The Little White Bird

Peter Pan #0.5

by J.M. Barrie

Reproduction of the original: The Little White Bird by J.M. Barrie

Genres: Classics, Fantasy, Fiction, Childrens, Novels, Audiobook, Young Adult

166 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1902

About the author

James Matthew Barrie was a Scottish novelist and playwright, best remembered as the creator of Peter Pan. He was born and educated in Scotland and then moved to London, where he wrote several successful novels and plays.

The son of a weaver, Barrie studied at the University of Edinburgh. He took up journalism for a newspaper in Nottingham and contributed to various London journals before moving there in 1885. His early Auld Licht Idylls (1889) and A Window in Thrums (1889) contain fictional sketches of Scottish life representative of the Kailyard school. The publication of The Little Minister (1891) established his reputation as a novelist. During the next decade, Barrie continued to write novels, but gradually, his interest turned towards the theatre.

In London, he met Llewelyn Davies, who inspired him about magical adventures of a baby boy in gardens of Kensington, included in The Little White Bird, then to a "fairy play" about this ageless adventures of an ordinary girl, named Wendy, in the setting of Neverland. People credited this best-known play with popularizing Wendy, the previously very unpopular name, and quickly overshadowed his previous, and he continued successfully.

Following the deaths of their parents, Barrie unofficially adopted the boys. He gave the rights to great Ormond street hospital, which continues to benefit.

Reviews

[Andrada · Rating 4 out of 5]

I decided to read The Little White Bird because I happen to currently live near Kensington Gardens and regularly walk around them. On one of these occasions, I came across the famous statue of Peter Pan that was erected on the place Peter initially lands near the Long Water Lake in the Little White Bird and I thought that if there ever was a time to read the adventures of Peter Pan as originally written by J.M. Barrie, it would be now!

Now, the few chapters of The Little White Bird that cover Peter Pan’s first appearance have been frequently published separately as Peter Pan in Kensington Garden. And as this seems to be considered the most important part of the book, publishers readily stripped it from the rest of the narrative to not bore readers with Captain W’s story and I’m guessing because the rest of the book is not necessarily aimed at children. Because of this, the Little White Bird in its entirety does not seem to be particularly popular and has few editions to its name, but I’ve never been one to read only interesting passages in books so I decided to give it a try as a whole and it was definitely worth it!

The White Little Bird is at times funny and witty and supremely whimsical and full of imagination, but an undercurrent of loneliness and sadness runs through it(quite a bit in the Peter Pan parts as well) but without damaging the story, more like giving it depth. Some chapters have not aged particularly well – I’m thinking here of the time Captain W runs away with the perambulator and David’s sleepover – mostly because Mary’s trust in a stranger is a bit much by modern standards.

As for Peter Pan, how different he is from all the incarnations I’ve seen in movies and animation! A naked baby, only a week old! I’m very curious to see whether J.M.Barrie changed his appearance for Peter and Wendy(which I intend to read soon) or whether people have adapted the content to their own liking. All and all, a lovely read!

[Jim Brule · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first occurrence of the character of Peter Pan in the author's works: Peter's story appears as a story told by the protagonist to a young boy.

The protagonist is one of the most intriguing characters I have ever encountered in literature. He is simultaneously repugnant, sweet beyond words, frightening and endearing. Is he a stalker? A pederast? A effete snob? A romantic? A love-struck soul? A champion of the poor?

And Peter Pan is definitively not the character you met via Mary Martin.

Be prepared for an engaging, disturbing, heart-wrenching read.

And then a re-read, as I am doing now.

[Kate♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75/5stars

This was WONDERFUL. Barrie is such a talented writer and this little book really pulls on some heart strings. This, although many might not know, is the first instance of Peter Pan. It is a story that our narrator tells his son, and it takes up a decent chunk of this book (I originally thought it was just going to be mentioned off-handedly but no its a big part of this book which makes me even more confused that people don't know that).

Mostly, this book is about fatherhood, childhood, and growing up. It has some absolutely beautiful quotes and beautiful scenes between father and son and I LOVED this.

[Heidi Schulz]

This may be my all time favorite book. I particularly love the descriptions of David's mother.

