Michael Morpurgo : war child to War horse

Michael Morpurgo's books have enchanted a generation of children, weaving stories for them in a way that is neither contrived nor condescending.

In 2007, 'War Horse' was adapted for the stage and has been turned into a film, propelling Morpurgo to household-name status.

Michael's own story is as strange and surprising as any he has written, and is shot through with the same thread of sadness found in almost all his work.

How did this supremely unbookish boy who dreamed of becoming an army officer become a bestselling author and Children's Laureate instead?

What personal price has he paid for success? And why, amidst his triumphs, is he now haunted by regret?

In a unique collaboration, Maggie Fergusson explores Michael Morpurgo's life through seven biographical chapters, to which he responds with seven stories.

The portrait that emerges is one of light and shade: the light very bright, the shade complex and often painful.