Funny Thing, Getting Older: And Other Reflections

’For so many, getting older isn’t funny at all. But it’s a time for reflections certainly. So reflect, Michael, reflect. What have I been here for?

Over the decades I have strayed more and more often from fiction into writing about the real world. Much of this writing has never been seen before in print. But in this book, for the first time, I’ve collected some of my favourite pieces. This is a series of gathered reflections - many were written for radio, some are articles from newspapers, and some are lectures. Some are deeply personal, some political, others in between. Woven in amongst them you will find a play, a poem or two, and even a few stories too. And a new introduction that I’ve written especially.

Although you’ll find much of my life in my stories, there comes a time to look my reader in the eye, and come clean about the great issues of our times, caring for our world, peace, migration, fairness, education. Now that I’m 80, it seemed the time to do it.’

Michael Morpurgo is one of Britain’s most beloved novelists, best known for enchanting children with his books like War Horse and Private Peaceful. Here, collected for the first time, are his thoughts on nature, childhood, education, war, and getting older. Full of gentle humour and sharp observation, Funny Thing Getting Older is a book to ponder and treasure.

Michael Morpurgo is one of Britain’s best-loved writers. He has written more than 100 books and has won the Smarties Prize, the Whitbread Award, and most recently the Blue Peter Book Award for PRIVATE PEACEFUL. He is also the author of WAR HORSE, which has been made into a Tony Award-winning Broadway play and a Golden Globe-nominated film. Michael was Writer in Residence at The Savoy Hotel from January to March 2007, and previously he was Children’s Laureate from 2003-2005, a role that took him across Britain to inspire a love of reading in children.

Michael and his wife Clare founded Farms for City Children in 1976 at Nethercott Farm, deep in Devon river country, and Michael has called the project his ’greatest story’. The charity now operates three working farms: Treginnis Isaf on the Pembrokeshire coast opened twenty years ago and Wick Court in Gloucestershire opened in 1997. They aim to expand the horizons of children from towns and cities all over the country by offering them a week in the countryside living together on one of their farms.