Lisa Chaney Hide-and-Seek with Angels: A Life of J. M. Barrie

Hide-and-Seek with Angels: A Life of J. M. Barrie

Lisa Chaney

St. Martin's, Jun 2006, $27.95

ISBN: 0312357796

By providing a deep look at J. M. Barrie, Lisa Chaney also presents a keen glimpse into the creating of Peter Pan in this fine insightful biography. Ms. Chaney provides the childhood background of the renowned author who was the ninth child of Scottish parents during the industrial revolution. He left for London to become a journalist and soon became friends with writers George Meredith and Thomas Hardy even as he began his career (yes he wrote other works besides Pan). In his late thirties Barrie befriends Arthur and Sylvia Davies; he especially enjoyed the times with their offspring as his only marriage ended in divorce and no children. That time spent with the Davies family led to his play Peter Pan in 1904 as he saw his friends as the loving Darlings. When they died he felt alone though his play made him rich and famous yet perhaps as Peter Barrie he never wanted to grow up.

Well written and entreating this is a solid bio but feels lacking as a historiographic perspective of critics analyzing the author and his works hinted at with references would have rounded out the insight. Still this is a fascinating look at one of the leaders of the golden age of English writers of children tales; in this case a man who seemingly preferred fantasy so as to never grow up.

Harriet Klausner