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I post on Monday with an occasional random blog thrown in for good measure. I do my best to answer all comments via email and visit around on the days I post.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

P is for Peter Pan




For this, my third year doing the challenge, I am going literary. For every letter of the alphabet I will talk about a book, an author or a character from fiction or myth that made an impression, was inspirational, or caused me to think.




Could there possibly be another choice for P? I think not.


This is the original Peter Pan, Michael Llewelyn Davies, photographed by J. M. Barrie in 1906.

Michael Llewelyn Davies as Peter Pan


Maude Adams was the first to play Peter Pan on stage, both in England and on Broadway. Did you know the play came before the novel? Barrie wrote several plays with Maude in mind. You must go check out the pictures of her she was beautiful!


This is a poster of a movie that was made in 1924. I'd love to see it!
Peter Pan 1924 movie


In 1953 the Disney version came out.


I was not yet five when we watched, on television, a live broadcast of Peter Pan starring Mary Martin. The date was March 7, 1955. I have only the vaguest memories of seeing it, but I know I did.
There have been many adaptations of this classic story and no doubt there will be many more. If there's a person who can't identify with Peter in never wanting to grow up, then I say that person is a lost soul. Who among us doesn't, from time to time, want to be a kid again and recapture the innocence of childhood?

Do you have a favorite version? A favorite character? Tinker Bell? Wendy? Tiger Lily? Captain Hook? Crocodile? 

P is Peter Pan   Other P influences include: Pinocchio, Edger Allen Poe, The Picture of Dorian Gray

PS: P is also for Project Gutenberg, a place where you can download books for free. There you can find everything from Aristotle to Zola, L. Frank Baum to Philip K. Dick.

Here's what the good people at Project Gutenberg have to say: Project Gutenberg offers over 38,000 free ebooks: choose among free epub books, free kindle books, download them or read them online.
We carry high quality ebooks: All our ebooks were previously published by bona fide publishers. We digitized and diligently proofread them with the help of thousands of volunteers.
I hope you'll take a look and enjoy browsing the stacks!

21 comments:

  1. I love Peter Pan! The Disney version is probably my favorite. When I was little, I definitely wanted to be like Tiger Lily! I also really like Finding Neverland with Johnny Depp as J.M. Barrie and Kate Winslet as the inspiration for Wendy. It's such a bittersweet movie!

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  2. Barrie was Uncle Jim to Daphne du Maurier and her sisters. He wrote Peter Pan for the children of Gerald du Maurier's (Daphne's father) sister.

    You are quite right to mention Project Gutenberg - it gives you fantastic access to ebooks particularly for authors (and poets) from the past.

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  3. My aunt took me in to Boston to see Mary Martin in her final year doing Peter Pan. Like you, not a lot of memories but the fact that I went and I really enjoyed it. Think I was maybe 7 or 8.

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  4. a classic indeed

    Thanks for the love over at Unedited!

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  5. Ah, Peter Pan. I'm not sure I have a favorite version or character. It's such a great story and I'm always a willing audience for any adaptation.

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  6. i still don't understand why so many women continue to play the part--i loved mary martin

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  7. I guess I never liked PP ... don't really know why. Maybe because I did not identify with him at all.

    Oh, there is a restaurant on Sullivan's Island where Poe composed the Raven. I hear they make wicked good fish tacos and one of these days we'll have to try it out.

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  8. I loved Peter. And all my kids always did too. Love Mary Martin. And Poe! I figured you would do Poe for P. At least you gave him a mention. Wasn't he the greatest?

    My favorite character would have to be Crocodile. :-)

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  9. I've always loved Peter Pan. The whole idea is just awesome. And I really enjoy the Peter and the Starcatches series based on it.

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  10. Oh Bish, that is sooo interesting. I didn't know it was that old.... oh yes, I guess I did. Just forgot. You know, an age thing. Such beautiful posters.

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  11. I got to be Tinker Bell once. I really wanted to be Peter, but Joey Shultz, that sneak, got the role.

    Loved Peter Pan always.

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  12. Isn't it interesting that the first incarnations of Peter Pan were all women?

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  13. oh wow, I didn't realise peter pan was a play first. How wonderful!

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  14. Peter Pan was okay...I actually preferred Pinnochio :) great 'p' words...

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  15. Amazing old black and white captures of old-school Peter Pans! Thank you for sharing :)

    I only recently read Peter Pan for the first time.

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  16. I love Project Gutenberg. All my favorite classics are a click away.

    I didn't know there was a real life inspiration for Peter Pan.

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  17. I had no idea Peter Pan was a play before the book.

    My boyfriend and his buddies are graduates of P.P.U. (Peter Pan University) They created the whole joke because none of them ever want to grow up. They even wear P.P.U. shirts. It's cute. :)

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  18. Hi Bish .. we used to see Peter Pan the play every year .. it was a ritual - I loved it .. and it immortalised the play into my being.

    Tinkerbell I think - because she can flit anywhere .. then all the other characters have attributes ..

    Great choice for P .. cheers Hilary

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  19. What I like about Peter Pan is that he's a literary figure that intellectuals sometimes use to name syndromes and stuff. You know, Peter Pan Syndrome, when someone never grows up.

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  20. Peter Pan is one of my favourite stories. Have you seen the 2003 film version? It was done very well and the child actors were superb. :) Great choice for P.
    Luna

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Your Random Thoughts are most welcome!