Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - A Fantasy Tale for Children and Adults alike

Book excerpt: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (commonly shortened to “Alice in Wonderland”) is an 1865 novel written by English author Charles Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. Dodgson transposed his mother’s maiden name for a first name and then used the French equivalent of his first name, Carroll, as a last name. Indeed, this edition, illustrated by the great Arthur Rackham, is considered to be the definitive edition of the story influencing the look and feel of “Alice” films and stage plays alike, and it is this edition that so many think of and refer to when discussing this wonderful story. Herein are the original 12 chapters richly illustrated with 13 full-page colour plates and 13 black and white pen and ink drawings. In addition, each chapter commences with an illuminated drop capital making for a wonderfully sumptuous edition. The story tells of a young girl named Alice falling through a rabbit hole into a world of fantasy populated by peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures. The tale plays with logic, which has given the story a lasting popularity with adults and children alike. It is considered to be one of the best examples in the literary nonsense genre. Its narrative course, structure, characters, and imagery have been enormously influential in both popular culture and literature, especially in the fantasy genre. The twelve chapters are: I. DOWN THE RABBIT-HOLE II. THE POOL OF TEARS III. A CAUCUS-RACE AND A LONG TALE IV. THE RABBIT SENDS IN A LITTLE BILL V. ADVICE FROM A CATERPILLAR VI. PIG AND PEPPER VII. A MAD TEA-PARTY VIII. THE QUEEN'S CROQUET-GROUND IX. THE MOCK TURTLE'S STORY X. THE LOBSTER QUADRILLE XI. WHO STOLE THE TARTS? XII. ALICE'S EVIDENCE ================ HISTORICAL NOTE In the 150+ years since Lewis Carroll first told the story of Wonderland to the real-life Alice, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland has attracted a number of stunning visual interpretations ranging from Salvador Dalí to Yayoi Kusama, but none more influential than those Arthur Rackham (September 19, 1867–September 6, 1939) created in 1907. Indeed, the Rackham edition is considered to be the definitive edition of the story influencing the look and feel of “Alice” films and stage plays alike, and it is this edition that so many think of and refer to when discussing this wonderful story. ============== KEYWORDS/TAGS: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, folklore, fairy tales, myths and legends, fantasy, anthropomorphic, animals, , Alice, angry, Ann, anxious, appear, asleep, baby, Beau—ootiful, Beautiful, Bill, book, read-and-butter, breath, Caterpillar, cats, Cheshire Cat, children, children’s story, children’s books, chimney, creatures, croquet, curiosity, dance, dead, Dinah, Dodo, Dormouse, dream, Duchess, English, evidence, executioner, faces, fancy, fetch, finger, First, flamingo, Footman, game, garden, gloves, golden, Gryphon, guinea-pigs, Hare, Queen of Hearts, hedgehog, hookah pipe, hurry, jury, King, Knave, Lizard, lobsters, Lory, Mad Hatter, Majesty, March, Mary, melancholy, Mock Turtle, moral, Mouse, opportunity, pardon, party, Pigeon, players, pocket, puppy, puzzle, Queen, queer, strange, school, serpent, shriek, Soo—oop, Soup, stupid, twinkle, William, wonder land, youth, parents with children, parents to be, mothers to be, mothers with children, fables, bedtime stories, classic illustrations, fantasy art, fantastic, sumptuous, opulent, art,