Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Dear Brutus

I've heard that J. M. Barrie comes out of copyright later this year, having died in June 1937. Best known (or only known) for Peter Pan, he was a highly successful dramatist in the first three decades of the 20th century, authoring dozens of popular grown-up plays. He's been accused of sentimentality, justly at times, but he was also a fine and compassionate observer of human nature, and his gentle wit and humour were legendary in his day. My favourite play, Dear Brutus, is (amazingly) available for download at Project Gutenberg -- http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/4021.