Better Dead
Report an issue
Tell us what's wrong and we'll take a look.
Thanks – we got it. We'll review and follow up if needed.
Scottish-born author and playwright Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, OM (9 May 1860 – 19 June 1937) first established himself in the public eye as a writer of children’s books and humorous plays. He is best remembered for creating Peter Pan, the boy who refused to grow up, whom he based on his friends, the Llewelyn Davies boys. According to historians of Barrie’s life and work, „Better Dead” is one of his earliest pieces, it is a novel about the challenges of finding ones place in the world. It combines sly humor with a compelling plot with elements of mystery and romance. The main character Andrew is a young Scotsman who heads to London after university because the job prospects are so poor back home. He finds himself as a probationary member of a secret society which engages in the murder of those in society it deems would be, as the title suggests, „Better Dead”.
J. M. Barrie
J. M. Barrie was born in 1860. Fascinated by stories of his mother's life, he was determined to write and worked on the Nottingham Journal after graduating from Edinburgh University. In 1885 he successfully sold the Auld Licht Idylls, which were based on his mother's tales. By the time Peter Pan opened on the London stage in 1904, Barrie had written more than thirty novels and plays, such as Quality Street and The Admirable Crichton. He was created a baronet in 1913, awarded the Order of Merit in 1922 and died in 1937.
More by J. M. Barrie
Why Readwise Books?
Readwise Books is an ebook & audiobook platform that automatically logs how much you and your friends read, making it fun and easy to read more. Learn more →