Pre-war halcyon days captured in a series of comic sketches, the 'Rabbits' offer the purest of escapism ? and possibly AA Milne's most distinctive work. The adventures of a goup of friends, pre-war, with far too much time on their hands. The Rabbits, as they call themselves, are Archie Mannering, his sister Myra, Samuel Simpson, Thomas of the Admiralty, Dahlia Blair and the narrator, with occasional guests. Their conversation is almost entirely frivolous, their activity vacillates between immensely energetic and happily lazy, and their social mores are surprisingly progressive. As a portrait of charming middle-class play on the brink of being shattered by World War I, they fail entirely to take themselves seriously. ??So here they all are. Whatever their crimes, they assure you that they won't do it again? ? A. A. Milne. AUTHOR: A.A. Milne (Alan Alexander) is best known for his books about the teddy bear Winnie-the-Pooh, but was also an accomplished writer of fiction for grown-ups. Prior to the First World War he worked as a young man as Assistant Editor of Punch magazine. After leaving the army, he began to write plays, short stories and novels; and then later works for children, including the poetry collection When We Were Very Young and the storybook Winnie-the-Pooh in 1926. Milne continued to be a prolific writer until his death in 1956.