The adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin is one of the most beloved children's story series in history.
The books, written by A. A. Milne about his son Christopher Robin and his stuffed animals, were a huge success from the start.
But did you know that A. A. Milne didn't really like kids all that much? And, that the books created so much angst between father and son?
A. A. resented the attention his son Christopher received as a result of the books. Christopher, who initially embraced the overwhelming attention he received, says he was 'relentlessly bullied' at boarding school...all because of the adventures of Christopher Robin, Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo and Tigger.
A. A. also was angry that the book overshadowed all his other work, which included: novels, nonfiction books, plays, magazine articles and other short stories.
Father and son were estranged for years, all because of the books, and it was only after they both put the books behind them that they were able to reconnect.
A. A. Milne regretted the books until his death. Christopher Robin has said he eventually 'found peace' with them.
The drama surrounding the family was chronicled in the book, Goodbye Christopher Robin: A.A. Milne and the Making of Winnie-the-Pooh, by British biographer Ann Thwaite.
That book has been turned into a movie that's in theaters now.
Listen to Bill's segment today about how the success of Winnie-the-Pooh almost tore apart