James Matthew Barrie lived from 1860 to 1937. He was born in
Scotland, the son of a weaver. He adored his mother, Margaret
Ogilvie - it was the Scottish fashion in those days for wives to
keep their maiden names - and, although the family were quite poor
she made sure that he was educated. James moved to London in 1885
to follow a literary career. He first wrote short stories and later
successful plays which made him rich and famous. He was very
nervous when he gave Peter Pan to his theatrical manager because it
was a child's fantasy, the first and only time he had ever written
especially for children. But Peter Pan with its flying and
theatrical devices was a huge success and continues to be performed
today. In 1911 James Barrie turned his play into a novel, one of
the most thrilling and magical of all the great adventures that
have been written for children.
Jack Zipes(foreword) is a preeminent fairy tale scholar who has
written, translated, or edited dozens of books, includingThe
Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm. He is a
professor emeritus of German and comparative literature at the
University of Minnesota.
“Barrie wrote his fantasy of childhood, added another figure to our
enduring literature, and thereby undoubtedly made one of the
boldest bids for immortality of any writer. . . . It is a
masterpiece.”
–J. B. PRIESTLEY
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