Somewhere, a Boy and a Bear, Gyles Brandreth
Somewhere, a Boy and a Bear, Gyles Brandreth
List: $26.99 | Sale: $18.89
Club: $13.49

Somewhere, a Boy and a Bear
A. A. Milne and the Creation of "Winnie-the-Pooh"

Author: Gyles Brandreth

Narrator: Gyles Brandreth

Unabridged: 11 hr 46 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 12/02/2025


Synopsis

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

About Gyles Brandreth

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.


Reviews

Goodreads review by ✨Little Lit Lady✨ on November 24, 2025

The story of A.A. Milne and his family dynamics was a revelation. It is hard to read of such a beloved series like Winnie the Pooh and hear of the heartache it brought upon the man who created it. Hearing how the real Christopher Robbin felt of the story that made him the most famous literary boy an......more

Goodreads review by Megan on November 12, 2025

This was a very interesting audiobook experience about AA Milne and how the whimsical and nostalgic stories of the many adventures of Winnie The Pooh and his friends changed the literary world by storm. I loved reading these stories growing up and of course was raised on the Disney adaptations. I al......more

Goodreads review by Liv on November 05, 2025

Brilliant. Fascinating that everyone was nostalgic for the mid-war years — Waugh, Auden, Milne… Happiness and nostalgia are not the same thing. And a reminder not to lose my parents like AA and CR did. Painstakingly researched and just the right amount of personal from Brandreth. I would like to rea......more

Goodreads review by Dan on November 17, 2025

If you wanted to know all about A.A. Milne (the man who created Winnie the Pooh), then this is the book for you. It touches on his grandparents, delves into his parents, his childhood, his life as a playwright and author and his relationships with others. By researching Milne’s papers and interviews......more

Goodreads review by Ashley on November 20, 2025

As someone whose childhood was filled with Winnie the Pooh this book was a must. The writing varied throughout, sometimes whimsical & sweet, sometimes a bit dry & slow but the deep nostalgia was a constant. There are definitely parts of this book that will stay with me. Big thanks to Netgalley & the......more


Quotes

“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