04 April, 2014

Quotable Friday (27)

In 2003, the  BBC Big Read created a list of the 100 most popular books of the time, voted for by the British public. As part of my wider Quotable Friday series, I'm counting down the top 10 from that list. This week is number seven - Winnie the Pooh by AA Milne, first published in 1926.

I'm sure it would take a lot of effort to find a quotation from this gorgeous children's book that most people haven't already heard (British people anyway - did Winnie the Pooh make it abroad?). So I haven't tried. I can only ask that you go and read the entire book if you haven't already. It all needs quoting! There are so many sweet passages between Pooh and Piglet, any of them are worth a few seconds of anybody's Friday morning. Here's one sweet one and one to make you smile. If anybody has got this far in life without meeting Pooh, the second quotation gives great insight into his character.

"Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. 'Pooh?' he whispered.
'Yes, Piglet?'
'Nothing,' said Piglet, taking Pooh's hand. 'I just wanted to be sure of you.' "


" 'When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?'
'What's for breakfast?' said Pooh. 'What do you say, Piglet?'
"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.
Pooh nodded thoughtfully. 'It's the same thing,' he said."

2 comments:

  1. While the disney-fied versions can be good, A A Milne's writing is just great. Such gentle humour running through it all. I always liked when they go on an exhibition to find the north pole :)

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  2. A lovely example of writing that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. We only discover the poignancy years later.

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