Shirley Harrison

A few days prior to beginning “The Life and Times of the Real Winnie-the-Pooh”, I read Ann Thwaite’s “Goodbye Christopher Robin: A.A. Milne and the Making of Winnie-the-Pooh”, which provided a nice context for and complement to this story. However, I would venture to say that “The Life and Times of the Real Winnie-the-Pooh” by Shirley Harrison was somewhat lighter fare, having for its main subject the eponymous bear himself. While of course A.A. Milne, Daphne Milne, Christopher Robin, and Nanny Nou each have their respective roles, along with E.H. Shepard and those responsible for the proliferation and preservation of Pooh through the years, more emphasis is placed on the background and cultural exposition of the bear.

This story, complete with handy inset notes describing certain details with which the reader might be unfamiliar, is truly a must-read for Pooh lovers everywhere, a nice blend of history and a travelogue of the original Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends, all of whom currently reside at New York Children’s Library. Harrison’s research unearths fascinating tidbits of how Pooh became world-famous and the impact that this had upon not only the Milnes but also literature and the world itself. A list of charities benefiting from Winnie-the-Pooh’s legacy, as well as captioned photos, a “Pooh Lifeline” (a chronological timeline), and an index all serve to enhance the reading experience. For all of those the world over who have grown up with and been touched by the indomitable Pooh and his fellow Ashdown Forest companions, this book provides a nostalgic, memorable trip to the Hundred Acre Wood and beyond.

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book via the BookLikes Giveaway contest, and Pen and Sword Books kindly provided a different format when the original was incompatible with my computer.… (meer)

The subject matter and theory is interesting if you have the patience and time to sort out the rampant bias from the facts. Ms. Jackson's one-a-page, unsubstantiated claims (such as, "...which of course, must be false..." Oh really? Why must it? Is there evidence? Where is it?) can be quite maddening and the reader will be forgiven for having spent his/her time doing something else. It's the kind of read that, even if true (and that's a big if), it leaves one with far more questions than answers and additionally, a feeling of having tried unsuccessfully to eat a VERY sloppy joe.

But if you have the time and divinely inspired patience to sort the facts from the opinions, AND read additional works on the subject, then it presents an intriguing, if indulgent, idea.… (meer)