[Andy Lamen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

JM Barrie is a fascinating author.with his ability to make you feel like a child as well as to interact with the story is remarkable

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up after reading the Peter and the Starcatchers series and then reading the original Peter and Wendy by Barrie and enjoying it. This is supposed to be the introduction of Peter Pan in a few middle chapters and I wanted to complete the set, so to speak.

Barrie is an amazing writer and reminds me, more than anything, of listening to a very articulate child tell you in excited, innocent, and fascinating detail about their dream. The stories spin and dance from one topic to another with winks and nods. It's beautiful. This particular story had me laughing out loud and sighing happy smiles throughout the first chapters.

When I got to the Peter Pan chapters, though, it was far darker and more upsetting than enjoyable. Perhaps it's the mother in me. Or perhaps it's from having read a recent story about the fact that Barrie's older brother died as a child and he always felt the loss in his mother's life; making a very young child escaping to live on an island and attempting to return home eventually only to be locked out feel tragic on several levels.

Overall, the book was enjoyable. The Peter Pan story--which is really a story the narrator is telling a young boy in the book--can actually be mostly skipped. That would leave you with a lovely tale of [spoilers start here!] a wealthy single man in his late 30's taking an avuncular anonymous interest in a young woman, interceding on her behalf to reunite her with her love, occasionally stepping in as an anonymous benefactor to help them financially, and then becoming a sort of godfather to their son. Along the way he also assists a waiter at his "club" and his family by enabling the family to get some time out of the city and off work while the mother recovers from an illness, and then arranging a nanny job for their oldest child taking care of the young couple's baby. The story avoids being sickeningly sweet and is instead endearingly funny because the man, as narrator, tells it all as if he were only trying to make things easy on himself and did it all begrudgingly and was truly disgusted by the fact that people thanked him or even knew it was him. He plots to win the affection of the baby away from the parents and acts the very definition of "curmudgeon".

[Manuel Alfonseca · Rating 3 out of 5]

ENGLISH: The first of Barrie's best-known non-dramatic novels. The narrator is charming. I liked the least the central part, where the author gives free rein to fantasy and introduces the character of Peter Pan. I like the less fantastic part better, where the kindness of the narrator is easier, especially in his relationship with the waiter William.

ESPAÑOL: La primera de las obras no dramáticas más conocidas de Barrie. El narrador es un encanto de hombre. La parte que menos me ha gustado es la central, donde el autor da rienda suelta a la fantasía e introduce el personaje de Peter Pan. Me gusta más la parte menos fantasiosa, en la que queda más clara la amabilidad del narrador, especialmente en su relación con el camarero William.

[Brian Schiebout · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Little White Bird by James Barrie is a fanciful story about childhood. The main character is an older man who in a way represents Barrie himself and his relationship with another family. The story begins with him talking to a young boy named David who happens to be the other main character in the story. The tale begins with the man explaining how he helped the boys parents to get together because of his fascination with David's mother Mary. While the story includes much that is unfamiliar to me as it takes place around 1900 in London it also includes much that I remember from my childhood as in many ways this was the dry run for the much better known story of Peter Pan also by Barrie. So of course the most familiar character in the book is young Peter but he is not the young boy he is remembered as today but instead is little more than a baby who has many of the traits which later go into the more mature character. He is the eternal child who in this story lives in Kensington Gardens where all of the magic in this book takes place. In some ways that is the greatest thing n this story, its ability to change things that we as adults often see as mundane into things caused by either magic or adventure. I believe after reading this story that David later shows up as one of the lost boys in Peter Pan and the stories which he and the gentleman made up present the beginning of Neverland. The boys mother who is a governess I think has many of the traits which later become more known as Wendy. While London at this time is a dangerous sometimes dismal city the way that the characters in this book are able to convert everything into wonder. I hope that I never loose this ability as long as I live.

[ضحى الحداد · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really afraid to read this book since it is so old and I knew the language would be tedious for me, but what I didn't expect that I would enjoy Captin W and David's adventure in Kesington Garden this much <3
So, the story is about a bachelor name Captin W and somehow he get tangled with a girl named Mary A-- and he witness how she gets married and give birth to her son David, and he then get attached to him and he brings him to the famous Kensigton Garden to play with him and share adventures of Fairies and Peter Pan and some of the lost kid that remain in the garden after Lock-Out <3 <3
yes, I did enjoy the book as it was whimsical and full of adorable stories, however, this is not an easy read for anyone .. the language is really hard and the plot is a bit scattered here and there that is makes it so hard to follow the story line, I understand why this book wasn't adopted for a movie production as it would be so hard to adopt and it will require so much organizing to make a decent plot out of it ..
overall I really enjoyed the majority of the book but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone :)

[Louise Dickens · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a gift from my boyfriend, who, knowing how much I love the story of Peter Pan, discovered that The Little White Bird held the very first mention of the character.

