J. M. Barrie (1860–1937)
Author of Peter Pan
About the Author
James Matthew Barrie, the creator of Peter Pan, was born on May 9, 1860, in Kirriemuir, Angus, Scotland. His idyllic boyhood was shattered by his brother's death when Barrie was six. His own grief and that of his mother influenced the rest of his life. Through his work, he sought to recapture the show more carefree joy of his first six years. Barrie came to London as a freelance writer in 1885. His early fiction, Auld Licht Idylls (1888) and A Window in Thrums (1889), were inspired by his youth in Kirriemuir. After publishing a biography of his mother Margaret Ogilvy and the autobiographical novel Sentimental Tommy, about a boy living in a dream world (1896), he concentrated on writing plays. The Admirable Crichton (1902), the story of a butler who becomes king of a desert island, helped to establish Barrie's reputation as a playwright. Meanwhile, he began to relive his childhood by telling the first Peter Pan stories to the sons of his friend, Sylvia Llewellyn Davies. The play Peter Pan was first performed in 1904 and published as a novel seven years later. Its imaginative drama, featuring the eternal boy's triumph over the grownup Captain Hook, idealizes childhood and underscores adults' inability to regain it. These resonant themes made it a classic of world literature. Barrie's later work shows his increasingly cynical view of adulthood, particularly in Dear Brutus (1917). Often considered his finest play, it concerns nine men and women whose caprices destroy a miraculous opportunity to relive their lives. Barrie married the former Mary Ansell in 1894. They divorced in 1909, never having any children. Barrie died in London on June 19, 1937. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: Via Wikipedia
Series
Works by J. M. Barrie
Peter Pan and Other Plays: The Admirable Crichton; Peter Pan; When Wendy Grew Up; What Every Woman Knows; Mary Rose… (1995) 201 copies
Alice in Wonderland [and] Peter Pan [Dandelion Library: Edited and Abridged] (1957) — Author — 95 copies
Farewell Miss Julie Logan: A Barrie Omnibus: The Little White Bird: The Twelve-Pound Look: Farewell Miss Julie Logan… (2000) 19 copies
Classic Tales: A Collection of Enchanting Stories (Peter Pan and Wendy, The Wind in the Willows, Alice in Wonderland -… (2006) 16 copies
Peter Pan The Story of Peter & Wendy Paramount Pictures Silent Movie Edition with Movie Stars Betty Bronson as Peter… (1911) 11 copies
Peter Pan (Wordsworth Exclusive Collection): Includes Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens (2021) 9 copies
Peter Pan. Peter E Wendy Seguido De Peter Pan Em Kensington Gardens - Coleção L&PM Pocket (Em Portuguese do Brasil) (2010) 6 copies
Complete Peter Pan Adventures: By J.M. Barrie And Other Authors With Original Illustrations (2013) 6 copies
Classic Children's Adventure Stories: Peter Pan, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and The… (2016) 6 copies
The Twelve-Pound Look and other Plays (The Plays of J.M. Barrie) (including Pantaloon, Rosalind, and The Will) (2012) 5 copies
Treasury Of Childrens Classics- Peter Pan & Wizard Of Oz — Author — 5 copies
Peter Pan: The Complete Collection (Illustrated, Unabridged) 5 Books Peter & Wendy, The Little White Bird, Peter in… (2013) 5 copies
Old Friends 4 copies
Peter Pan (Disney Classics) 4 copies
Peter Pan: The Story of Peter and Wendy [A Thrushwood Book] — Author — 4 copies
The Will.a Play in One Act 4 copies
Jess 3 copies
J. M. BARRIE Ultimate Collection: 90 Titles in one Volume (Illustrated): Complete Peter Pan Books, Novels, Plays,… (2017) 3 copies
Peter Pan: The Complete Book 3 copies
Die schönsten Kinderbuchklassiker zum Vorlesen: Alice im Wunderland. Peter Pan. Peterchens Mondfahrt (2013) 3 copies
Half Hour: The plays of J.M. Barrie 3 copies
A Well-Remembered Voice 3 copies
Peter Pan 3 copies
The New Word 3 copies
Treasury of Childrens Classics 2 copies
