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The Complete Short Stories of A. A. Milne
A new collection of A. A. Milne’s short stories for grown-ups. Gathered in full for the first time, they include several never published before. They show Milne’s renowned charm, concision and whimsical flair in all their brilliance.
He paints memorable scenes – from a children’s birthday party, to an accidental encounter with murder, and a case of blackmail – often with an unexpected twist. But he also deals in poignancy, from the girl who pulls the wool over her boyfriend’s eyes, to a first dance and first disappointment or family reunion and domestic dissonance.
Beguiling and evocative, Milne’s thought-provoking stories for adults will make you see his works for children in a whole new light.
He paints memorable scenes – from a children’s birthday party, to an accidental encounter with murder, and a case of blackmail – often with an unexpected twist. But he also deals in poignancy, from the girl who pulls the wool over her boyfriend’s eyes, to a first dance and first disappointment or family reunion and domestic dissonance.
Beguiling and evocative, Milne’s thought-provoking stories for adults will make you see his works for children in a whole new light.
- GenresShort Stories
573 pages, Paperback
Published February 29, 2024
9 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
A.A. Milne
1,845 books3,729 followersAlan Alexander Milne (pronounced /ˈmɪln/) was an English author, best known for his books about the teddy bear Winnie-the-Pooh and for various children's poems.
A. A. Milne was born in Kilburn, London, to parents Vince Milne and Sarah Marie Milne (née Heginbotham) and grew up at Henley House School, 6/7 Mortimer Road (now Crescent), Kilburn, a small public school run by his father. One of his teachers was H. G. Wells who taught there in 1889–90. Milne attended Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he studied on a mathematics scholarship. While there, he edited and wrote for Granta, a student magazine. He collaborated with his brother Kenneth and their articles appeared over the initials AKM. Milne's work came to the attention of the leading British humour magazine Punch, where Milne was to become a contributor and later an assistant editor.
Milne joined the British Army in World War I and served as an officer in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and later, after a debilitating illness, the Royal Corps of Signals. He was discharged on February 14, 1919.
After the war, he wrote a denunciation of war titled Peace with Honour (1934), which he retracted somewhat with 1940's War with Honour. During World War II, Milne was one of the most prominent critics of English writer P. G. Wodehouse, who was captured at his country home in France by the Nazis and imprisoned for a year. Wodehouse made radio broadcasts about his internment, which were broadcast from Berlin. Although the light-hearted broadcasts made fun of the Germans, Milne accused Wodehouse of committing an act of near treason by cooperating with his country's enemy. Wodehouse got some revenge on his former friend by creating fatuous parodies of the Christopher Robin poems in some of his later stories, and claiming that Milne "was probably jealous of all other writers.... But I loved his stuff."
He married Dorothy "Daphne" de Sélincourt in 1913, and their only son, Christopher Robin Milne, was born in 1920. In 1925, A. A. Milne bought a country home, Cotchford Farm, in Hartfield, East Sussex. During World War II, A. A. Milne was Captain of the Home Guard in Hartfield & Forest Row, insisting on being plain 'Mr. Milne' to the members of his platoon. He retired to the farm after a stroke and brain surgery in 1952 left him an invalid and by August 1953 "he seemed very old and disenchanted".
He was 74 years old when he passed away in 1956.
A. A. Milne was born in Kilburn, London, to parents Vince Milne and Sarah Marie Milne (née Heginbotham) and grew up at Henley House School, 6/7 Mortimer Road (now Crescent), Kilburn, a small public school run by his father. One of his teachers was H. G. Wells who taught there in 1889–90. Milne attended Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he studied on a mathematics scholarship. While there, he edited and wrote for Granta, a student magazine. He collaborated with his brother Kenneth and their articles appeared over the initials AKM. Milne's work came to the attention of the leading British humour magazine Punch, where Milne was to become a contributor and later an assistant editor.
Milne joined the British Army in World War I and served as an officer in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and later, after a debilitating illness, the Royal Corps of Signals. He was discharged on February 14, 1919.
After the war, he wrote a denunciation of war titled Peace with Honour (1934), which he retracted somewhat with 1940's War with Honour. During World War II, Milne was one of the most prominent critics of English writer P. G. Wodehouse, who was captured at his country home in France by the Nazis and imprisoned for a year. Wodehouse made radio broadcasts about his internment, which were broadcast from Berlin. Although the light-hearted broadcasts made fun of the Germans, Milne accused Wodehouse of committing an act of near treason by cooperating with his country's enemy. Wodehouse got some revenge on his former friend by creating fatuous parodies of the Christopher Robin poems in some of his later stories, and claiming that Milne "was probably jealous of all other writers.... But I loved his stuff."