Originally published in 1902, The Little White Bird is the story of an old bachelor, Captain W, in Victorian London, and a young boy called David who is born to a middle-class family in the same area.

As Captain W lunches at his members’ club, he watches each day as a young nurse meets with her lover at the post office, and is bemused by the clockwork way in which the same scene plays out every day. Until one day it doesn’t; the lovers have fallen out, to the great annoyance of narrator Captain W.

This annoyance starts an unlikely relationship, as Captain W subtly intervenes and reunites the young lovers. From this moment on, he silently watches them and anonymously aids them as they continue on their way to becoming a family.

David is born, and Captain W fancies himself as something of a father to David, who would not have been born if it wasn’t for Captain W’s intervening. As the years go by, Captain W and David have their own adventures in Kensington Gardens, which is where all children originally come from, starting life as birds, before they fly to their parents’ homes to become human children.

The Little White Bird is easily one of the weirdest books I have ever read. The main story is normal enough, narrated by Captain W who is an interesting, if not slightly boring, character. However it’s the chapters describing Kensington Gardens and Peter Pan that are altogether out-of-place.

The style changes completely, and suddenly we are thrust into a world of magic and fairies and Peter Pan, who at just seven days old decided he missed his life a bird too much, and flew back to the Gardens abandoning his parents and human life.

These chapters have since be described as a “book-within-a-book”, and were published separately in 1906 as Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens.

I think those chapters are supposed to represent the magic of children themselves, who can bring youth and magic to even the oldest and sternest of grown-ups. But David means even more than that to Captain W; David is the child that he never had.

At one point in the story, Captain W invents his own son, and names him Timothy. Such does this lie become, that he finds himself half-believing that Timothy was once real, and although never directly mentions it, you get the obvious feeling as the reader that Captain W is using David to fill the void in his life that he never realised he had.

It was lovely to see some of the famous references we know and love from Peter Pan in this narrative, including the reference to Peter Pan not knowing what a kiss is, and being given a thimble instead. There is no Wendy in The Little White Bird, instead it is Maimie Mannering who gives Peter his thimble.

Porthos is Captain W’s large St Bernards, based on the author’s own St Bernard of the same name, and undoubtedly the inspiration for ‘Nana’ later on in the Peter Pan stories. There is one bizarre chapter, where it is inferred that Porthos visits the fairies at Kensignton Gardens and wished to become human, which he does, and Captain W discovers a man called William Paterson who displays bizarre characteristics. However, after Paterson becomes sadder and more withdrawn he disappears. Porthos (who had vanished around the same time Paterson arrived) is suddenly found and it’s all rather weird.

The Little White Bird really is two books in one, and appeals to both those who love classic novels and magical, fantasy novels. Whether the two actually work together or not is another thing, I think perhaps they do – but only on reflection and not during the process of reading.

I’d recommend it to anyone who loves Peter Pan as much as I do, or to anyone who lives near Kensington Gardens – who will see the Gardens in a different light afterwards.

[Banaticus · Rating 5 out of 5]

[[This book is also the origin of the Peter Pan mythos, although that story is rather a diversion from the main story, just as The Three Musketeers was a diversion from Dumas' main story.]]