The Adventures of Peter Pan – Complete 7 Book Collection with Original Illustrations: The Magic of Neverland: The… (2017) 2 copies
Little Minister 2 copies
Alice Sit By The Fire 2 copies
Peter Pan: The Motion Picture Event 2 copies
The Courting of T'nowhead's Bell 2 copies
J. M. Barrie: The BBC Radio Collection: Four Full-Cast Dramatisations Including Peter Pan (2019) 2 copies
Disney's Peter Pan 2 copies
A Window in Thrums;: An Edinburgh eleven (The novels, tales and sketches of J.M. Barrie) (1896) 1 copy
Lock-out Time 1 copy
Peter Pan and Wendy (Abridged): A Robert Ingpen Illustrated Classic (Robert Ingpen Illustrated Classics) (2018) 1 copy
Piotruś Pan 1 copy
The Peter Pan Collection 1 copy
Peter Pan Broadside 1 copy
Our man Crichton 1 copy
The Little minister vol 1 1 copy
Peter Pan Lost and found 1 copy
The Little minister vol Ii 1 copy
Peter Pan [Short Story] 1 copy
Peter Pan et Wendy 1 copy
Peter Pan och Wendy 1 copy
Peter Pan Vol. 1 1 copy
Peter Pan Vol. 2 1 copy
Cree Queery And Mysy Drolly 1 copy
Peter Pan: A stand-up story 1 copy
Peter Pan. ( Ab 10 J.). 1 copy
Die besten Kinderbuchklassiker zum Vorlesen: Der Wind in den Weiden, Peter Pan und Grimms Märchen 1 copy
Gilray's Flowerpot 1 copy
Classic Starts(r) Peter Pan 1 copy
A holiday in bed 1 copy
Peter Pan( Easy Appreciation of English Masterpieces-Iris tectorum ) (Talking Version) (Chinese Edition) (2009) 1 copy
The Best of J. M. Barrie 1 copy
Peter Pan [Adaptation] 1 copy
Peter Pan Four Pop Up Books 1 copy
Life in a Country Manse 1 copy
The Proffessor's Love Story 1 copy
The Wedding Guest 1 copy
Little Mary 1 copy
Minikirja 7 : Peter Pan 1 copy
Peter Pan / Pinóquio — Author — 1 copy
The Complete Works of J. M. Barrie (26 Complete Works of J. M. Barrie Including Peter Pan, Peter and Wendy, Peter Pan… (2015) 1 copy
Two of Them 1 copy
The Collected Works of J.M. Barrie: 11 Novels in One Volume (Unexpurgated Edition) (Halcyon Classics) (2009) 1 copy
The Complete Collection of J. M. Barrie (Huge Collection Including Peter and Wendy, Peter Pan, Peter Pan in Kensington… (2015) 1 copy
Peter Pan (Elementary) 1 copy
Peter Pan (play) 1 copy
The Boy David 1 copy
Peter Pan e Outras Histórias 1 copy
Peter Pan 1 copy
Peter Pan 1 copy
Plays of 1930 1 copy
PETER PAN - UNABRIDGED 1 copy
A Window in Thrums and Edinburgh Eleven: The Novels, Tales and Sketches of J. M. Barrie, Part II 1 copy
The Annotated Peter Pan (The Centennial Edition) (The Annotated Books) by J. M. Barrie (2011-10-11) 1 copy
Peter Pan (abridged) 1 copy
The Little Minster 1 copy
Peter Pan e Outras História 1 copy
Peter Pan - Manuscrito 1 copy
Peter Pan e outras Histórias 1 copy
Peter Pan Gift Book 1 copy
Image de l'editeur PETER PAN 1 copy
Peter & Wendy 1 copy
James Matthew Barrie, Peter Pan: Anaconda Kinderklassiker (Anaconda Kinderbuchklassiker, Band 11) (2013) 1 copy
Sir James M. Barrie's Challenge to Youth: Being his Inaugural Address as Lord Rector of St. Andrews, Scotland's Oldest… (2018) 1 copy
J.M. Barrie - Alice Sit-By-The-Fire: "We are all of us failures - at least, the best of us are" (2017) 1 copy
The Little Minister Volume I 1 copy
Associated Works
The Story of Peter Pan: Retold from the Fairy Play by Sir J.M. Barrie (1907) — Original story author — 220 copies
The Game Is Afoot: Parodies, Pastiches, and Ponderings of Sherlock Holmes (1994) — Contributor — 198 copies
Peter Pan, tome 1 : Londres (1990) — Author, some editions; Autor, some editions; Author, some editions — 187 copies
Peter Pan, tome 4 : Mains rouges (1996) — some editions; Author, some editions; Autor, some editions; Author, some editions — 125 copies
Peter Pan, tome 3 : Tempête (1994) — Author, some editions; Autor, some editions; Author, some editions; inspired by, some editions — 123 copies
Peter Pan, tome 5 : Crochet (2001) — some editions; Author, some editions; Autor, some editions; Author, some editions; Auteur, some editions — 115 copies
Peter Pan, tome 6 : Destins (2004) — some editions; Author, some editions; some editions; some editions; some editions — 104 copies
