The Sunny Side: Short Stories and Poems for Proper Grown-Ups [Hardcover]

A.A. Milne (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 26, 2007

From the beloved creator of Winnie-the-Pooh comes an irresistible collection of short stories guaranteed to delight readers of all ages.

Drawing from a collection of stories originally published in 1921 and chosen exclusively by the author himself, The Sunny Side gathers the best short works by the inimitable A. A. Milne. Written for the satire magazine Punch, these brief stories and essays perfectly capture Milne's sly humor, beguiling social insight, and scathing wit. From "Odd Verses" to "War Sketches," "Summer Days" to "Men of Letters," Milne takes his readers from the stiff British drawing room to the irreverent joy of a boy's day at the beach. Ideal for curling up with in the hammock or stretching out by the fire, these tales shine brightly any day of the year.

Complete with a series of whimsical illustrations, The Sunny Side offers the perfect chance to rediscover this forgotten classic by one of our most cherished authors.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

First published in 1921, this witty, pleasantly rarefied miscellany from Winnie-the-Pooh creator Milne features his contributions to the British magazine Punch, where he was assistant editor, in the years before and after WWI. In disarming short pieces grouped around various themes, the deft Milne gently—very gently—skewers the peccadilloes of his generation and its classes, such as Simon Simpson, the litterateur of some eminence but little circulation, who invites all his friends to join him on a lazy holiday on the French Riviera (Oranges and Lemons). In the section Men of Letters, Milne has great fun caricaturing the self-serious pomposity of fellow writers and poets, and even offers a sampling of the tedious fare presented at Lady Poldoodle's Poetry At-Homes. Some of the pieces in the War-Time section chronicle the humble predicament of the French infantryman: managing an intractable horse or finding comfort in a toy dog. A set of Home Notes concerns the narrator's dear thoughts on married life with the sensible but rather fluttery Celia; one piece finds the couple instigating a mystifying dinner party game of Proverbs. Milne's quotidian observations remain quite moving in their wry simplicities, which are not simple at all. (July)
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About the Author

Alan Alexander Milne (1882-1956) was a playwright, an essayist, a novelist, and a short-story writer. He is best known as the creator of a series of children's books about a teddy bear named Winnie-the-Pooh. Milne was also a longtime contributor and assistant editor at the British humor magazine Punch.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Ecco (June 26, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061227099
• ISBN-13: 978-0061227097
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,054,046 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Alan Alexander Milne was born in London on January 18, 1882, the third and youngest son of a schoolmaster. At age eleven, he won a scholarship to the Westminster School. He went on to attend Cambridge University and became the editor of the undergraduate paper, Granta. After graduating from Cambridge in 1903, Milne moved back to London with enough savings to live for one year. He was determined to become a writer. By 1906, he had been offered the position of Assistant Editor at Punch, a classic British humor magazine. He remained at Punch for the next eight years.
In 1913, Milne married Dorothy de Selincourt (known as Daphne) and moved to a house in London's Chelsea section. When World War I broke out, he enlisted in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, eventually serving in France. During his training period, he wrote his first play, Wurzel-Flummery, which was produced in London in 1917.

By 1919, having completed one book and several plays, Milne finally achieved financial independence. His play, Mr. Pim Passes By, previously staged in London, was produced by the Theatre Guild in New York City. It was as great a success there as it had been on the London stage. Milne was now well established as a witty and fashionable London playwright. In 1920, Christopher Robin Milne was born, an event that was to change the history of children's literature. In 1923, during a rainy holiday in Wales, Milne began work on a collection of verses for children. The result was When We Were Very Young, published in 1924.

Demand for Milne's whimsical work was overwhelming, and in 1926, he duplicated his earlier success with the publication of Winnie-the-Pooh. The sequel, The House at Pooh Corner, followed in 1927. Now We Are Six, another charming collection of verse, followed one year later. It was through these four books, all illustrated by the wonderfully talented Ernest H. Shepard, that Milne acquired a vast audience outside of the theater. In the years since their initial publication, interest in these books has grown and grown.

Milne continued to be a prolific essayist, novelist, and poet until his death in 1956.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful little book, January 25, 2008

By 

S. M. Brown (Louisville, KY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Sunny Side: Short Stories and Poems for Proper Grown-Ups (Hardcover)

If the reader is looking for something like "Winnie the Pooh", this book is not for him/her--unless s/he sees characters such as Owl and Rabbit as satirical portrayals. But the stories and poems contained in this book are delightful, light, satirical pieces, especially lampooning those who might seriously consider themselves to be "proper grown-ups". The stories and poems themselves are short, so the book can be picked up, read for a few minutes, and set down easily. It's a nice little diversion, especially from a world that tends to take itself much too seriously.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Delightfully light, August 1, 2008

By 

A. Davenport (Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Sunny Side: Short Stories and Poems for Proper Grown-Ups (Hardcover)

This book is not a "Winne the Pooh book" but it is, none the less, distinctively Milne. Although it is light in many ways a reader could also have discussions regarding the poems and short stories found within its pages.

A down side to this work is that it introduces American readers, at least, to characters to whom they are unfamiliar and have little hope of connecting to because many of the short-stories are taken from a British magazine which published them as a series. The "serious" fan of Milne may find themselves wanting more connection than they find within this book. Still it is a wonderful read and a necessity for any Milne fan. Good for quick reads and relaxation The Sunny Side will not fail to delight the reader.

On a technical note the way in which the book is printed (the hardback edition) is reminiscent of chapbooks, and gives the work a pre-worn feeling while still preserving its quality. The packaging only adds to the works charm.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A. A. Milne: so much more than Pooh, August 26, 2011

By 

S. Baker-Johnson (Chicago) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Sunny Side: Short Stories and Poems for Proper Grown-Ups (Hardcover)

This is a delightful book for adult reading, making one appreciate the humor of the British in the "Punch" style. Beginning with the introduction, I was immediately smiling and some of the stories are hilarious. I read much of the book aloud on a road trip and occasionally went into gales of laughter that made reading difficult. The sly wit and sometimes satirical perspective of the British life stye of the 1920's was just my cup of tea. As a gardener I most enjoyed "A Hanging Garden in Babylon" spoofing the image of the landed English gardener; "Wrongly Attributed" was another hoot. Americans whose only exposure to Milne are the Pooh books have been short changed. Milne was a long time editor and contributor to Punch magazine. This is a republication of the 1921 original, complete with clever line drawings.