The Thomas the Tank Engine Man The life of Reverend W Awdry

The stories of Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends have delighted generations of children and adults, but what do we know of the man who created them? A devoted pastor and family man, the Reverend W Awdry first started telling the stories in order to amuse his own children, with no idea that the characters would lead to a global phenomenon that now, seventy years after their first appearance, shows no signs of waning. In this fascinating and warm biography, prolific author Brian Sibley brings to life one of the most eminent children's writers of the twentieth century, tracing his story from his Edwardian childhood through his time at University and into World War 2. A convinced pacifist, Awdry was thrown out of one curacy and denied another, because of his beliefs. Never afraid to fight for what he thought was right, he argued with his publishers and his illustrators, demanding the best for his favourite creations - the trains and their friends.

BRIAN SIBLEY is a writer and broadcaster with a longstanding passion for the writings of C.S. Lewis. His books include The Land of Narnia and Shadlowlands: The True Story of C.S. Lewis and Joy Davidman. He is also known for his highly acclaimed BBC serializations of the Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings.