A. A. Milne
From Philosopedia
Milne, Alan Alexander (18 January 1882 - 31 January 1956)
A.A. Milne, was born in England and brought up in London. With his brothers he attended his schoolteacher-father's school, Henley House. One of his influential teachers there was H.G. Wells. Attending Cambridge on a mathematics scholarship, Milne was given the gift of 1000 pounds by his father upon graduation. He used it to move back to London and become a writer.
Milne freelanced for newspapers, became part of the staff at Punch, and wrote a book that flopped, Lovers in London. In 1913 he married Dorothy De Selincourt. In 1915 he volunteered to serve during World War I, and, while serving, wrote his first play.
His only child, Christopher, was born in 1920. When We Were Young was published in 1924, followed by Winnie the Pooh (1926), The House at Pooh Corner (1926) and Now We Are Six (1927). Milne subsequently wrote several plays, a detective novel and Year In, Year Out (1952.
A freethinker according to David Tribe, Milne is known for his verse collections for children. But he went on record that
- The Old Testament is responsible for more atheism, agnosticism, disbelief - call it what you will - than any book ever written; it has emptied more churches than all the counter attractions of cinema, motor bicycle, and golf course.
