(1860/5/9-1937/6/19)
詹姆斯·巴里，英國小說家、劇作家。他生於英國東部蘇格蘭（現安格斯郡, Kirriemuir, Angus, Scotland）農村一個織布工人之家。自幼酷愛讀書寫作。1882年在愛丁堡大學畢業後，在諾丁從事新聞工作兩年。1985年（此時他已25歲），他移居倫敦，當自由投稿的新聞記者，開始創作反映蘇格蘭人生活的小說和劇本。1919-1922年任聖安德魯斯大學校長。1928年當選為英國作家協會主席。1930-1937年受聘為愛丁堡大學名譽校長。他的小說屬於“菜園派”，擅長以幽默和溫情的筆調描述蘇格蘭農村的風土人情。最著名的是幻想劇《彼得·潘》（1904），另外尚有社會喜劇和熔幻想劇與社會喜劇於一爐的劇作多種。
描述其一生的傳記片《不曾到達》正在拍攝中，計畫在2003年上映。詹姆斯·巴里一角由約翰尼·德普出演。
他一生為孩子們寫了許多童話故事和童話劇，而《彼得·潘》則是他的代表作，其影響最大。
巴里遷居倫敦後，住在肯辛頓公園附近，每天上下班都從那兒路過。一天，他看見有幾個小孩子在草地上玩耍，他們用樹枝蓋小屋，用泥土做點心，還扮作童話中的仙女和海盜。這遊戲吸引了那位黑鬍子的作家。他站在一旁笑嘻嘻地看著。後來，一個膽大點的孩子問他願不願意跟他們一起玩，於是黑鬍子作家高高興興地加入孩子們的遊戲，一直玩到天黑。在回家的路上，巴里才發現原來這些孩子都是他的鄰居，其中最活躍的那個男孩叫彼得。後來，孩子們從家長那裡聽說巴里是個作家，他正在寫一個劇本，叫《彼得·潘》，便把他圍住，要他講《彼得·潘》的故事。等巴里講完，他們才知道自己一個個都在故事裡了。後來，巴里把這些小朋友都稱為他創作的合作者。《彼得·潘》公演時，孩子們每人還分到五個便士的稿費呢！
《彼得·潘》在倫敦公演後，在觀眾中引起很大轟動。後來，又把它改為童話故事，並被譯成多種文學傳到國外。以彼得·潘故事為內容的連環畫、紀念冊、版畫、郵票等風行歐美各國。自從《彼得·潘》被搬上銀幕，每年聖誕節，西方各國都在電視上播放這個節目，作為獻給孩子們的禮物。
作品列表：
The Little Minister (1891)
Sentimental Tommy (1896)
Margaret Ogilvy (1897)
Tommy and Grizel (1900)
Quality Street (stage play) (1901)
The Little White Bird (1902)
The admirable Crichton (stage play) (1902)
Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up (stage play) (1904)
Peter and Wendy (novelisation) (1911)
Dear Brutus (stage play) (1917)
Mary Rose (stage play) (1920)
相關網站：
J. M. Barrie Society's Homepage
Barrie wrote for a number of papers and published his first book in 1887 and subsequent stories established his reputation and popularity. "Auld Licht Idylls" was a series of racy sketches of humble life in Kirriemuir (renamed 'Thrums' in the book, after the word in weaving for the ends of the warp threads). These stories began what was to become known, somewhat disparagingly, as the "Kailyard School" of Scottish fiction. A number of novels followed including "The Little Minister" and "Margaret Ogilvy", the latter a tender tribute to his mother.
But Barrie was now turning more to writing plays and even an opera (in collaboration with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, no less). In 1897 a stage version of "The Little Minister" was a great popular success and he went on to create many of his well known works such as "The Admirable Crichton" in 1902.
A story "The Little White Bird" published in 1902 had ideas which Barrie carried forward to his best known work "Peter Pan". This was first performed in 1904 and was followed by "Peter and Wendy" in 1911. Peter Pan is one of the great classics of the British stage which not only enthralls young people but holds the attention of adults too. Romantic and sentimental, the Peter Pan concept has been adapted in the latter half of the 20th century to innumerable pantomime versions over the festive season.
Many of Barrie's later plays are not performed much now, though "Dear Brutus" published in 1917 and of course "The Admirable Crichton" do get an airing.
Compared by some to dickens and highly regarded, particularly during his lifetime, it is surprising that Barrie himself claimed that he might not have taken up writing if he had been taller! He was extremely concerned about his small stature (5 feet 1 inch) and seemed more comfortable in the company of children. He married an actress in 1894 but the marriage was dissolved in 1910. Barrie adopted the five orphaned sons of neighbours in Kensington London. He claimed that the character of Peter Pan was based on a composite picture of these five boys. One of the boys was killed in WW1 and another drowned in 1921, a tragedy from which Barrie never fully recovered.
Barrie was knighted in 1913 and became rector of St Andrews University in the same year (delivering a notable address on "courage" at his inauguration). In 1928 he succeeded Thomas Hardy as President of the Society of Authors. He died in 1937 but, unlike many other literary greats, he is not buried at Westminster Abbey. At his own request, he is buried in his native Kirriemuir. Royalties from Peter Pan have been awarded in perpetuity to Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children in London.
Barrie's birthplace in Kirriemuir is now in the care of the Scottish National Trust and nearby is a small adventure garden with reminders of Peter Pan, including a statue of the boy who never grew up. Also in Kirriemuir is a "camera Obscura" (one of only three in Scotland) donated to his home town by J M Barrie. The camera obscura is located at the local cricket ground as Barrie was passionately interested in the game, but the camera also gives excellent views of the Angus glens. Barrie claimed that he played twice for the local cricket club - "The first time I scored one run, the second time I was not so lucky".
