J. M. Barrie and the Lost Boys: The Real Story Behind Peter Pan (U)

J.M. Barrie, novelist, playwright, and author of Peter Pan, led a life almost as magical and interesting as his famous creation. Childless in his marriage, Barrie grew close to the five young boys of the Llewelyn Davies family, ultimately becoming their guardian and devoted surrogate father when they were orphaned. Andrew Birkin draws extensively on a vast range of material by and about Barrie, including notebooks, memoirs, and hours of recorded interviews with the Llewelyn Davies family and their circle, to describe Barrie's life and the wonderful world he created for the boys. Originally published in 1979, this enchanting and richly illustrated account is reissued with a new preface and additional illustrations on the release of Neverland, a film based on Barrie's relationship with the Davies family, and the centenary of Peter Pan in 2004.