A fun little book, most enjoyable. It has ever and anon been my practice, when a book has been finished, to find myself wondering whether or not I could find the means within myself to write in such a style as to, if not basely cadge from, to at least imitate the tone and manner of the book. Such is this paragraph that I am now writing. Wooster and Jeeves, Rumpole of the Bailey. Such curious books, such almost whimsical writings, always have I been fascinated by these well crafted pieces of art. She Who Must Be Obeyed, as Rumpole would have put it -- would I ever have one such as her in my life? Would I desire such? Do I seek one such as Mary? To put it plainly, to put it quite blunty and rather unmannerly, yes. In a more mannerly tone, one which is less succinct and perhaps more euphemistic, but certainly more pleasing to the ear, I desire to make the change that Porthos did for a time in this book, that King Louie in The Jungle Book often wished to make. I hope that such a change would not leave me disillusioned, that although I might wish to say the words to revoke the change, that I would not go quite so far as to actually do so. I believe my eyes have been opened to a wide enough extent that I go in knowing full well that I know almost nothing. I have learned from the school of experience, that which alone, to my great detriment, has been the sole light of my path for the past twenty years, as Patrick Henry intimated, that I have a great deal yet to learn. Having now rambled for a seemingly interminable length of time, it is perhaps time to bring this paragraph to a close. Scorning an abrupt jerky stop such as that which a railway car might make upon its entrance to the station, I shall instead circumabulate for a brief moment more. This too, in my normal speech, is perhaps my biggest failing. I ramble on over a wide set of subjects, not sticking to any one particular topic -- I just can't shut up.

[Jake Leech · Rating 3 out of 5]

For starters, this is a J. M. Barrie book, which means that, like any J. M. Barrie book, the writing style is polarizing. Some readers will find him utterly, utterly charming, and others will find him cloying and twee. I can't predict which reader you will be, but I happen to like the way Mr. Barrie writes. Additionally, I was interesting in this specific Barrie book because it is the first mention of Peter Pan. However, he loses two stars for two reasons--one star for each reason.

First of all, in The Little White Bird, Barrie is narrating the story of an older, single, former soldier who takes an interest in the life and family of a young woman he notices passing by his window. The basic plot of the book (and I don't think I'm spoiling anything here) involves the narrator "pretending" to really have little interest in the young woman, and even trying to wreck her family, while actually helping them out. Unfortunately, I felt that the narrator failed to really balance these things particularly well. Actually, as I type this, maybe that was deliberate. I'll take half a star off. So make this a three-and-a-half star.

The second reason (and the second star) are for a chapter where the young son of the woman spends the night at the narrator's apartment. I suppose that what happens is not unusual, and would not have been considered out of the ordinairy, but to my modern (modern?) squeamish sensibilities, the whole chapter was a little weird and creepy. That might be a problem with me rather than the book, but we're assigning ratings to reads, not readers, so I'm afraid Barrie gets docked here.

In all, this is another great read for the Barrie fan, with a warning that parts of it are a little off-kilter and disturbing (and not in a good way).

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprisingly romantic, dodgy old bachelor takes it upon himself to sponsor a family of a lower class (unbeknownst to them at first). At first he takes a passing interest in Mary’s budding love life, as a form of entertainment unfolding before him as he dines at his club. Then, he takes credit for the two of them eventually getting hitched. As his curiosity in this couple grows, he unwittingly develops a strong and sometimes possessive interest in their first born son and soon becomes an odd sponsor/mentor/friend.

It’s very easy to find yourself overanalyzing the relationship between the narrator and David, particularly in today’s context. Had the narrator been a woman, I don’t think anyone would question it, but because it’s a man, he is automatically suspect.

For the first third of the book, the author makes fun of new parents and the fuss they make over their children. I saw a lot of myself in his perception of Mary.

The novel then takes a detour into the legend of Peter Pan. It wasn’t quite the origin story I had imagined, but I found myself heartbroken for Peter’s mother.

The Peter Pan chapters were followed by a few non-sequitur chapters.

The chapter about Joey seemed out of place in the book and didn’t serve any purpose toward furthering the plot other than to illustrate another anecdote of David. I spent most of the chapter trying to sort out if “Joey” is a type of slang, or if there really was a character named Joey that was merely poorly introduced. I assume it’s both.

The Pilkington chapter was also a bit meandering, but at least it wound it’s way back to the plot.

The cricket game was completely over my head, but I thought it sweet that they should have a game to decide whether it was to be a boy or a girl.

[V. · Rating 5 out of 5]

J. M. Barrie, of course, is the author of Peter and Wendy, the book upon which is based many incarnations of the "Peter Pan" tale. What is curious to learn, however, is that Peter Pan made his first appearance in The Little White Bird, as the hero of a tale spun for a small boy by the older gentleman--the novel's narrator--who is obsessed with him. The Little White Bird is quirky, disturbing, and full of curmudgeonly wit.

