Lewis Carroll Books

Bryan Talbot's ALICE IN SUNDERLAND is so unique that it is difficult to find anything to compare it to. It would be inaccurate to call it a graphic novel, because it tells no story. There really is no plot of any kind. What it actually is is a local history. Talbot essentially tells the story of his town of Sunderland while tracing unexpected connections it has with Lewis Carroll and relatives of Alice Liddell.

The story, such as it is, concerns "a guy" (the book begins "Well, there's this guy . . . ") who walks into the Empire Theatre in Sunderland for a performance of ALICE IN SUNDERLAND, only to find himself the only person in the theater. Onstage appears a man in a puffy shirt (think "the pirate shirt" of SEINFELD fame) and the head of a rabbit. The Rabbit Man begins to talk, only to remove his head, revealing a human face (which is, in fact, Bryan Talbot's own). He then proceeds over the next 300 pages to provide an endlessly inventive history of the local area, repeatedly drawing connections to ALICE IN WONDERLAND. The exploration is categoric, embracing prehistoric and ancient history, medieval history, and modern history. He covers local the economy, politics, architecture, and cultural life. By the end of the book you not only feel like you've explored a corner of the world you never even thought about investigating, you feel that you'd love to visit the place. And indeed, you feel like you know it. You also learn a very great deal about Lewis Carroll.

What is astonishing is that Talbot keeps his story fascinating from beginning to end. In actuality this is a one-note symphony, but he so successfully disguises this that you scarcely notice it. Frequently his story approaches the sublime. For instance, at one point he enters the first house in a row of elegant dwellings for Sunderland's economic elite. He searches local records and discovers that it was built by a Quaker merchant named Joshua Wilson. He then spends the next five pages exploring his life and character. He seems to have been a thoroughly likable and admirable individual, a genuinely good, though largely forgotten, man. And then the sublime: " . . . and Joshua, long dead and long forgotten, now lives again in some small way in the mind of you, the reader." The book is filled with magical moments like that.

This is easily one of the most beautiful to look at books that I've ever seen. Talbot is unusual in the world of graphic literature in that he not only writes and pencils his work, but colors it as well. He also employs a hot of graphic techniques in organizing his pages. He uses paintings, drawings, retouched photographs, reproductions, collages, and just about anything else you can think of in creating his pages. I've shown the book to several friends who have been instantly struck by the sheer physical beauty of the pages.

I can't recommend this book strongly enough. It is easily one of the most beautiful books that I own (the only one that might surpass it is the first two volumes in THE ABSOLUTE SANDMAN -- Talbot, by the by, illustrated some of Gaiman's stories). It is also one of the most unique.

Throw away your notions of what constitutes a graphic novel because Bryan Talbot has rewritten whatever rules there were. This is a book that can't be devoured; it is a history of the Empire theatre in Sunderland but it isn't. What is evident is Talbot's love of Sunderland and its true importance in history. But it isn't a history book. It defies genres and so I will call it what it simply is:- a masterpiece.

There have been and always will be books that intimidate your average everyday book reviewer. As someone who works primarily with children's literature, this doesn't happen to me all that often. After all, as much as I'd like to be overawed by the latest Junie B. Jones series title, it just ain't gonna happen. But encompassing the whole of literature written with children in mind means sometimes having to deal with books that only just barely touch on my sphere of experience. When I first heard of Bryan Talbot's graphic novel, "Alice in Sunderland," I had no idea what it was. Not really. A glance at the cover gives the reader some hints to the contents, but for your average everyday American the word "Sunderland" means nothing. It's a nonsense word. A play on "Wonderland" obviously, but beyond that we're without reference. Standing at an impressive 328 pages, the book is obviously publisher Dark Horse Comics' most ambitious project to date. Dense, intense, and without comparison, Talbot has constructed the ultimate love letter/tour guide to his home. The fact that it may have also inspired Lewis Carroll's best-known work? Almost a sidenote.

