Good evening and welcome to the Sleepy Bookshop.

This season, ahead of the next muchly requested book on the main feed,

we would like to bring you a selection of short stories by A.A. Milne exclusively for our premium supporters.

A.A. Milne was born on January the 18th, 1882 in London.

Milne was a successful playwright and humorist before turning to children's literature.

He is most famous for his lovable characters from the Hundred Acre Wood.

You can check out season 17 for the original Winnie the Pooh series.

He also, however, wrote many humorous and observational essays and plays, a few of which we have chosen to read for you this season.

Both of the stories are from his collection entitled Holiday Round, first published in 1910, based on pieces he originally wrote for Punch Magazine,

where he worked as an assistant editor.

We will start with holiday times, in which a group of friends embark on various holiday activities,

including early morning swims and seaside adventures,

often leading to humorous mishaps. Then we will read The Housewarming, a satirical take on social gatherings, highlighting the quirks and pretensions of guests

during a housewarming party.

We hope you will join us for this season,

however, if you decide that these short stories aren't your cup of tea,

feel free to explore the rest of the bookshelf.

We are sure you'll find something to help guide you into a restful sleep.

Our premium subscription offers stories like these to listen to between the seasons on the main feed.

So if you would like to hear these short stories, you can sign up today for a seven-day free trial. If you've already gone premium,

we thank you so much for your support. And remember, if there's a book you'd like to hear on

the sleepy bookshelf,

...