Nadia Cohen – författare

VERY few authors can ever dream of coming close to the legacy left by AA Milne. He remains a household name in almost every corner of the globe thanks to a phenomenally popular collection of whimsical children s stories about a boy named Christopher Robin and his beloved teddy bear. Generations of children have grown up loving the tales of Winnie The Pooh and his friends from the Hundred Acre Wood, which are still among the most popular and profitable - fictional characters in the world. But while the adorable poems and stories have brought unparalleled joy to millions, Alan Alexander Milne, himself was never able to enjoy the fame and fortune they brought him. He died deeply resenting Pooh s success, as far as he was concerned those stories were just such a tiny fraction of his literary work, but nothing else he produced came close in terms of public appreciation. Milne died still unable to reconcile the fact that no matter what else he wrote, regardless of all the plays and stories for adults he had published, he would always be remembered as a children s storyteller.And his son, widely hailed as the inspiration for the adorable character of Christopher Robin, could never accept his unique place in literary history either. He had barely reached his teens before he grew to loathe his famous father, who he bitterly accused of exploiting his early years. _The Extraordinary Life of AA Milne_ delves deep into the life of Milne and sheds light on new places, and tells stories untold.

She is the most prolific childrens author in history, but Enid Blyton is also the most controversial. A remarkable woman who wrote hundreds of books in a career spanning forty years, even her razor sharp mind could never have predicted her enormous global audience. Now, fifty years after her death, Enid remains a phenomenon, with sales outstripping every rival.Parents and teachers lobbied against Enids books, complaining they were simplistic, repetitive and littered with sexist and snobbish undertones. Blatant racist slurs were particularly shockingly; foreign and working class characters were treated with a distain that horrifies modern readers. But regardless of the criticism, Enid worked until she could not physically write another word, famously producing thousands of words a day hunched over her manual typewriter.She imaged a more innocent world, where children roamed unsupervised, and problems were solved with midnight feasts or glorious picnics with lashings of ginger beer. Smugglers, thieves, spies and kidnappers were thwarted by fearless gangs who easily outwitted the police, while popular schoolgirls scored winning goals in nail-biting lacrosse matches.Enid carefully crafted her public image to ensure her fans only knew of this sunny persona, but behind the scenes, she weaved elaborate stories to conceal infidelities, betrayals and unconventional friendships, lied about her childhood and never fully recovered from her parents marriage collapsing. She grew up convinced that her beloved father abandoned her for someone he loved more, and few could ever measure up to her impossible standards.A complex and immature woman, Enid was plagued by insecurities and haunted by a dark past. She was prone to bursts of furious temper, yet was a shrewd businesswoman years ahead of her time. She may not have been particularly likeable, and her stories infuriatingly unimaginative, but she left a vast literary legacy to generations of children.

Although his hilariously entertaining stories have touched the hearts of generations of children, there was much more to beloved author Roald Dahl than met the eye.His fascinating life began in Norway in 1916, and he became a highly rebellious teenager who delighted in defying authority before joining the RAF as a fighter pilot. But after his plane crashed in the African desert he was left with agonising injuries and unable to fly.He was dispatched to New York where, as a dashing young air attache, he enraptured societies greatest beauties and became friends with President Roosevelt. Roald soon found himself entangled with a highly complex network of British undercover operations. Eventually he grew tired of the secrecy of spying and retreated to the English countryside.He married twice and had five children, but his life was also affected by serious illness, tragedy and loss.He wrote a number of stories for adults, many of which were televised as the hugely popular Tales of the Unexpected, but it was as a children's author that he found greatest fame and satisfaction, saying I have a passion for teaching kids to become readers Books shouldn't be daunting, they should be funny, exciting and wonderful. From 1945 until his death in 1990, he lived in Buckinghamshire, where he wrote his most celebrated children's books including _Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory_ and _Fantastic Mr Fox. _