Step right up! Step right in! Take off your hats and coats and make yourself at home. A man walks into a theater for a performance unlike any other. Onstage, the rabbit mask-wearing lead performer begins to tell the story. But it's not the story of Alice in Wonderland or even Charles Dodgson, her creator. Rather it's the tale of a place. A little strip of land on the North Eastern side of the island of Britain. A location that has inspired so many heroes, stories, tales, and legends you'd be amazed to hear them all. But Talbot isn't going to concentrate on the biggest folktales of his region. Nothing so straightforward. Instead, the book leaps, glances, references, and side-steps around every possible connection Sunderland might have to the world of Alice. What's more, the very history of Britain itself is tied intricately into Sunderland's tale. At the heart of it all, however, is the story of Lewis Carroll. For every seemingly inconsequential tangent, Talbot continually and continuously ties Alice Liddell, muse to the great author, and Carroll to the land they belonged to. Part historical treatise, part series of Rosicrucian-like connections, Talbot is unafraid to absolutely stuff his book with as much information as humanly possible. The result is a ridiculous and magnificent ode to a too little appreciated region.

It might sound a tedious affair. Constant backing and forthing between the present and the past. History coming alive is meant to be boring, right? So what are we to do when an artist like Talbot bends over backwards, not only to fit everything in, but to violently and continually change his style so as to both retain our attention and show off his prowess? Care to hear Henry V's speech before Harfleur, Act III, Scene I, done in the style of Mad Magazine? A Jabberwocky poem via Tenniel (right down to the unisexual hero?). Bryan Talbot can tell the story of brave Jack Crawford like it was a boys adventure tale then turn around and present some pretty nasty Normans ala Jack Kirby. There's even a bit of D.C. horror, odes to Herge, and a visitation from god-amongst-comic-artists Scott McCloud. Tenniel and Hogarth may get their due praise, but let us too admire what Talbot has seen fit to sneak in here and there artistically.

But I love the little things about this book too. The central plot concerns a single attendee, treated to this magnificent show in the Empire Theater. Of course the performer, the viewer, and even the man giving the walking tour are all various rather handsome versions of Talbot himself. Still, you grow very attached to the man watching. You're touched by his continual love and interest in George Fornby, local boy made good, ukulele phenomenon, and general nice guy. It's history is what it is. Hearing that the current Queen of England is related by blood to Alice Liddell isn't just good fun. Talbot can then turn Her Majesty into the Red Queen and at the same time show the moment Queen Elizabeth unveiled Sunderland's ode to the Great Library of St. Peter's in 1993. No detail is so small that Talbot can't weave it into the text in some fashion.

I had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Talbot discuss this book at a conference held by the Lewis Carroll Society of North America. And let me tell you, it takes guts to stand before that kind of assemblage so to present a book on their beloved. From that talk, however, I learned all kinds of secrets about "Sunderland". The amount of Photoshop that has gone into some of these pages looks daunting at the outset. It's even more so when you hear how Talbot meticulously reconstructed some of his photographic scenes. The image of photographers taking pics of Alice at Columbia in her later years? Some of those fellows were lifted out of the original filmed production of "King Kong". That image of the Bayeux Tapestry? It took some wrangling to get to display even the replicated version held in the Reading Museum of Berkshire.

Not that the book is flawless. Sorry folks, but while Talbot may be a genius he is by no means perfect. He tends to bog down on the topics that are of the greatest interest to him and him alone. A walking tour thorough the public art of modern day Sunderland is cool to begin with but can't maintain the book's momentum after a while. Facts about Sunderland's shipbuilding and geography come across as akin to Melville's whaling portions of Moby-Dick. You feel obligated to read through them, but you get no pleasure from doing so. It's also funny to take into account what Talbot didn't include alongside what he did. He fails to speak on whether or not the Cheshire Cat's origins are also Sunderland-based (a notable absence, I feel). He doesn't mention, when discussing the Bayeux Tapestry (England's first graphic novel and compiled by "a single artist") that the creator was widely considered to be a woman. Sometimes watching the unmentioned becomes as fascinating as the mentioned.

Ah well. It's a remarkable affair just the same. For those readers willing to dedicate a couple days of their time to reading it through, "Alice in Sunderland" is one of the most rewarding reads. The convergence of graphic novel enthusiasts, Lewis Carroll advocates, and history majors is sweet indeed. An intimidating work in the best possible sense of the term.

The book took me by surprise. I was expecting another boring graphic novel, but Alice delivers so much more. I've little to compare it to in the field of graphic storytelling, but the only thing that comes to mind is From Hell. Like From Hell it delves with an enormous amount of information on a subject and this occurance is Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, and Sunderland England and how they all tie together.

Talbolt does this by presenting the facts in a lucid style of a theatrical presentation. Using this device, he jumps around the history of Sunderland(from it's begginings to the theatre he's telling the story and to so much more) and how Carroll may have been influenced by the location when writing the Alice stories.
Yet it isn't just a story about a book for kids, it touches upon so many varied things that it had my head swimming with information so I could only read about fifteen pages a day. His artwork adapts to the element of story that needs it. There are about a hundred smaller stories under this title and he jumps and creates some interesting designs to make this work. Talbot has gone beyond the usual standards of comics and presented a amazing new book.

The only complaint I have is how he overuses a photoshop filter over photographs. If he did this once in a while it would be alright, but it's a technique that is driven into the ground by the end.

"Just the place for a Snark! I have said it twice:
That alone should encourage the crew.
Just the place for a Snark! I have said it thrice:
What I tell you three times is true."

This fascinating "Agony in Eight Fits" composed by Lewis Carroll in 1876,is to Literature what a Trompe-l'oeil masterpiece is to the world of Art.Well,maybe only in a way; because once "discovered" in a painting ,the trick of the eye can be seen or understood. Maybe it is more akin to modern art where someone says "this is what the artist is saing" ;and people can say "Yes,I see what he means" ;but there's always something else.
With this poem,there have been countless interpretations and Carroll himself offered more questions than answers ,when asked what it meant.
This book was published as a Centennial Edition and annotated by Martin Gardner;famous for his features in "Scientific American Magazine" as well as a lifetime of interest ,writings and books in Mathematical Recreations.
All the plates as well as original shetches by Henry Holiday and extensive information are tncluded. To complete it all,a complete facsimile of the First Edirion is also included.
Although there has been endless things said and written about this famous work,this edition would be as good a place as any to start in seeing what this poem is all about.
One club,and there have been many,was founded in 1897 and lasted till the last meeing in 1914 on the eve of WWI.The number of members was severely restricted . "The club's eleven rules are so delightfully Snarkish that with the Bellman's permission",they are included in the book.
It is near impossible to write a review on this book other than to say,I spent an afternoon enjoying it,but one could spend a great deal of time studing it and writings about it.
I don't often refer to Reviews by others,but in this case I would be remiss not to note the excellent one written by Luan Gaines"Luansos" on November 6,2006.

"'Once upon a time there was a Boojum--'the Professor began,but stopped suddenly.'I forget the rest of the Fable,' he said.'And there was a lesson to be learned from it. I'm afraid I forget that,too.'"

Filled with exuberant language, The Annotated Hunting of the Snark is an unparalleled adventure, part nonsense, part ironic elucidation, suggesting that nothing is ever what it seems. Published on April Fool's Day 1876, Carroll's epic poem, The Hunting of the Snark, is elaborately presented with annotations by Martin Gardener, exploring the sea voyage of a crew determined to capture the elusive Snark; they are ten: a Bellman, a Boots, a maker of Bonnets and Hoods, a Barrister, a Broker, a Billiard-Maker, a Banker, a Beaver and a Butcher. The Snark itself presents a conundrum, be it beast of "Boojum", an entity that will cause them all to disappear.

For over a century, scholars have discussed Carroll's poem, its nonsense, allegories and anecdotes, rife with hidden meanings and scholarly interpretations. The annotations and illustrations in this volume are classic, black and white images of animated men and beasts, fantasy in the ink strokes of the artist's pen, page after page of fascinating annotations reflecting the variety of discussions engendered by the poem: "According to Humpty Dumpty, the word `mimsy" (from the first stanza of Jabberwocky) is a portmanteau word combining `miserable' and `flimsy'."

Each fit advances the story, introducing the crew members, each with his pretensions and expectations. Both dreamlike and illogical, The Annotated The Hunting of the Snark appeals in language and whimsy with undertones of danger, the unknown lurking, a virtual treasure trove of allegories for those inclined to such interpretation. It is Gardner who adds the unique spirit of this edition, expansively embracing "a personal God and much that confounds the simple or poverty-stricken or mindless materialism", while remaining "an untiring pursuer of pseudoscience and irrationality", the "space between a feeling heart and a thinking mind, between a love of the marvelous and a reverence for skeptical truth":

"In the midst of the word he was trying to say,
In the midst of his laughter and glee,
He had softly and suddenly vanished away-
For the Snark was a Boojum, you see."

Our modern world has been redefined by the specter of the Snark as Boojum, perhaps as death or a fear of extinction, a dread of the unknown. With its luxurious illustrations, the annotated poem is followed by a number of interesting pieces: "An Easter Greeting"; "A Commentary by Snarkophilus Snobs"; "The Clue" (a sequel); "Excepts from Henry Holiday's Reminiscences of My Life"; and an extensive bibliography, all in all, a grand adventure into a vast chasm of possibilities. Luan Gaines/2006.

This is a new version of older works. It has new introductions
and the new preface by Martin Gardner. This new version contains
additional and expanded thoughts on the main work. Being the latest
and greatest version to date.

Highly recommended for readers interested in the timeless poem by Lewis Carroll. And this should encompass all those, regardless of age, who have a sense of humor and an element of wonder.

I love this book, and it's been the source to inspire me on other bios regarding Lewis Carroll. The presentation is beautifully done, fully illustrated in color, thorough, and reads in small sections for breaks. It's a great book for reading at bed-time or on outings. Yes, it's for young people, however it does not disregard some of the more questionable issues between Carroll and Alice. Author simply recommends other reading! And there a pages of maps and reference materials, all of which are excellent. Makes for a considerate gift to any fan of Alice.

This is about the real life child who inspired the stories:Alice Liddell,and her connections to Charles Dodgson as she and her family then knew him.It also focuses on the Liddells in order to introduce plenty of Victorian history which is presented in a very easy to digest form.
Full of pictures both photos and original art from Inga Karin-Erikkson.
Its where to start if you're new to Alice and it would make anyone want to collect Alice/Lewis Carroll.
The earlier Beyond The Looking Glass by Colin Gordon explores the same subject in minute detail for anyone who wants more
Highly recommended

This is a book for children (with wonderful illustrations) that attempts to tell the story of the friendship between Alice Liddell and "Lewis Carroll". It is written is a somewhat episodic style. The episodes are chosen, for the most part, due to the bearing that each one has on illuminating characters and situations found in the "Alice" books. The author does not completely avoid the controversial, and this is somewhat of a pleasant surprise. Though originally written in Swedish, it reads very well in translation. I found the book to be both poignant and scholarly (i.e., well-researched), and with great adult appeal for a childrens' book. (Even if the text were less rewarding than it is, the book would be worth keeping for the illustrations alone)

Although The Other Alice is technically a children's book, any fan of Lewis Carroll will find it rewarding. The meticulous art work, showing Alice Liddell and her sisters and Charles Dodgeson [Carroll] and many Oxford settings is superb. The book is also includes many actual photgraphs of Alice, her family and Dodgeson's other child friends. Although this is a book for children, it does not shy away from the rather sad life and obsession which drove Dodgeson, nor does it give an artifically happy ending to the story. If you wonder where many of Dodgeson's plot developments came from [e.g. the Dodo, the wet 'caucus race' you'll find it all here. The author [who also wrote the delightful Linnea in Monet's Garden] and illustrator deserve kudos for this book [translated from the Sweedish, there is apparently a different translation avaiable in England under the title Alice's Oxford Adventure]. Well worth reading in a more adult approach is Staphanie Stoffel's Lewis Carroll in Wonderland [which includes some of the paintings done by Erickson for this book] both are better reads [and far more fun] than Gardner's Carroll biography.

This is a must for "Alice" collectors of all ages. The art is beautiful and the design is unusual.

I disagree with the Booklist reviewer that the design makes for difficult reading or is distracting. The design flourishes enhance the reading experience.

I ordered this book for my 9 year old daughter for Christmas and was very pleased at the high quality edition I received. Specifically, I was looking for a book that would draw her into reading it with exceptional artwork and craftmanship. This is exactly what I got in this edition. One possible drawback is its size. It's a bit large for little hands and portability, but that is a small trade-off for this work of art. Also, the pages are thick so watch out for paper cuts!!! This edition is nice enough to display as an unusual conversation piece on a coffee table, or pass down to the next generation.

The booklist reveiwer mentioned that the print was at times distracting, but I think he misses the point. It's meant to enhance the story. For instance, as one character falls the print spirals and gets smaller. It wasn't difficult to read and my daughter "got it" and thought it was fun!

Bottom line is that if you are looking for an edtion of a beloved story that can be kept for years to come for your treasured daughter or that special neice, this is without question the one you are looking for!

This Simply Read Books edition of Lewis Carroll's classic fantasy, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, is a simply gorgeous version showcasing bold, often monochromatic, and somewhat exaggerated illustrations by Iassen Ghiuselev that bring the unreality of Wonderland vividly to life. Alice's Adventures In Wonderland is a literary treasure for readers of all ages. The quality book binding incorporates a built-in bookmark on a ribbon that says "Read Me", in a delightful complement to this widely beloved story. Due to the coffee-table size of this edition, it may be a little physically large and heavy for younger readers to handle, and therefore is better suited for parents to read aloud to their children. No Lewis Carroll collection can be considered complete without the inclusion of this enthusiastically recommended edition of Alice's Adventures In Wonderland!

Absolutely the best edition of Alice. I enjoyed this story as a child, but thought it might seem like "a girl's book" to my eight year old son. Not so...due to Alison Jay's illustrations which add adventure and enchantment to the story. I'll be looking for more of her work!

I read this short read in 1 day! This is a wonderful book to share with our children. Just reading from her getting stuck in the Rabbit's house to the baby turning into a pig to the Mad Hatter and so on...it was remarkable. Really takes you to an imaginative world beyond our dreams. Highly recommend it for anyone who has an imagination!!

Young Alice has never been a patient child. Therefore, as she is sitting along the riverbank, listening to her sister drone on and on as she reads passages from a slightly boring book, Alice begins to find her mind wandering. After all, this particular book has no pictures to capture the eye. Alice begins thinking about doing something else, making a daisy chain, or climbing a tree, but she's too lazy to leave her comfortable spot. So, as she gazes about her, she finds herself drifting off to sleep, and soon she has spotted a White Rabbit dressed in fancy garb. She begins chasing the elusive rabbit, but quickly finds herself falling down a very deep rabbit hole that she had not seen previously. Alice is frightened as she tumbles down and down, but soon finds herself in a new world. A world not filled with dirt and daisies, but, rather filled with long hallways, and houses that are smaller than Alice herself. Soon, Alice begins encountering characters of all shapes and sizes. To the confusing Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum, to the riddle-loving, smiling kitty known as the Cheshire Cat; all the way to the delightfully zany Mad Hatter who loves throwing tea-parties, and the vicious Queen of Hearts. But, as Alice continues wandering through this wondrous world of magic, where animals talk and dance, and even dress in fancy clothes, she begins to wonder how on earth she will ever find a way out of this backwards environment, and back to her sister, sitting upon the riverbank. For even though lazing about on the riverbank can be incredibly boring, sometimes it is preferred when your life is in danger by an evil ruler.

I do not have to tell you how much I adore the tale of ALICE IN WONDERLAND. Since I was a young child I have been enamored by Alice's adventures to Wonderland, where she met an array of lovable characters who made you question the sanity of this backwards place, and the people who reside there. From the film to the pop-up books, and everything in between - Alice has been something I have cherished. Therefore, when I stumbled upon Alison Jay's newest edition of ALICE IN WONDERLAND, I could not pass up the opportunity to call it my own. The perfect thing about this edition is that the font is quite large, which makes it easier for younger readers to enjoy the tales of Alice on their own. The second thing I adore about this edition, of course, are the illustrations. Alison Jay is a magnificent artist who has laced almost every page with full-color illustrations of Alice and the various people and things she encounters during her trip to Wonderland. From the intelligent Caterpillar, to the delicious pink-frosting covered cupcakes she shares with the Mad Hatter at his tea party; and the delightful, yet strange game of flamingo and hedgehog croquet played with the Queen of Hearts, to Alice's trial with the Gryphon and the Mock Turtle. Each and every illustration is enjoyable to look at, and truly brings Lewis Carroll's words to life. A colorful new ALICE IN WONDERLAND edition, that puts a new spin on the timeless tale.

Erika Sorocco

When I was a child I loved Edward Lear's nonsense poetry. I bought this book to read to my children, 3 and 5, but what really attracted me to the book was the stunning illustrations by Nicki Palin. They are outstanding, detailed, even surreal, but in a warm way that brings the verses beautifully to life. My children love them, pointing out all the various characters that are mentioned in the poems. What is particularly nice about this book is the first two poems which I have only seen in this edition and are a perfect introduction to goals of the two authors: "How pleasant to know Mr Lear who has written such volumes of stuff..." and "Child of the unclouded brow and dreaming eyes of wonder..." And I have to admit that of all the books I read my children at bedtime, this is the one I most enjoy.

This childrens' favorite is equally popular with adults. The illustrations are colorful and mesmerize even the youngest. Familiar verses become preferred bedtime rhymes that evoke giggles from both reader and listener.

This is a collection of great nonsense verse from Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear, most of which stands the test of time - beautifully illustrated by Nick Palin. My children (2 and 4) have adored this book for over a year now. They read it themselves - or at least look long and hard at the illustrations, and bring it to me to read to them over and over.

Most of these poems can easily be found in other books or collections. The advantage of this collection is that it is a small number of very good poems and (as I said before) they are really well illustrated. My children have rapidly learned quite a bit of each of the poems just from frequent re-reading.

Poems include The Crocodile, the Owl and the Pussycat, the Dong with the luminous nose, the Walrus and the carpenter - and my children's favourite - the Jumblies. I really enjoy The New Vestments which is one I had not seen before

In the rear of the book is the Index of titles and first lines which makes it simple to track down anything you particularly want to read.

I would definitely recommend this as a must have for a children's library. It is one of those lovely books which has opened my children's eyes to poetry and reading.

For those looking for illustrations by John Tenniel, the original artist of the book, this is the version that has it. Intentionally reproduced in this ebook format by the publisher, BLTC Press of Santa Cruz, CA in November 2007 who does the Introduction. It appears to be specifically done for the Kindle as in the opening credits it says "Release: 1/Kindle.

The frequent illustrations are scattered throughout the book, not just at chapter headings.

What a wonderful idea to buy a Kindle for an older child and preload a book like this into it ahead of time!

Support efforts like this and spend a little extra for these special editions.

N.B. I have no connection to any specific publisher. I'm just so excited that Kindle is getting such specific support so early on.

I am rereading this classic on my Kindle and was happily surprised to find that it included beautiful illustrations. The illustrations look great on the Kindle, much like I'm sure they would have in the original book. I highly recommend this version for your Kindle!

The original adventures of Alice are much more difficult to read than most people realize. Carroll wrote very figuratively and while people tend to believe that it was a tale for children, it really is not. So much of the book relates to complex adult situations that children simply cannot relate to.
This book is an attempt to change that, by adapting the original story into one more suited for children. In that sense, the target was acquired and hit, the level of the text has been modified so that it is now at the level where children can understand it. I recommend this as the book about Alice's magic adventures that you read to your children, rather than the original version.

the book is in very good condition. cheap price.recieved in ten days.would work with them again. thanks

My first exposure to Lewis Carroll's classic children's story was through the 1951 Disney film adaptation "Alice in Wonderland," which I watched repeatedly as a child. The creative quality of the story never failed to fascinate me, and I kept going back despite my deep-rooted terror of the frightful Queen of Hearts, who always gave me nightmares! However, it was not until recently, as an adult, that I ever picked up the book/s upon which that film was based. In some ways I wish I had read it when I was younger, as the book certainly makes a great deal more sense than the movie does (as much sense as a story of this sort can, anyhow), but thankfully this book is unique in that it is just as enjoyable for adults as for children.

The story is actually spread across two books, here contained in a single volume. "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" was first published in 1865 and relates the events that take place after young Alice falls asleep during her lessons and dreams of following a white rabbit down a rabbit hole. Alice encounters all manner of strange creatures in her dream, and finds herself in all sorts of curious predicaments where common sense fails and the nonsensical comes to be expected. There is no central, concrete storyline, but rather Alice moves rapidly from one bizarre situation to the next before waking once more and relating the whole adventure to her sister.

The second of the two books, "Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There," appeared in 1871 and is very similar in nature to the first, though having a slightly different plot. Here Alice steps through an ordinary looking-glass one day, only to find herself in a world where, if you wish to get anywhere, you must walk in the opposite direction! Walking toward your desired destination only gets you further and further away. Also, interestingly, the land which Alice has entered is essentially a giant chessboard, and she must move through the different squares to reach the other side if she wishes to become a queen (which she does).

The characters Carroll created in these two stories are some of the most strikingly unique and unforgettable in the world of literature. Alice herself, based largely on Alice Liddell, a real-life child of whom Carroll was very fond, is a wonderful heroine that you can't help admiring. Throughout all of her backwards and upside-down adventures, she remains ever sensible and analytical, always trying to reason her way out of the most unreasonable situations. Other characters a reader won't soon forget include the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, the Dormouse, the Cheshire Cat, Bill the Lizard, the Caterpillar, the Duchess and her peppery cook, the aforementioned Queen of Hearts, the Mock Turtle, the Gryphon, the Red and White Queens, the talking flowers, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, the Sheep, Humpty Dumpty, and the Red and White Knights. Carroll also created many fascinating new creatures in his stories, including bread-and-butterflies, rocking-horseflies, "slithy toves," "mome raths" and more.

What I find most intriguing, as an adult reader of these books, is Carroll's brilliant use of wordplay and symbolism throughout the stories. Nearly everything has some sort of double meaning. There are hidden messags and subtle witticisms on every page. Carroll also includes several parodies of what were well-known songs and rhymes in England at the time. Young children will love the books for their fantastic qualities and imaginative inspiration, but most readers will not pick up on the many puns and jokes until they are a little older, so these stories really do have something to offer to anyone, no matter what age.

This particular edition (2004 Barnes & Noble Classics printing, with introduction and notes by Tan Lin) also contains several extra "goodies" in addition to the text of the two books. There is a brief biography of Lewis Carroll, a timeline of his life and career, a fascinating and insightful introduction (well worth the read!), information on various film adaptations, a short story by Carroll - "What the Tortoise said to Achilles," commentary on the text by various individuals and publications, and a set of questions designed to aid the reader's thought and analysis of the text. The book also contains all of the original illustrations, which are indispenable to a full enjoyment of the story. Highly recommended to any reader.

There are so many things that can be said about this book. It's funny, ridiculous, weird, confusing, and VERY much on drugs. I'm sorry... Did you just ask me to eat a mushroom? The many drug references, however, are extremely amusing, and add to the story very much.

Alice is asleep and dreaming up a crazy world. The characters she meets are all eccentric, strange, and frightfully funny. Whether we're thinking of the Mad Hatter, the rabbit, or the Queen of Hearts herself, this book is truly a child's happy adventures through a completely ridiculous fictional land (unless you are firm in your belief that this book is completely about drugs, but even then it's still funny and ridiculous).

Even though this book is known as a children's book, it is hilarious to all who read it. Enjoy! I just hope you remember to breathe while gasping with laughter.

The book was for my 21 yr. old daughter. She requested the book for Christmas. She was very pleased.

it should be law that every child read this wonderfully written book, actually that might be going a bit far, but I LOVE this book, it was read to me as a little girl (given it was the Disney version) and later I purchased it again to read as an adult and I still have to same love and excitement from the story that I all those years ago.
While I could go on about the way this book is written mine is a purely sentimental review!
following Alice down the Rabbit whole is the perfect bed time or rainy day story