Somewhere, a Boy and a Bear

A. A. Milne and the Creation of "Winnie-the-Pooh"

By: Gyles Brandreth

Narrated by: Gyles Brandreth

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. This program is read by the author.

Somewhere, a Boy and a Bear tells the remarkable story of A A Milne, a playwright, a bestselling crime writer, poet, polemicist, 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.

"[Author and Narrator Gyles] Brandreth's richly toned delivery reflects his familiarity with [A.A.] Milne's life and the eras in which he lived...Brandreth's personal relationship and memories add heart to his narration, blending factual research with nostalgic joy."—AudioFile

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press

Critic reviews

“The story of the Milne family is the story of holding the temptations of a pastoral imagination together with the traumas of the real world…Somewhere a Boy and a Bear is a lesson in childhood innocence, its loss, and its recovery in storytelling.” - Kirkus Reviews

The author/narrator is an awesome storyteller.

I really found simply listening to the stories about the people in the book to be very interesting and engaging. It made me think about my life and my relationships with the people in my life.

The kindness of the author and the patience of Pooh!!

The delightful telling! A wonderful story about the reality of us humans. I remember my bear, Pucky. I wish I knew my parents consciously as the author tells but I don’t want to know them at all.