“The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh” by A.A. Milne

Let me preface by saying that I apologize for the lack of regular updating to this blog! I’ve been busy with stuff, so please bear with me. I hope to, possibly, do more regular updates, maybe, but for the moment, let’s dive into The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne!

Book: The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh
Author: A. A. Milne
Year: 1926-1928

The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh is a compilation of A. A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh (1926) and The House at Pooh Corner (1928). Both books are collections of stories about Milne’s son, Christopher Robin, and his stuffed animal friends, including Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Rabbit, Owl, Eeyore, Kanga and Roo, and Tigger, and about their silly adventures they have in the make-believe world of Hundred Acre Woods.
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I first picked up this book back in 2009, having never read any of the stories about Christopher Robin and his friends and wanting to immerse myself in them. Unfortunately, the copy I picked up became lost as I was moving out of my college dorm and I was unable to read any more. That all changed, however, when I went to the local library yesterday to picks up some research material on A. A Milne for a poetry project. I came across the book and decided I’d check it out. As soon as I got home, I cracked it open and found myself completely engulfed in the stories and finished the 340-ish page compendium that night.

Milne fills The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh with endearing characters that all have a unique personality of their own. Piglet tries to be brave, but is timid because of his small size. Eeyore is relentless in his misery and passively tries to bring everyone down with him. Tigger tries to convince everyone else that he is the best at everything. Pooh isn’t very smart, but is extremely creative in his ideas and the little songs he makes up.

Milne uses a unique language that is distinct throughout and really brings the “little child playing make-believe” aspect alive, particularly with the mispronunciations from characters (“organdized” for “organized”, “expotition” for expedition, etc.). There are also many plays on English phrases, my favorite example being:

Once upon a time, a very long time ago now, about last Friday, Winnie-the-Pooh lived in a forest all by himself under the name of Sanders.
(“What does ‘under the name’ mean?” asked Christopher Robin.
“It means he had the name over the door in gold letters, and lived under it.”
“Winnie-the-Pooh wasn’t quite sure,” said Christopher Robin.
“Now I am,” said a growly voice.
“Then I will go on,” said I.)

            (Rereading this line makes me want to look through the book and write down other lines that I love, but I’ll finish the review before doing that.)

The stories build up the personalities of the characters over time and can stand alone, though they do reference previous stories, particularly “Piglet Does a Very Grand Thing” and “Eeyore Finds the Wolery and Owl Moves Into It” in The House at Pooh Corner, which are immediately sequential.

The last story, “Christopher Robin and Pooh Come to an Enchanted Place, and We Leave Them There”, is a real tear-jerker. In this story, the imagery seems even more gorgeous than the rest of the stories, though they have very vivid imagery as well, and the dialogue between Christopher Robin and Pooh is extremely emotional. I do not suggest reading it in the middle of the night, trust me on this! You’ll probably tear up anytime you read it (if you have a soul, that is), but reading it when you’re tired and extremely susceptible to emotion is probably not such a hot idea.
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I highly suggest The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne to everybody! If you have a small child, they will love hearing about the tales of these personality-enriched and loveable characters, and if you’re an adult you will love the language use that Milne uses and enjoy the humor and emotions the book provides.

“Lake Wobegon Summer 1956” by Garrison Keillor

Book: Lake Wobegon Summer 1956
Author: Garrison Keillor
Year: 2001

In Lake Wobegon Summer 1956, Garrison Keillor, the genius behind the radio program “A Prairie Home Companion”, brings to life the fictional small town of Lake Wobegon, Minnesota, by telling the story of a young teenage boy, Gary, who recounts his days in the Summer of 1956, including his adoration for his cousin Kate, his guilty pleasures with an erotic literature magazine, living with his highly religious family, covering the local sports team for the Lake Wobegon newspaper, and, most importantly, acquiring his uncle’s typewriter, which makes him realize that he wants nothing more than to be writer.

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I was looking around my local Borders, which was in its final days of a closing sale (Everything must go at ridiculously low prices!), and I stumbled across this book. My first reaction was “What? Garrison Keillor writes books?!” Being a casual listener of “A Prairie Home Companion” and loving the wry humor of the program, I immediately picked up Lake Wobegon Summer 1956. Heck, if it turned out I didn’t enjoy it, I wasn’t out a whole lot of money. Hurray for cheap books!

As soon as I read the first couple pages of this book, I knew I was in for something great. Keillor writes with the same kind of humor that fills “A Prairie Home Companion”, which is a witty, subtle humor that can turn potty humor into something that sounds intelligent (if that makes any sense). This humor is best with Keillor’s low, soothing tone of voice. (If you have ever listened to “A Prairie Home Companion” you know exactly what I’m talking about. The man’s voice is so distinctive!).

Not only is the humor superb, but also the book exudes a sort of lulling good-feelings kind of mood, like Keillor’s radio program. I think this is one of my favorite things about Lake Wobegon. Anytime I hear “A Prairie Home Companion” it gives me a feeling of small-town hospitality and comfort, which I think the program is going for, and Keillor definitely hits the target dead center translating that onto the page.

While the feeling of the novel is great, the story that is being told is just as amazing. With it being in the first-person point of view of Gary, the reader really gets that coming-of-age tale. Everything that our protagonist experiences in this one summer is so monumental to his development as a young adult and even the smallest events hold amazing power in them.

Keillor really brings the fictional small town Lake Wobegon, Minnesota to life through the eyes of this young teenager. He doesn’t overly detail the town to the reader, but reveals it as Gary experiences each part of it. It is an idyllic small town that anyone would love to visit.

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With its wry humor and its powerful coming-of-age story supporting it, Lake Wobegon Summer 1956 is an excellent book that brings to reality Garrison Keillor’s smalltown of Lake Wobegon, Minnesota. I highly suggest this book to anyone who enjoys small town tales, fans of the “A Prairie Home Companion” radio program, and just anyone in general.

Welcome to “Boxes of Entertainment”

Welcome, friends, to “Boxes of Entertainment”, a weekly book/movie review blog! Here I will review the multitude of books and movies I have, which I keep in an assortment of boxes (hence the blog title). Along with the review, I will give a rating to the book or movie. The rating system is as follows:

I hope you enjoy “Boxes of Entertainment” and I encourage you to leave a comment or email me at pyrojoek@yahoo.com. If you have criticisms I do encourage you to keep them appropriate and polite. I will also take reading/viewing suggestions, though it may be a while before I can get to reviewing them.

Thank you very much for you patronage and I hope you enjoy the blog!

Libenter vivere,
Joe