by PiersDudgeon (Author)
J. M. Barrie has long been a controversial figure; as D. H. Lawrence observed in 1921, 'Barrie has a fatal touch for those he loves. They die'. The five nervous breakdowns, two suicides, one attempted suicide and numerous deaths that are associated with him blacken the reputation of a man adored by generations of children. However, what is less well known is that Barrie's malign influence grew out of his infatuation with the du Maurier family, particularly with the hypnotist, George du Maurier, creator of Svengali; with George's daughter and grandsons (models for the Darlings in Peter Pan); and with his enigmatic granddaughter, Daphne du Maurier, author of Rebecca and Barrie's final victim, whose life and work can never again be considered without reference to 'Unlce Jim'.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 352
Publisher: Vintage
Published: 04 Jun 2009
ISBN 10: 0099520451
ISBN 13: 9780099520450
Book Overview: Captivated delves deep into the stories behind Peter Pan and Rebecca to reveal a world of hypnosis and imagination, the du Mauriers and their Svengali, and J. M. Barrie and his victims.