Peter Pan

Publisher's Summary

Peter Pan first flew across a London stage in 1904, overwhelming audiences with its tale of a magical boy who never grows up, who lures young Wendy and her brothers to Neverland, where they meet pirates, Indians, fairies, and the Lost Boys. J. M. Barrie revised and expanded the story and published it as this novel. For children, it remains a marvelous mix of fantasy and adventure, featuring unique, imaginative characters who frisk and frolic in an enchanting land. For adults, the story of Peter and the Lost Boys works on a much deeper level, speaking to them about the inevitable loss of childhood and the ability "to fly." The climactic duel between Peter Pan and Captain Hook is both a swashbuckling romp and a moving metaphor for the complex, poignant struggle between innocent but irresponsible youth and tainted but dependable maturity.

About the Author

J. M. Barrie was born in 1860 in a Scottish village, the son of a weaver. At the age of twenty-five, he moved to London, where he began his career as a playwright and novelist, a career that would bring him fame and many honors. He told his first Peter Pan stories to the sons of his friend Sylvia Llewellyn Davies, later incorporating them into The Little White Bird. In 1904, Peter Pan made its stage debut and was an immediate sensation, its revival every Christmas in London through 1940 a testament to its popularity. Barrie was made a baronet in 1913, received the Order of Merit in 1922, and was named president of the Society of Authors in 1928. He died in 1937.