Especially with the novel's themes of obsession and pederasty, White Bird is not itself a tale for children, but it sheds an eerie light on the children's tale, Peter and Wendy. For that matter, even the Peter character--selfish, cruel, bullying--that Barrie created is a far cry from the sanitized creature you'll find flitting about in musical theatre. But then, for this great author of children's literature, his view of children is probably best summed up in the last lines of Peter and Wendy: "children are gay and innocent and heartless."

I recommend this book to anyone who looks for great characters in his or her fiction reading, or who has an interest in tracking down the messy origins of what have been handed down to us as aseptic Disney characters. I would warn that while this is easily one of my favorite novels, do prepare to have your stomach turned a little by it.

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Barrie has created Peter Pan here, along with the other fairies who inhabit Kensington Gardens. He's created a narrator who's curmudgeonly and endearing...insufferable and loving. This lonely old bachelor watches a small family from afar, from the romantic meetings of the as-yet unmarried couple, to the births of their children. He takes an interest in the older son and tries to wrest his affections away from the mother. Along the way David, the son, Mary, the mother, and the unnamed narrator learn a lot about life, and about the magic of Kensington Gardens, and about themselves.

Peter Pan and the other fairies who inhabit the Gardens, their strange parties and customs are developed here in high fantasy...

A strange little book that intrigues me more and more as I think of it. I think this may well have been the basis of the film NEVERLAND, more closely paralleling Barrie's sad lonely life.

One to reread just for the ironic voice and tone...so much is NOT said here, and I know I need to look again at all the relationships. I loved the last scene and the last paragraph. I hope the narrator and Barrie both found peace and love and affection.

[Lanette Errante · Rating 5 out of 5]

a very different story

no one writes like this. Barrie has an odd and fascinating imagination. he pits the writer of the story with a child. while seemingly in competition and resentment with the child and his mother, he holds an affection for them that borders on the characteristics of stalking - something that would barely pass in present day society. yet, there is endearment seldom seen with a full grown man and a young child who are not related. in this book, and the reason I read it, Peter pan is first introduced.it is really interesting to read about his roots as all little babies are first birds before they are delivered to their mothers. it's also interesting to note, in reading Barrie's bio, that one of the children who he befriended in his life labeled Barrie as an 'innocent'. he hung out with children, yet was not a pedophile. he married, but did not consummate. his bio is interesting as is his classical writing.

[Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un protagonista entrañable, bastante mordaz y gruñón, pero que en realidad tiene su corazoncito. Este libro es como un cuento de hadas desarrollado en la realidad, realmente surrealista en algunas ocasiones, y totalmente vívido en otras. Un libro personal, profundo y completamente tierno. Un homenaje a la infancia, la hermosura, el amor y la mujer. Pero también divertido y lleno de aventuras. Una mezcla extraña que hace que no sea ni para niños, pues no entenderían algunas cosas, ni para adultos, pues hace tiempo que se han olvidado de lo que era ser un pájaro y muchos ya han perdido la sonrisa. Imprescindible para todos los que no han podido crecer, y son mitad pájaros, mitad adultos. Para todos los amantes del autor que hay detrás del mito.

[Andre Piucci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life and death, the child and the mother, are ever meeting as the one draws into harbour and the other sets sail. They exchange a bright "All's well" and pass on.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whimsical but sometimes tedious.

[Dolly]

interesting quote:

"Shall we make a new rule of life: Always to try to be a little kinder than is necessary." (p. )

[Angela Mahon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is presented as a children’s book, however was published in 1902, so holds Victorian perspectives, that don’t align with modern standards. The narrator has a vivid imagination and enjoys adventures with a child called David in Kensington Gardens. Together they enjoy the sightings of fairies and are introduced to the legendary Peter Pan. The book has a whimsical tale to tell of the significance of little white birds and their language, which is captivating in itself. However the book alternates between the world of fairies to the narrators own thoughts which creates a dense read overall. I’m not convinced parents of today would want to read this to their children unless they were prepared to delve into the historical attitudes of the time.
On the other hand, Peter Pan can still be found in Kensington Gardens if you want to see him for yourself!