The Real Beatrix Potter is a fascinating and revealing biography of one of the world's most cherished children's authors.Beatrix Potter's famous little white books have enchanted generations of young readers who adored the characters she created and of course her own distinctive illustrations.Born into a typically repressed Victorian family it was assumed that Beatrix would achieve little more than finding herself a rich husband, and so there was no point in bothering to educate her.But the Potters underestimated their daughter. Stifled by the lack of stimulation, she educated herself in art, science, and of course a great love of the natural world.The success of Peter Rabbit proved her to be creative genius who could have become the toast of the London literary scene, but when her fianc tragically died Beatrix retreated to the Lake District where she reinvented herself as a successful farmer, a canny businesswoman and an early environmental pioneer.Passionately campaigning to save the area from development she helped establish the National Trust, and despite her great wealth Beatrix lived out her days in humble anonymity.

A revealing and surprising biography of the woman who defied Victorian expectations and gave the world Peter Rabbit.   Beatrix Potter’s children’s books have enchanted generations of young readers who adored the characters she created as well as her distinctive illustrations. Born into a typically repressed Victorian family, Beatrix was expected to achieve little more than finding herself a rich husband, and thus her parents felt there was no point in bothering to educate her. But the Potters underestimated their daughter. Stifled by the lack of stimulation, she educated herself in art and science, and developed a great love of the natural world.   The success of The Tale of Peter Rabbit proved her to be creative genius who could have become the toast of the London literary scene—but when her fiancé tragically died, Beatrix retreated to the Lake District where she reinvented herself as a successful farmer, a canny businesswoman, and an early environmental pioneer. Passionately campaigning to save the area from development, she helped establish the National Trust, and despite her great wealth Beatrix lived out her days in humble anonymity.   From a journalist who has authored biographies of Roald Dahl and A.A. Milne, this is an in-depth look at the woman behind the beloved books.

The Real Beatrix Potter is a fascinating and revealing biography of one of the world''s most cherished children''s authors.Beatrix Potter''s famous little white books have enchanted generations of young readers who adored the characters she created and of course her own distinctive illustrations.Born into a typically repressed Victorian family it was assumed that Beatrix would achieve little more than finding herself a rich husband, and so there was no point in bothering to educate her.But the Potters underestimated their daughter. Stifled by the lack of stimulation, she educated herself in art, science, and of course a great love of the natural world.The success of Peter Rabbit proved her to be creative genius who could have become the toast of the London literary scene, but when her fiancé tragically died Beatrix retreated to the Lake District where she reinvented herself as a successful farmer, a canny businesswoman and an early environmental pioneer.Passionately campaigning to save the area from development she helped establish the National Trust, and despite her great wealth Beatrix lived out her days in humble anonymity.

Jennifer Lawrence is the reigning queen of lots of things: Hollywood, the awkward award-ceremony-stumble, and hundreds of priceless Buzzfeed pages - to name a few. She announced herself to the world at a young age in The Burning Plain and Winter's Bone, gripping dramas set in America's deprived heartland. Ironic, then, that such a gifted character actress become a household name through two of the biggest fantasy roles in the business: the deadly shapeshifting assassin Mystique from Marvel's X-Men series and the gutsy, warlike heroine of Suzanne Collin's bestselling Hunger Games trilogy, Katniss Everdeen - the Girl on Fire. As Katniss and Mystique, she owns the screen, oozing grace, attitude and menace, re-defining the roles of women in action films as more than ragdolls to be saved by muscle-bound men; this girl doesn't need saving by anyone. But Jennifer couldn't be more different off-screen. Always ready with a smile or a quip about embarrassing everyday struggles, she is loved by millions for being a genuinely relatable personality in an industry of preening posers. And make no mistake: she has had every reason to lose her sunny disposition.She struggled early on in her career with a hurtful 'fat actress' label in spite of her healthy body type, and suffered public heartbreak with the likes of Coldplay's Chris Martin. In 2014, she was to suffer the ultimate indignity of having private photos leaked onto the internet for all to see. A lesser girl might have become spiteful, but Jennifer has always emerged with her head held high. This is the first biography of an Academy Award winner, a star of our screens for years to come and a role model for girls and young women everywhere. In every sense, this really is the story of a Girl on Fire.