Unique to this title is:

• A historical introduction
• A study of the themes present in Peter Pan, Dear Brutus, and The Admirable Crichton

You may of course skip all of it and go straight to the main title if you do not want any spoilers, and come back later to the beginning.

James Barrie grew up in a family where the mother was the dominant figure. When he was six years old, his elder brother died in an accident, a trauma from which his mother never recovered. As his mother played a dominant role in his life, her pain and suffering affected Barrie deeply and changed his life forever.

Peter Pan is a children’s novel by J.M. Barrie. It follows the adventures of the Darling children and Peter Pan, a boy who never grows up.

The main theme of the story is the conflict between wanting to remain a child, but knowing that one has to become an adult. Peter Pan is the living and breathing manifestation of the desire to remain a child forever, without responsibility or cares.

Dear Brutus explores what might happen if ordinary men and women, mired in unhappiness, were given the magical opportunity to remake their lives, or, as the butler Matey says, the chance to "take the right turning." The play addresses the human proclivity to blame others or fate for their failures and unhappiness, and provides the audience with penetrating insights into human nature.

In Admirable Crichton, a group of shipwrecked English aristocrats stake their survival on the ingenuity of their trustworthy butler.

Enjoy this timeless classic collection!