FOR all the youngsters who came along and all the older children (this includes grown ups),The charming Mr Miller was in town.

The Mr Miller in question was comedian and author, Ben Miller, who was at Brendon Books in Bath Place, Taunton, where he signed copies of his novel The Night I met Father Christmas.

Reading for the young Ben Miller was as he told me at the book shop, 'a huge part of growing up'.

He explained his favourite children's book was Winnie the Pooh by A A Milne.

He said: "My parents were both English teachers and encouraged us to read a lot.

"Winnie the Pooh was my first reading book and it was a great experience.

"I loved the characters and the poetry of A A Milne.

"When you read it now it is all about nostalgia, which you are not aware of as a child.

"You are only concerned about Pooh getting his head stuck in a jar of honey."

There is a quote in the film Shadowlands which says: "We read to know we are not alone."

I asked Ben if that was true for him.

He said: "I think so as we read to know our own place in the world.

"One of the most important things is to be understood and it is good to hear those internal voices in your head when you read."

Listening to those voices and reading all helped Ben in in his first job which was comedy.

He said: "When I ended up in my first job working with Alexander Armstrong I was creating lots of comedy and one of the things I had read which I loved was Charles Dickens.

"He wrote such marvellous vinaigrettes and created such fantastic characters.

"They are beautiful and you find yourself laughing at the unexpected as he makes you laugh through his skills and understanding of people."

READ A BIG INTERVIEW ITH BEN MILLER: https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/17262094.big-interview-ben-miller-recalls-his-memories-of-christmas-past-and-a-christmas-visit-to-taunton/