I realise, incidentally, that the whole notion of the book would probably be greeted with horror by the health and safety (and discrimination) brigade – almost as much as some of the other favourite books of my childhood which I do not even dare to name! A timeless fable, one to read to the kids in bed which will leave mum and dad equally entertained and enthralled as a reflection of the equally insane world they are growing up in today. From France comes this hilariously nonsensical account of an underground land divided into two countries. I remember distinctly this being one of the first books I'd set myself to read back when I was a little kid. We use Google Analytics to see what pages are most visited, and where in the world visitors are visiting from.

Some of the references and phrasing may be a touch outdated but many children will still be enthralled. While not exactly plump, I was a sturdy child and had no difficulty in identifying with all the pleasures and comforts enjoyed by the Fattipuffs but the fact is that I cannot imagine anyone, however gaunt and disciplined and filled with all the other Thinifer virtues, who would actually prefer, for example, the Thinifer bed where an alarm clock immediately projects you into a cold bath to the warm and cosy fourposter in which the Fattipuff will luxuriate – with taps in each of the four posts from which drinks of different sorts can be extracted! He died during 1967 after a long career as an author of novels, biographies, histories, children's books and science fiction stories.Has anybody heard of “ Puffin Twink andWaggle “ delightful stories for wartime bedtime reading, my father liked them as much as I did sheer escapism. There, two opposing nations – one fat, fun-loving and easy-going, the other thin, acerbic, and disciplinarian – make war on one another. The title - Fattypuffs and Thinifers, will lock-down her attention like the offer of letting her have a sleepover, and though the main two protagonists are boys, the character of their plump mum will strike a chord.

Can I describe this as a geopolitical children’s book with an eventual message of peace and reconciliation? Millar, "Literary and Journalistic Predictions of the Second World War in the 1920s and 1930s" in Margaret Cassiof, Round-Up of Critical Essays in 20th Century History and Literature. Although as an admirer of Louis-Ferdinand Celine, I fully appreciated the greater benefit of thining out the world's population of thoughtless idiots that war bestows on us, I have incidentally been opposed to war all of my life. Edmund soon assumes an important position in the administration of Fattypuff, whose inhabitants are friendly, happy, and who live only for drinking and eating.There have been many reprints and different editions and even (anathema from my point of view) new sets of illustrations but there may still be some of you who have not come upon the book before, so I had better explain. I remembered the characters only as 'The Fattifers and the Thinnifers', although that was not an accurate title for the book. As it points out in an introduction that I think has been added since I used to read it as a child, this book also has some strong points to make about tolerance which are very important in this troubled world. The quality of writing and plot are sufficient to warrent a wide adult readership as well, and, like all classics, it will never go out of date. I liked the realistic touches – the lack of glorification of war, and the existence of dissenting parties on each side.