He married Dorothy "Daphne" de Sélincourt in 1913, and their only son, Christopher Robin Milne, was born in 1920. In 1925, A. A. Milne bought a country home, Cotchford Farm, in Hartfield, East Sussex. During World War II, A. A. Milne was Captain of the Home Guard in Hartfield & Forest Row, insisting on being plain 'Mr. Milne' to the members of his platoon. He retired to the farm after a stroke and brain surgery in 1952 left him an invalid and by August 1953 "he seemed very old and disenchanted".
He was 74 years old when he passed away in 1956.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 25, 2024
The Complete Stories of A. A. Milne is a varied, unique and interesting collection of short stories.
The introduction from Gyles Brandreth discusses Milne alongside Winnie the Pooh and how much more he had to offer. Over forty stories, Milne’s entire collection, of short stories have been compiled to create the book, some in print for the first time.
I really enjoyed that each story was so different, with so many genres and topics. It kept things interesting. Ultimately they each stick to somewhat of the same style. It’s hard to pinpoint what it is exactly but there is a signature that is present through each one, perhaps it’s cleverness and a kind of warmth in the writing, that is also found in Winnie the Pooh.
I enjoyed the fleeting meetings with characters, the snippets of their lives and the interesting events they were immersed in. The variability of them meant that nothing ever got boring and I often found myself hooked and not wanting them to end.
The Green Door was one of my favourite stories. The mystery of the Green door that followed Perivale from childhood, that his father and the kingdom were afraid of, certain of bad things that were housed behind it. It’s an interesting story and definitely got me thinking. Relatably, the perspective of seeing someone outside of their usual habitat somewhat skews their thinking!
The Birthday Party was another favourite read, an interesting tale of how things can pan out – the tide of events that mean you end up somewhere. David is an interesting character and I was drawn to his want to keep things to himself for a day. I also found it fascinating how the story demonstrated how much times have changed, with men leaving for work immediately after their first child is born!
Save the best until last, although there are so many great stories, Murder at Eleven was my number one. Told from the Inspector’s perspective, the relay of the situation and the descriptions of all the suspects was really well done. I felt part of the narrative and the little offhand comments about the characters added to that involvement. A cleverly wrapped-up snippet and an enjoyable read.
I have a newfound appreciation for A. A. Milne and how Pooh overshadowed his adult writing. A quirky, riveting set of tales to return to!
The introduction from Gyles Brandreth discusses Milne alongside Winnie the Pooh and how much more he had to offer. Over forty stories, Milne’s entire collection, of short stories have been compiled to create the book, some in print for the first time.
I really enjoyed that each story was so different, with so many genres and topics. It kept things interesting. Ultimately they each stick to somewhat of the same style. It’s hard to pinpoint what it is exactly but there is a signature that is present through each one, perhaps it’s cleverness and a kind of warmth in the writing, that is also found in Winnie the Pooh.
I enjoyed the fleeting meetings with characters, the snippets of their lives and the interesting events they were immersed in. The variability of them meant that nothing ever got boring and I often found myself hooked and not wanting them to end.
The Green Door was one of my favourite stories. The mystery of the Green door that followed Perivale from childhood, that his father and the kingdom were afraid of, certain of bad things that were housed behind it. It’s an interesting story and definitely got me thinking. Relatably, the perspective of seeing someone outside of their usual habitat somewhat skews their thinking!
The Birthday Party was another favourite read, an interesting tale of how things can pan out – the tide of events that mean you end up somewhere. David is an interesting character and I was drawn to his want to keep things to himself for a day. I also found it fascinating how the story demonstrated how much times have changed, with men leaving for work immediately after their first child is born!
Save the best until last, although there are so many great stories, Murder at Eleven was my number one. Told from the Inspector’s perspective, the relay of the situation and the descriptions of all the suspects was really well done. I felt part of the narrative and the little offhand comments about the characters added to that involvement. A cleverly wrapped-up snippet and an enjoyable read.
I have a newfound appreciation for A. A. Milne and how Pooh overshadowed his adult writing. A quirky, riveting set of tales to return to!
March 31, 2024
I'm so glad I got the opportunity to read this book as I don't think I would have ever known about it otherwise! I was ignorant about A. A. Milne's writing other than Winnie the Pooh and this was a pleasant surprise!
This collection of short stories spans from 1914 to 1953 with some non dated ones. The stories span various genres with the sole denominator being Milne's wit and very smooth writing. Even is it's a writing style and language that doesn't reflect the present, it is very easy to read and I actually found it very interesting!
As I mentioned, there is a bit of everything, from mystery, a bit of fairy tale and light romance to murder. It is also a window on what society was at the time, with some unexpected passages like this quote one of the stories dated 1915: "...If you're one of those manly men who can't bear the idea of a woman ever paying for anything, then you'd better say so now, to avoid a scene inside."
