J. M. Barrie and the Lost Boys: The Real Story Behind Peter Pan
by Andrew Birkin
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Description
This literary biography is "a story of obsession and the search for pure childhood... Moving, charming, a revelation" ( Los Angeles Times ). J.M. Barrie, Victorian novelist, playwright, and author of Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up, led a life almost as interesting as his famous creation. Childless in his marriage, Barrie grew close to the five young boys of the Davies family, ultimately becoming their guardian and surrogate father when they were orphaned. Andrew Birkin draws show more extensively on a vast range of material by and about Barrie, including notebooks, memoirs, and hours of recorded interviews with the family and their circle, to describe Barrie's life, the tragedies that shaped him, and the wonderful world of imagination he created for the boys. Updated with a new preface and including photos and illustrations, this "absolutely gripping" read reveals the dramatic story behind one of the classics of children's literature ( Evening Standard ). "A psychological thriller... One of the year's most complex and absorbing biographies." - Time "[A] fascinating story." - The Washington Post show lessTags
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Member Reviews
This book became my undergraduate thesis topic, and I'm absolutely smitten. Birkin's masterful retelling of the relationship between Barrie and the LlD boys is fascinating. Plus, the book contains a second sort of narrative, one made up of over 300 photographs alongside the text, based primarily on primary sources.
Truly a wonderful story. I'm so glad Yale published this nearly exact copy of the original edition.
Truly a wonderful story. I'm so glad Yale published this nearly exact copy of the original edition.
Andrew Birken does a great job describing the enchanting life of J.M. Barrie using interviews and actual letters from family and friends. He presents the Lost Boys life as a sad and wonderful life, with Barrie taking on the role of gaurdian of the boys in the Davies family after the tragic death of their parents.
Good account of Barrie and his real relation to the boys he befriended which led to his Peter Pan story.
I suspect the television series which preceded this biography was more appealing.
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Enfants sans
14 works; 1 member
Author Information
15+ Works 1,026 Members
Andrew Birkin is a writer/director. In 1979 he won the Royal Television Society's award for The Lost Boys. In 1980 he won the BAFTA award for Sredni Vashtar as well as an Oscar nomination, and in 1993 won Best Director at the Berlin Film Festival for his film based on Ian McEwan's The Cement Garden. He lives in Wales and has three sons
Some Editions
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title*
- ロスト・ボーイズ J.M.バリとピーター・パン誕生の物語
- Original title
- J. M. Barrie and the Lost Boys: The Real Story Behind Peter Pan
- People/Characters
- J. M. Barrie; Peter Llewelyn Davies; H. G. Wells; Jerome K. Jerome; Peter Pan
- Important places
- Kensington Gardens, London, England, UK
- Related movies
- The Lost Boys (1978 | IMDb); Finding Neverland (2004 | IMDb)
- Dedication
- To My Mother
- First words
- On April 5th, 1960, a middle-aged publisher, Peter Llewelyn Davies, left the Royal Court Hotel, London, crossed Sloane Square, walked down into the local underground station and threw himself beneath an on-coming train.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)He spoke of him simply as "the lad that will never be old."
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
Classifications
- Genres
- Biography & Memoir, Literature Studies and Criticism
- DDC/MDS
- 828.91209 — Literature & rhetoric English & Old English literatures English miscellaneous writings English miscellaneous writings 1900- English miscellaneous writings 1900-1999 English miscellaneous writings 1900-1945 Individual authors not limited to or chiefly identified with one specific form.
- LCC
- PR4076 .B5 — Language and Literature English English Literature 19th century , 1770/1800-1890/1900
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 279
- Popularity
- 115,444
- Reviews
- 5
- Rating
- (4.04)
- Languages
- English, Japanese, Norwegian
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 8
- ASINs
- 4
