# Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson pen \_Peter Pan\_ prequel... \*mixed feelings\* **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 30, 2004, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-barry-ridley-pearson-pen-_peter-pan_-prequel-mixed-feelings/262302 "2004-08-30T21:06:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lathe\_of\_Heaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Lathe\_of\_Heaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lathe_of_Heaven)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2004, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-barry-ridley-pearson-pen-_peter-pan_-prequel-mixed-feelings/262302/1 "2004-08-30T21:06:18Z")
ObLink: [Peter and the Starcatchers](http://www.peterandthestarcatchers.com) Now, I love Dave Barry. But isn’t his distinctive voice all _wrong_ for Peter Pan? Barrie’s Peter Pan starts with a child’s wish come true–a trip to a magic world where children reign, children can fly, children play neverending games with mermaids and pirates–and then turns it into a bittersweet recounting of the price of eternal childhood. Barrie makes it clear that, because Peter Pan won’t grow up, he cannot grow or even learn; and ends up forgetting all his adventures shortly after they happen. Barry, on the other hand, has written a few serious essays, but usually sticks to his signature style. Will this book work? What do you all think? n.b. I’m not at all familiar with Ridley Pearson’s work. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-barry-ridley-pearson-pen-_peter-pan_-prequel-mixed-feelings/262302/2 "2004-08-31T00:00:14Z")
Keen, this is the first I’ve heard of this, thanks for posting the link. These two authors are probably the last people that would have come to my mind in doing a backstory to Peter Pan. I like Dave Barry very much, and Ridley Pearson (IMHO) writes the sort of serviceable thrillers that all rather blend together – the kind of book that I enjoy well enough while reading it, but after I finish I can barely remember what the book was about. In terms of Barry’s tone, while on the surface it seems like a bit of an odd match, I have to ask – have you _read_ Peter Pan lately? There’s quite a bit of snark in there, I’ve always thought. Barrie (hey, maybe Dave liked the relationship with the names!) creates a magical world that delights children, but there’s a good number of asides that are intended for the adult audience, and they have a smirking tone in many cases. I believe the Great Ormond Street Hospital still owns the rights to the original work, so I’m curious as to whether or not Barry and Pearson had to strike some sort of deal with them. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-barry-ridley-pearson-pen-_peter-pan_-prequel-mixed-feelings/262302/3 "2004-08-31T00:02:56Z")
Well, they hired a retarded webdesigner, which doesn’t bode well. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-barry-ridley-pearson-pen-_peter-pan_-prequel-mixed-feelings/262302/4 "2004-08-31T01:09:30Z")
The excerpt is awful: > [@](#): > > As Peter backed away, he simultaneously crouched and felt around his feet for another bone . . . for anything . . . He touched nothing but hard ground. He backed up some more. Hit something hard. It’s as if the first part was written by Jimbo The Adverb Freak (“simultaneously?”) and the latter part was written by Hemingway. Dreadful stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dave-barry-ridley-pearson-pen-_peter-pan_-prequel-mixed-feelings/262302/5 "2004-08-31T01:38:35Z")
> [@delphica](#): > > I believe the Great Ormond Street Hospital still owns the rights to the original work, so I’m curious as to whether or not Barry and Pearson had to strike some sort of deal with them. It’s one of those weird copyright things, IIRC. They still own the rights in England, but nowhere else.