This book has made me appreciate A. A. Milne's talent more and think about him in a different light. I highly recommend this read and I suggest reading one story every day, maybe before going to bed, so to prepare the brain for some humorous and interesting dreams.
Thanks to RandomThingsTours for a copy and this is my honest opinion.
This collection of short stories spans from 1914 to 1953 with some non dated ones. The stories span various genres with the sole denominator being Milne's wit and very smooth writing. Even is it's a writing style and language that doesn't reflect the present, it is very easy to read and I actually found it very interesting!
As I mentioned, there is a bit of everything, from mystery, a bit of fairy tale and light romance to murder. It is also a window on what society was at the time, with some unexpected passages like this quote one of the stories dated 1915: "...If you're one of those manly men who can't bear the idea of a woman ever paying for anything, then you'd better say so now, to avoid a scene inside."
This book has made me appreciate A. A. Milne's talent more and think about him in a different light. I highly recommend this read and I suggest reading one story every day, maybe before going to bed, so to prepare the brain for some humorous and interesting dreams.
Thanks to RandomThingsTours for a copy and this is my honest opinion.
March 27, 2024
What a varied and delightful collection of short stories, some of which are being published for the first time.
If you would like to read my full review please visit my blog at:
https://leftontheshelfbookblog.blogsp...
If you would like to read my full review please visit my blog at:
https://leftontheshelfbookblog.blogsp...
July 24, 2025
A very different perspective reading A.A.Milne in comparison to growing up reading Winnie the Pooh. I did not know much about his other writings but was pleasantly surprised with this collection. I particularly liked The Return short story, which really emphasises Milne's strong criticism of World War One based on his own experiences. All the while shedding light to his readers about the return of soldiers after World War One which is a shame some of this was overshadowed at the time. The writing is good and takes you through each character and their story, although some of the stories had similar themes that got a bit repetitive during the collection with the meet and greet between each couple that some stories blended together. Overall a solid 4 and would recommend if anyone wants to read more of Milne's work away from Winnie the Pooh.
March 27, 2024
I am familiar with A.S Milne from many readings of Winnie the Pooh with our three daughters, so I was very much looking forward to this read.
There are over 40 short stories to enjoy, Milne's complete collection, with some in print for the first time. The stories are quite varied, I found all to be very interesting and full of a kind of warmth.
I liked that there was some much variation to the stories, some of my favourites being Muder at Eleven and The Birthday Party.
As you read from story to story, you really get a sense of Milne's skills as a writer and although the stories are all very different, for me, the writing style remains the pretty much same throughout, which is a plus.
5 stars from me.
There are over 40 short stories to enjoy, Milne's complete collection, with some in print for the first time. The stories are quite varied, I found all to be very interesting and full of a kind of warmth.
I liked that there was some much variation to the stories, some of my favourites being Muder at Eleven and The Birthday Party.
As you read from story to story, you really get a sense of Milne's skills as a writer and although the stories are all very different, for me, the writing style remains the pretty much same throughout, which is a plus.
5 stars from me.
Read
April 5, 2024As an avid Winnie the Pooh fan I was interested to read more of A.A.Milne’s work and this collection is a fascinating way to do just that.
This is a collection of 42 short stories 1915-1953 arranged chronologically, from a different era. It allows the reader to take a escape from the relentless pace of modern life and reflect a while.
An eloquent gentle prose of a bygone era, reflecting the skills of a talented author. It is like a step back in time to black and white films to be enjoyed slowly.
The delightful collection of stories cover a variety of genres, mystery, murder and romance to name a few and is to dip into rather than a book to read through.
This is a collection of 42 short stories 1915-1953 arranged chronologically, from a different era. It allows the reader to take a escape from the relentless pace of modern life and reflect a while.
An eloquent gentle prose of a bygone era, reflecting the skills of a talented author. It is like a step back in time to black and white films to be enjoyed slowly.
The delightful collection of stories cover a variety of genres, mystery, murder and romance to name a few and is to dip into rather than a book to read through.
April 23, 2025
Milne is one of my favorite English writers and not for his Pooh! This collection is absolutely brilliant. Loved the short quasi comedy murder stories like the one titled Bread upon the waters.
But my favorite was the retelling of the Bible story around King David and the pestilence. It was hilarious and probably closer to truth: common think religion to be true, wise false and politician (like David) useful : Gibbon. The story was titled A.V. and R.V.
My other favorite was the lost diary of Shakespear and the whole joke around Bacon/shakespeare conspiracy.
Will buy the other Milne stuff published by Farrago.
But my favorite was the retelling of the Bible story around King David and the pestilence. It was hilarious and probably closer to truth: common think religion to be true, wise false and politician (like David) useful : Gibbon. The story was titled A.V. and R.V.
