tabitha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many stories in this collection made me laugh out loud; my personal favourite is The Financier. Every story in this book is worth reading. I recommend this book to everyone who likes to have a laugh!

[Benj · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew that Milne was a playwright, but I didn't know he did essays as well. They're perhaps not up to the standard of Jerome K Jerome, but recognisably the same tone and style. I found them pleasant, and laughed out loud a few times.

[Kathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like some of these stories would work as silly plots for musicals. You know, the SHOUTY dialogue that happens between songs of that era.
Some of them were also reminiscent of old radio programs. Quite a strange collection, indeed!

[Dagnija · Rating 5 out of 5]

"kalna vidū slēpes sāka mani apsteigt, bet es neesmu ar vieglu roku ņemams un man izdevās finišēt 2 metrus pirms slēpēm"

[Thelma · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting enough to keep me occupied but no classic by any means

[Sukriti · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Once a Week" by A.A. Milne is a delightful and heartwarming collection of short stories and essays that transport readers to a simpler, bygone era. Milne's charming prose and keen observations breathe life into his characters and capture the essence of everyday experiences. The book offers a nostalgic escape from the hustle and bustle of modern life. While some stories may feel dated, the timeless themes of friendship, family, and human connection resonate throughout. Milne's wit and gentle humor shine brightly, making this a perfect choice for those seeking a cozy, feel-good read that evokes a sense of nostalgia.

[Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

For awhile I was really obsessed with Milne's short adult fiction, and this is the book that started it all. I found it in the attic of a book store on Market St. in Corning, NY, and I've read it multiple times. Milne's humor and acuity into human nature shine in these vignettes, perhaps even more so than in his Pooh stories.

[Jennifer Ricks · Rating 3 out of 5]

So FUNNY! I'm loving it! There were some that I liked and some that I REALLY, REALLY liked! Definitely a super fun read!

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book of fluffy, irreverant short stories from a century ago. I read a story here and there on my reader while waiting for a Dr. appt. or before I start a new book

[Philip · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had higher hopes for this one. But still, it had a pleasant lightness about it. You wouldn't do too badly if you brought this to the beach.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hilarious conglomeration of short stories written by A.A. Milne. His sharp wit had me laughing out loud at times. There were a few odd ones thrown into the mix, but on the whole I enjoyed it.

[Raelee Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of stories, some of them related. Chock-full of excellent British humor.

[Shauna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like I'm becoming friends with A.A. Milne and I'm being pulled into his polite British early 20th century world.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed bag - first two stories are really funny as are several more, others not so much.

[Laura Verret]

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