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

J. M. Barrie, Victorian novelist, playwright, and author of
led a life almost as magical and interesting as 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 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 to mark the release of
the film of Barrie’s life, and the upcoming centenary of
“A psychological thriller . . . one of the year’s most complex and absorbing biographies.”—Gerald Clarke,
“A terrible and fascinating story.”—Eve Auchincloss,