The Graphic Canon of Children's Literature: The World's Greatest Kids' Lit as Comics and Visuals (2014) — Contributor — 90 copies
Walt Disney's Story of Peter Pan with Songs from the Film ( See the Pictures, Hear the Record, Read the book) (1952) — Orig Text, some editions — 84 copies
J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens Retold for Little People (1929) — original work author — 27 copies
Swords and Sorcerers: Stories from the Worlds of Fantasy and Adventure (2002) — Contributor — 16 copies
Fun & Quirky Classics: Short Stories by Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain and More (2022) — Contributor — 9 copies
20 Masterpieces of Fantasy Fiction Vol. 1: Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Tarzan of the… (2019) — Contributor — 8 copies
The Admirable Crichton [1957 film] — Original story — 4 copies
The Childrens Classics Collection (6 Full Cast Audio Dramas) (2012) — Author, some editions — 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Barrie, James Matthew
- Birthdate
- 1860-05-09
- Date of death
- 1937-06-19
- Burial location
- Kirriemuir, Tayside, Angus, Scotland, UK
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- UK
- Country (for map)
- Scotland, UK
- Birthplace
- Kirriemuir, Angus, Scotland, UK
- Place of death
- London, England, UK
- Cause of death
- pneumonia
- Places of residence
- Kirriemuir, Tayside, Angus, Scotland, UK
Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, UK
London, England, UK
Farnum, Surrey, England, UK - Education
- University of Edinburgh (MA|1882)
- Occupations
- novelist
playwright
writer
author
journalist - Relationships
- Scott, Peter (godson)
Thirkell, Angela (goddaughter)
Asquith, Lady Cynthia (secretary) - Organizations
- Allahakbarries (Cricket team)
American Academy of Arts and Letters (Foreign Honorary ∙ Literature ∙ 1929)
Society of Authors - Awards and honors
- Baronet (1913)
Order of Merit (1922) - Short biography
- Sir James Matthew Barrie, 9 May 1860 – 19 June 1937) was a Scottish novelist and playwright, best remembered as the creator of Peter Pan. He was born and educated in Scotland and then moved to London, where he wrote a number of successful novels and plays. There he met the Llewelyn Davies boys, who inspired him to write about a baby boy who has magical adventures in Kensington Gardens (first included in Barrie's 1902 adult novel The Little White Bird), then to write Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up, a 1904 "fairy play" about an ageless boy and an ordinary girl named Wendy who have adventures in the fantasy setting of Neverland.
Although he continued to write successfully, Peter Pan overshadowed his other work, and is credited with popularising the name Wendy. Barrie unofficially adopted the Davies boys following the deaths of their parents. Barrie was made a baronet by George V on 14 June 1913, and a member of the Order of Merit in the 1922 New Year Honours. Before his death, he gave the rights to the Peter Pan works to Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London, which continues to benefit from them.
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Statistics
- Works
- 390
- Also by
- 74
- Members
- 26,016
- Popularity
- #801
- Rating
- 3.9
- Reviews
- 411
- ISBNs
- 1,967
- Languages
- 29
- Favorited
- 55
But this original, written 120 years ago, is not just dated - it's inherently sexist (the remarks about mothers are very bizarre), racist, and extremely violent in places. There's a mixture of 'reality' (in an odd kind of way, with a large dog as nurse) and fantasy, but far too much commentary from the author, and asides that don't fit in at all with the plot - such as the evil Captain Hook reminiscing about his boyhood years at Eton School.
As for Peter Pan, the 'boy who never grew up', he's manipulative, demanding and selfish... not someone I would wish to know.
Longer review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2024/04/peter-pan-by-jm-barrie.html… (more)