My other favorite was the lost diary of Shakespear and the whole joke around Bacon/shakespeare conspiracy.
Will buy the other Milne stuff published by Farrago.
June 2, 2024
One of the reviews on the back of the book refers to the stories as “whimsical” and that is as good a description as any. They are not deep or profound and don’t really speak of the human condition. Some are witty and mildly satirical, with plot twists from a gentler and much more kindly Roald Dahl.
I am glad I read them but none of the stories have lodged in my mind after they were finished.
I am glad I read them but none of the stories have lodged in my mind after they were finished.
April 8, 2024
As like most of us, I never knew A.A.Milne wrote more than just Winnie The Pooh, and feel quite ashamed about it. This is a fab collection of short stories written in the 40’s and 50’s, some never before published and all unique in their own way.
My favourites were The Green Door, The Secret and Happy Ever After - all different but undoubtedly written by the same person. This is a book that you can pick up and put down, revisit over time and find something new and fun within every time.
I really enjoyed these and have now got another book written by A. A. Milne to go read, and it’s to about a bear!
My favourites were The Green Door, The Secret and Happy Ever After - all different but undoubtedly written by the same person. This is a book that you can pick up and put down, revisit over time and find something new and fun within every time.
I really enjoyed these and have now got another book written by A. A. Milne to go read, and it’s to about a bear!
April 26, 2024
The story:
In a new collection, introduced by Gyles Brandreth, the complete short stories of the beloved author A. A. Milne are brought together in full for the first time. While most famous for his children's books, Milne was a prolific writer for adults, including short stories, essays and plays. This collection is the perfect showcase for the breadth and quality his great body of work, bringing it to a whole new audience.
My thoughts:
I first became familiar with A. A. Milne's writing, outside of the famous bear, via his golden age crime novel, "The Red House Mystery", which I thoroughly enjoyed. So I was delighted to hear about this publication of his collected short stories.
The stories are arranged chronologically, starting in 1914, and are delightful, often humorous, and with a lightness of touch that makes them a joy to read. The chronological arrangement works well to show the influences on Milne (and everyone else) at the time — from early stories feeling the effects of World War I, to later stories evoking the inter-war period.
The stories themselves are a mixture of genres, including mystery, romance and even historical fiction (what would it be like to be Hannibal's assistant during the Second Punic War?!). Book reviewers in particular might chuckle at poor Morton Vaile in one of the stories, “The End of the Peer of Wotherspoon”; the tale a serious and purposefully niche literary critic who makes the fatal error of praising a novel that goes on to be a popular bestseller…
As a lover of early-to-mid-20th century crime and literary fiction, I found something to enjoy in all of the stories, with some particular favourites including “Rosemary for Remembrance”, “In Vino Veritas” and “The Birthday Party”. Overall, I would highly recommend this collection and would encourage anyone who only knows Milne for his works for children to dip into his adult fiction. You won't be disappointed!
In a new collection, introduced by Gyles Brandreth, the complete short stories of the beloved author A. A. Milne are brought together in full for the first time. While most famous for his children's books, Milne was a prolific writer for adults, including short stories, essays and plays. This collection is the perfect showcase for the breadth and quality his great body of work, bringing it to a whole new audience.
My thoughts:
I first became familiar with A. A. Milne's writing, outside of the famous bear, via his golden age crime novel, "The Red House Mystery", which I thoroughly enjoyed. So I was delighted to hear about this publication of his collected short stories.
The stories are arranged chronologically, starting in 1914, and are delightful, often humorous, and with a lightness of touch that makes them a joy to read. The chronological arrangement works well to show the influences on Milne (and everyone else) at the time — from early stories feeling the effects of World War I, to later stories evoking the inter-war period.
The stories themselves are a mixture of genres, including mystery, romance and even historical fiction (what would it be like to be Hannibal's assistant during the Second Punic War?!). Book reviewers in particular might chuckle at poor Morton Vaile in one of the stories, “The End of the Peer of Wotherspoon”; the tale a serious and purposefully niche literary critic who makes the fatal error of praising a novel that goes on to be a popular bestseller…
As a lover of early-to-mid-20th century crime and literary fiction, I found something to enjoy in all of the stories, with some particular favourites including “Rosemary for Remembrance”, “In Vino Veritas” and “The Birthday Party”. Overall, I would highly recommend this collection and would encourage anyone who only knows Milne for his works for children to dip into his adult fiction. You won't be disappointed!
July 20, 2024
A very engaging collection and diverse range pf short stories. I can only imagine that whilst The House at Pooh Corner made Milne famous he would have been frustrated that his other writing remained over shadowed. He deserves to be more widely read.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews