Alice in Wonderland

By Lewis Carroll

Book Overview

New to the Second Edition is "The Wasp in a Wig," a recently discovered episode Carroll deleted from Through the Looking-Glass, but which fits into the story in interesting ways. Each text is accompanied by ample explanatory notes.

"Backgrounds" reprints new selections from recent biographies of Carroll and from recent editions of his diaries and letters.

Our understanding of and appreciation for Carroll's life and literature are deepened by new contributions from Anne Clark, Tony Beale, E. M. Rowell, and, most revealingly, Carroll himself.

"Criticism" retains seven seminal critiques from the First Edition while adding four important recent essays by Nina Auerbach, Roger Henkle, Robert Polhemus, and Donald Rackin.

A revised and updated Selected Bibliography is also included.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393958043
• ISBN13: 9780393958041
• Release Date: April 1992
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.4" x 0.9" x 5.2"
• Grade Range: Grades 9 to 12

Customer Reviews

This should not be your first introduction to Alice.

An occasional review will focus on this point. Alice in Wonderland is no more a children's book than "The Lord of the Rings". Occasionally, this and “Through the Looking-Glass” are bundled. If you are lucky, they will include "The Wasp in a Wig," a recently discovered episode Carroll deleted from Through the Looking-Glass, but which fits into the story in interesting ways. The reason this five-star out of 5 stars book gets fewer stars occasionally is not because of its contents or purpose; it is because of either being mistaken for a kid's book, in which case one wonders why it is forced on kids, or it is so dated that even the reader thinks it is g-o-b-b-l-e-d-y-g-o-o-k. The book is filled with references to contemporary items and wordplay of the era. If you fall into either of these categories, then you need to first purchase "The Annotated Alice: The Definitive Edition"; this will clear up this understandable confusion. Be aware that every sentence is a play on words for a jab at the culture of that time. I will not go through the story, as that is why you are buying this book. However, I will say that it is a classic and should be part of everyone's cultural education. When you make it through this book and enjoy it, the next challenge should be "Alice's Abenteuer Im Wunderland,” German Translation. If you are also interested in sci-fi, then you should try to obtain a copy of "Mimsy Were the Borogoves" by Henry Kuttner.