Christopher Daniel Mechling's Blog, page 2
March 13, 2013
Was the fairy tale of Peter Pan and Wendy based on an earlier legend? New book introduces historical Wild Boy whose adventures may have inspired James Barrie's classic
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mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} </style><span style="font-size: small;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Peter: The Untold True Story, a new historical novel by Christopher Mechling, explores the remarkable life of a boy named Peter who became a legend in 18th century England, over 100 years before James Barrie penned the tale of Peter Pan. </span></i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></i></span> </div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">San Diego, California, </span></div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C-KdaoPSCHc..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C-KdaoPSCHc..." /></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">He was a boy of few words, but his character captivated the imaginations of many of England's best contemporary writers and thinkers, including Daniel Defoe and Jonathan Swift. In the Age of Enlightenment, the feral child known as Peter the Wild Boy was a charming curiosity beloved by those who met him, including King George I of England and other members of the Royal Family. <a href="http://www.christophermechling.com/" title="Christopher Mechling- Official Site of the Author of Peter: The Untold True Story">Peter: The Untold True Story, by Christopher Mechling</a>, tells the epic adventures of the real boy whose life is mirrored in the fairy tale of Peter Pan.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">So popular was Peter when he was first introduced to English society in the spring of 1726 that Jonathan Swift remarked, "...there is scarcely talk of anything else." Having been discovered living alone in the forest of Hamelin, Germany, Peter was estimated to be eleven or twelve years old. It seems he left his parents when he was very young and learned to survive on his own, perhaps with the help of some forest animals.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Caroline of Ansbach, wife of George II and future Queen of England, was touched by Peter's innocence, and took the boy into her care. It was the hope of the Royal Family, not only to provide for Peter's future, but to help him grow up to be an ideal English gentleman. For several years, Peter lived in the royal residences, and was the talk of London. Even after he retired to a comfortable life in the country, Peter the Wild Boy remained a legendary figure in England, and attracted visitors to his home for decades.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Throughout his life, even into his seventies, Peter maintained a youthful appearance and energy. Evolutionary theorist Lord Monboddo, who visited Peter in 1782, said of the Wild Boy, "Though he must be now about 70 years of age, [he] has a fresh, healthy look. His face is not at all ugly or disagreeable, and he has a look that may be called sensible and sagacious, for a savage. [He] had always that gentleness of nature, which I hold to be characteristical of our nature, at least until we become carnivorous, and then hunters or warriors. He is said to have sometimes run seventy or eighty miles a day. His strength always appeared to be so much superior that the strongest young men were afraid to contend with him, and this strength continued almost unimpaired till about a year and a half ago."</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Christopher Mechling's imaginative dramatization captures the poignant experiences of Peter and the people who interacted with him. The epic story of the Wild Boy's life, spanning more than seventy years, navigates a tumultuous and thoughtful period in English history, rich with characters.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Peter: The Untold True Story is scheduled to be released May 4, 2013. It will be distributed to bookstores through Ingram, and booksellers can <a href="http://www.christophermechling.com/#!..." title="Contact Page for Peter: The Untold True Story">register here</a> to be notified when the book is available for order. Readers may pre-order the historical novel online now at <a href="http://www.christophermechling.com/" title="Christopher Mechling- Official Site of the Author of Peter: The Untold True Story">[http://www.christophermechling.com.&l...
March 9, 2013
Is there a historical figure behind the fictional character of Peter Pan? Upcoming book brings a surprising new perspective on the classic tale
Over a hundred years before James' Barrie wrote his classic, PETER PAN, a real-life wild boy came to London and captured the public imagination. Christopher Mechling's new historical novel, PETER: THE UNTOLD TRUE STORY tells the remarkable adventures of this child.
San Diego, CA
Peter: The Untold True Story by author Christopher Mechling tells of a boy named Peter who would not grow up- a familiar theme, except this book is not a fairy tale. It is the life story of a real historical figure who lived in 18th century England and became a legend in his own lifetime.
“The more I researched Peter, his life and the historical backdrop, the more committed I became to telling his story,” Christopher Mechling says, regarding the subject of his historical novel. “I believe in Peter.”
In 1725, Peter the Wild Boy was discovered in the forest of Hamelin. It seems he left his parents when he was very young and lived alone for years. At the time, he was estimated to be eleven or twelve years old. Peter’s origin quickly captured people’s imaginations, and his good nature won the appreciation of George I, King of England. Peter was then brought to London, where he was introduced and became a popular figure in society. The Royal Family was as taken by the Wild Boy's charm as King George was, and decided to keep Peter as part of their household. They hoped to educate him, and help him grow up as a proper English gentleman, a task for which they recruited formidable intellectuals such as Dr. John Arbuthnot and others.
Daniel Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe, wrote of Peter, “it would indeed be a terrible satire upon the present inspired Age, first to allow this Creature to have a Soul, and to have Power of thinking, qualified to make a right Judgment of Things, and then to see that under the Operation and Influence of that regular and well-ordered Judgment, he should see it reasonable to choose to… retire again from human Society, rather than dwell among the informed of Mankind.”
Christopher Mechling's imaginative dramatization of the life of Peter captures the joy, innocence and fire of a bright, feral child living in the midst of the Age of Enlightenment. The epic story of his life, spanning approximately seventy years, navigates a tumultuous and thoughtful period in English history, rich with characters.
Peter: The Untold True Story is scheduled to be released May 4, 2013. It will be distributed to bookstores through Ingram, and booksellers can register here to be notified when the book is available for order. Readers may pre-order the historical novel online now at http://www.christophermechling.com.
San Diego, CA
Peter: The Untold True Story by author Christopher Mechling tells of a boy named Peter who would not grow up- a familiar theme, except this book is not a fairy tale. It is the life story of a real historical figure who lived in 18th century England and became a legend in his own lifetime.“The more I researched Peter, his life and the historical backdrop, the more committed I became to telling his story,” Christopher Mechling says, regarding the subject of his historical novel. “I believe in Peter.”
In 1725, Peter the Wild Boy was discovered in the forest of Hamelin. It seems he left his parents when he was very young and lived alone for years. At the time, he was estimated to be eleven or twelve years old. Peter’s origin quickly captured people’s imaginations, and his good nature won the appreciation of George I, King of England. Peter was then brought to London, where he was introduced and became a popular figure in society. The Royal Family was as taken by the Wild Boy's charm as King George was, and decided to keep Peter as part of their household. They hoped to educate him, and help him grow up as a proper English gentleman, a task for which they recruited formidable intellectuals such as Dr. John Arbuthnot and others.
Daniel Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe, wrote of Peter, “it would indeed be a terrible satire upon the present inspired Age, first to allow this Creature to have a Soul, and to have Power of thinking, qualified to make a right Judgment of Things, and then to see that under the Operation and Influence of that regular and well-ordered Judgment, he should see it reasonable to choose to… retire again from human Society, rather than dwell among the informed of Mankind.”
Christopher Mechling's imaginative dramatization of the life of Peter captures the joy, innocence and fire of a bright, feral child living in the midst of the Age of Enlightenment. The epic story of his life, spanning approximately seventy years, navigates a tumultuous and thoughtful period in English history, rich with characters.
Peter: The Untold True Story is scheduled to be released May 4, 2013. It will be distributed to bookstores through Ingram, and booksellers can register here to be notified when the book is available for order. Readers may pre-order the historical novel online now at http://www.christophermechling.com.