[Joey Brockert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book because I had read “Peter Pan,” the play, was perpetually licensed to aa hospital in London, but this, being the source of the play, was not.
It is a very strange story. It starts out with a fellow doting on his son but refusing to go to the boy's mother's birthday party. The fellow admits he has never spoken to the mother and has no intention to do so. She is not his type - too young, he finds mature women of fifty plus much more interesting. I will not explain more as it is part of the joy of this story finding out the back story of this man and his son.
For the most part, the action takes place in Kensington Gardens in London, England. This fellow enjoys the pretend antics of the boy and his friends. This partly where Peter Pan comes from. Peter Pan is an infant who does not want to grow up, and since he was once a bird turned into a baby boy, he turns and flies out the window back to the island in Kensington Garden where the birds congregate. There he is welcomed by the fairies and birds, but warned that if he stays he will be forever 'betwixt and between,' neither boy nor bird.
The story takes a turn describing the adventures of Peter Pan and what all he does once he decides to stay on the island. It is as if a bunch of little seven or eight year old boys let their imaginations run wild, but you know it is the old man telling the stories and developing some of the plots with them. It is all great fun and the boys play at being Peter Pan or doing exciting things with him.
But then, as it happens, the little boy grows up and is to go away to school, so the fun has to stop for the father. It has been a great deal of fun and joy, and now, at this culmination, the graduation to school, the boy convinces the man to have tea or something with his Mother. This is a trial for the man, but he does it and, lo and behold,...., so he will be happier. The strange story ends with a twist you never expected!
There is a glaring logical fallacy in the story of Peter Pan: he is an infant, not a week old, when he returns to the island, later on he talks, devises and has built a boat, figures out how to pay for the boat, etc. What he does later on, though he is to not grow up, is what a child of five or six might do, not an infant of less than a week old. But the fun of the story would be lost if you let logic interfere with it, and so, as little boys will do, we just let it go and enjoy the story.

[Ebster Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

'"In twenty years," I said, smiling
at her tears, "a man grows humble, Mary. I have stored within me a great
fund of affection, with nobody to give it to"'

This is a story about a seemingly persnikity guy with a big heart.

The first part of this story was captivating, but probably not for the reasons it was intended to be. I kept thinking. "if this happened in modern day, this guy would be arrested and everyone would think he's a pervert." Then they give his backstory and his motivations are a bit more clear. He helps families because he doesn't have one.

He pretty much "creates" a family by reuniting these two lovers, helping them financially establish a home, and prepare for a baby...without the couple finding out about it. His antics are absolutely hilarious, and his motivations are ultimately touching.

He's now one of my favorite characters, and he doesn't even tell us his name.

The narriorator/main character is very concious of distinguishing truth from fiction when he explains things. He is careful to block out David's last name (it starts with the letter A) as if he were.really concerned with maintianing their confidentiality. He and David make up stories about being shipwrecked, but the stories about Peter Pan and the faries who live in the park are approached as absolute truth.

This makes me a bit mad. So, Like, EVERYONE in London pretty much knows Peter Pan, and THEY HAVEN'T TOLD THE REST OF US???

Thanks London...

I don't want to give too much of the plot away here, but it contains Peter Pan's backstory (which was better then any other adaption I've ever been exposed to), as well as those of several other interesting characters. The meaning behind the title is really sweet, and the conclusion of the story was hopeful.

4/5 stars.

[Keshia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this story more than any others is a reflection of Barrie himself and the relationship he had with the Davies. It is a simple story, and not very full of plot. But I found in the end I was overwhelmed by how beautiful it was. Everyday occurrences, things happening all the time in the Kensington Gardens became magical and mysterious worlds of unknown. The world became a wonderful place in this book. It is the perfect way for anyone to escape.

(*Spoilers*) Kind of...
This story was about a man, a man who became somewhat obsessed with a young couple and went out of his way with helping them in any way possible, though full of pride, he does not want to admit it. When their son is born he takes a liking to him and becomes a friend, the story then on because mostly one of stories, stories and him and the boy, David, as they play in Kensington Gardens. There are several remarkable chapters, a few which focus of the character of Peter Pan and later become the story "Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens". Another is a chapter pertaining to David and an older friend, who at one point has to stop playing with them in the gardens and 'grow up'. The narrator (who in my mind the closest insight to Barrie's own character we will ever get) sees the tragedy in this and knows David will one day do the same. The end, though, was perhaps my favorite, when he finally meets the young woman who he has helped all these years and his revelations on her are changed completely.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: PG

