A. A. (Alan Alexander) Milne

Born in London in 1882, A. A. Milne studied at Trinity College, Cambridge, and went on to build a successful literary career that reached far beyond children's books. He wrote essays and humorous pieces for Punch, served in the British Army during the First World War, and later published plays, novels, and poetry.

Milne became famous around the world in the 1920s with Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner, along with the poetry collections When We Were Very Young and Now We Are Six. The stories were inspired in part by his son, Christopher Robin, and by the toy bear and other stuffed animals that became the basis for Pooh and his friends.

Although the Pooh books came to define his public reputation, Milne kept writing for adults as well and was sometimes frustrated that his broader work was overshadowed. He died in 1956, but his gentle wit, clear storytelling, and affectionate view of childhood have kept his work alive for generations of readers.