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First edition, presentation copy of "what some would call A. A. Milne's first children's book" (Thwaite, p. 169), inscribed to the author's parents on the front free endpaper in black ink: "To my dearest Father and Mother from their always loving son - A. A. M. 27/11/17". When reprinted in 1922, Milne stated that "this book was written in 1915, for the amusement of my wife and myself at a time when life was not very amusing." "No one really knew who it was for. It looked like a children's book, but was full of rather sophisticated jokes. Over the years, a good many readers of assorted ages have enjoyed it, not least for the parts that are undeniably by the same author as the Pooh books" (Thwaite, p. 169). John Vine Milne (1845-1932) married Sarah Maria Heginbotham (1840-1921) in 1878. Milne referred to his father as "the best man I have ever known: by which I mean the most truly good, the most completely to be trusted, the most incapable of wrong. He differed from our conception of God only because he was shy, which one imagined God not to be, and was funny, which one knew God was not" (Milne, p. 40). Milne also wrote that "as a child I gave my heart to my father. We loved Mama too, though not so dearly. I don't think I ever really knew her" (Milne, pp. 38, 55-56, & 37). Thwaite wonders "is it pure chance, or is it deeply significant, that the only female creature in Milne's Forest is Kanga, the competent mother, doling out Strengthening Medicine"? (Thwaite, p. 7). A. A. Milne, Autobiography, 1939; Ann Thwaite, A. A. Milne: His Life, 1990. Octavo. Colour frontispiece, 4 black and white plates, and illustrations within the text by H. M. Brock. Original blue cloth, spine lettered in gilt, front cover with pictorial label. Housed in a custom blue cloth folding box by the Dragonfly bindery. Extremities a little rubbed, spine toned, hinges split but firm, some browning: a very good copy.
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