A friend recommended Peter Pan to me a while ago, but I haven't read it yet. I checked out the author's history on wikipedia (which, yes, I know I'm not supposed to trust completely) and found out Peter Pan was first introduced in this book. So I thought, "Ok, I'll read this book first, then the book recommended to me." And so I did. You're welcome for that tidbit that I'm sure you wanted to know…

Basically, this book was not what you'd expect it to be. The humor, the characters, the (nonexistent?) plot, the fairies - pretty much everything. Since this was published in - what? - 1902 or so, it's an older version of English, but still well written and, surprisingly, funny. I laughed at some of it. I'm not sure whether Barrie meant to make the protagonist very good with kids consciously, or the character unconsciously good with children only thinking he wasn't. The eyebrow thing the protagonist did to make baby David laugh? Oh, yes, my sister can do it, so it made quite the interesting mental picture.

While it took a while for me to finish this, I would recommend this to people with some time to go through an enjoyable classic. This is where Peter Pan was born. Aren't you curious?

Warnings/heads up/what's in this book - not a thing I can think of. :)

[Katerina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

J.M. Barrie is such a marvelous author, and this book stands as a testament. He creates such a vivid world with such vivid characters, and his trademark whimsy and humor (I was laughing multiple times throughout the book) further bring the book to glorious light.
The narrator was quite interesting. Though undoubtedly very similar to the narrator of PETER AND WENDY, this narrator felt much more flawed, ultimately kind but not always kind, and at times rather crabby. Truly a one-of-a-kind narrator only J.M. Barrie could create.
Last year I read PETER PAN IN KENSINGTON GARDENS, so it was so interesting reading the entire book that story was plucked from. The story can stand on its own (its Peter of course!), but it was different and delightful reading it in context of the larger work.
All in all a fantastic read: a book with a lot of heart and humor and whimsy and magic. Barrie's book, through and through.

[Jesús Cardeña Morales · Rating 2 out of 5]

Me siento confuso con este libro. Al principio no sabía si eran hechos que el autor escribía autobiográficamente, pero leyendo su vida, no me concordaba nada. Pero es que llega un momento que lo que narra no tiene ni pies ni cabeza, y que la relación que mantiene con el niño protagonista se acerca peligrosamente a la pederastia (aunque siempre he visto la figura de Barrie rodeada de algo parecido a la pederastia, no sé por qué...) y de golpe y porrazo te meten capítulos copiados literalmente de "Peter Pan en los jardines Kensington" que rellenan un poco, pero tampoco cuentan el inicio ni la idea de la figura de Peter Pan.
Me esperaba más del libro. No me han llegado a calar ni los personajes ni la historia.

[Terris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book from 1902 introduces the first appearance of Peter Pan who is to be found wandering London's Kensington Gardens at night. However, this only takes up a very few chapters in the book. The rest being the story told by a man about his relationship with a little boy and the boy's mother. It is very unusual and the early 1900's English used is sometimes difficult to tell what is actually meant. It was not really one of my favorites, but I am glad I read it because I was wanting to get to the origin of Peter Pan, and at least I accomplished that! This may not be for everyone, it is not a children's book, and I don't know that I would recommend it. I think you'll just have to read it for yourself to decide ;)

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the book, far more than Peter Pan, that really shows the depth and complexity of JM Barrie's writing style. I can't think of another writer who can so cleverly and seamlessly meld humor and poignancy in so few words. How his narrator, a middle-aged curmudgeon, can make the reader understand the many emotions a mother goes through from pregnancy to watching her son grow up to the designated (at the time) school age of 8 while also conveying the deeply buried sadness of his own for never having children is remarkable. I'm a Peter Pan fan always, but this book (which actually contains the origins of Pan in the middle chapters) is far superior.

[Alana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Portions of this are included in Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, but the rest of it was an interesting story arch, mostly of a gruff "older" (I suppose being in his 40s would have been much older in that era than now) man grudgingly bestowing fatherly affection on a young couple, and connecting with his own lost youth and "might-have-beens" without even realizing it. There were a few sections more tedious than others, but his imagination, of fairies and their adventures, of odd little explanations of why children, adults and gardens are the way they are, is really extraordinary. But I was glad that Mary, in her way, charmed him against his will in the end.
2.5/5