An Awfully Big Adventure is a novel written by Beryl Bainbridge. It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1990 and adapted as a movie in 1995. The story was inspired by Bainbridge's own experiences working at the Liverpool Playhouse in her youth. The title is an ironic reference to the original Peter Pan story, in which Peter says "To die will be an awfully big adventure." Source: Wikipedia (en)