James Matthew Barrie lived from 1860 to 1937. He was born in Scotland, the son of a weaver. He adored his mother, Margaret Ogilvie—it was the Scottish fashion in those days for wives to keep their maiden names—and, although the family was quite poor, she made sure that he was educated. His literary career began in 1885 when he moved to London and began writing short stories. He continued on to write plays, which were quite successful and made him rich and famous. Though Peter Pan is his most remembered work today, he was very nervous when he first gave it to his theatrical manager. It was a child's fantasy and was the first and only time he had ever written especially for children. But Peter Pan, with its flying and theatrical devices, was a huge success and continues to be performed today. In 1911 James Barrie turned his play into a novel, and it remains one of the most thrilling and magical of all the adventures that have been written for children.
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