Milne, A. A. (Alan Alexander Milne) [key], 1882–1956, English author. Milne began his literary career as a journalist and later became a regular contributor to Punch. He is best known for his collections of verses for children, including When We Were Very Young (1924) and Now We Are Six (1927), and for the books Winnie-the-Pooh (1926) and The House at Pooh Corner (1928), which established the characters Christopher Robin (named for and based on his own son, 1920–96) and his toy animal friends, including Pooh Bear, Piglet, and Eeyore. These stories have become classics, beloved by adults as well as children. Milne's detective novel, The Red House Mystery (1921), is one of the best in its genre. Also a successful dramatist, he wrote several comedies, including Mr. Pim Passes By (1920) and The Dover Road (1921).
See his autobiography (1939); Inventing Wonderland (1995) by J. Wullschläger.
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