Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is a search for the rational in an irrational world!

Can you believe that the author, Mr. Dodgson, who took the pen name Lewis Carroll, was accompanied by three little girls on a boat trip and when they asked him to tell a story, he told them the story of Alice in Wonderland!

When later asked if he made it up during the trip, his answer was that he invented it first in his mind!

If that's true, then this is an unexplainable miracle! It's not an ordinary children's story. It's a world full of absurdities, follies, and stupidities. Yes, it's a crazy world, and Alice wasn't an ordinary girl. She had enough strength and wisdom to keep her sanity in this wonderful world.

You can't escape the impact of this world on our reality. First, you'll notice that everyone speaks with confidence and certainty, as if they were the only rational sages.

Alice and everyone else are often drowned in tears. Girls often do the same thing when they are sad and let their emotions take over. Unfortunately, there is no voice telling them that there is no point in crying and advising them to control their emotions.

Everyone speaks at the same time, which is enough to drive a person crazy. The rabbit that orders everyone around and doesn't care about anyone else is very common in our reality.

The Duchess, who speaks every word with thought and looks for the meaning behind the words but treats her child badly, shows a contradiction that a person can experience.

"The path you take depends on where you want to go." Alice said, "It doesn't matter much to me." In this case, it doesn't matter which path you take.

Yes, if you don't know where you're going, then it doesn't matter which path you take. The second part, "Alice Through the Looking-Glass," the conversation between the flowers and Alice and how their chatter at the same time leads one of them to drown. Indeed, a girl's chatter can lead to her downfall and reveal her stupidity. If she were wise, she would use fewer words to add sparkle and distinction to her character.

Alice remembered her name and was afraid of losing it at some point. This situation is similar to our identity and our attempt to maintain it, no matter how much we seem to ignore it. Was all of this really a dream? Alice didn't like belonging to someone else's dream and hoped that this dream was hers alone.

This was an absolutely wonderful revisit to the enchanting Wonderland, serving as a very welcome escape from the monotonous daily grind.

Each time I reread this book, it enthralls me completely. And, rather interestingly, I still manage to notice new little aspects that I had overlooked before. Wonderland isn't just a place to visit sporadically; it's a place where I truly wish to settle and make my own.

Moreover, I'll never grow tired of "The Jabberwocky." It is truly masterful, with its unique language and captivating rhythm.

I had read this book numerous times during my childhood, but it wasn't until now, as a woman in my thirties, that I have come to appreciate it as I should.

This story is delightfully insane, and I, for one, happen to love that very insanity. It's completely random, the storyline is crazy, and there are characters in this book that will remain etched in your mind forever.

This book should be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of age. It's just one of those amazingly magical stories that you can reread again and again, always finding something new and wonderful. It makes me want to purposely fall down a rabbit hole and take tea with the Mad Hatter, experiencing the madness and magic of Wonderland for myself.

I'm rating the two stories here:

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland gets a solid 4 and Through the Looking-Glass gets a 5.

I won't get into the details and sum up these stories because, well, everybody knows about them already.

Suffice to say that these are masterpieces of the absurd, non-sensical delights, wonderful works of creativity and imagination. I enjoyed them from beginning to end and frankly, I didn't quite expect it, having read no 'children's books' at all until now.

But are these 'children's stories' indeed? Not in my book. These are fascinating tales in which plays on words, songs, poetry, and twistings of the English language occur, and that's so pleasant! Everything is not to be taken at face value, and that's so great!

Some characters are truly amazing: Alice, of course, with her combination of curiosity, self-confidence, playfulness, and her wild imagination, is a superb literary creation. The same goes for Humpty Dumpy, the creature so like an egg, or Tweedledum and Tweedledee, the two far-out doubles... and well, just about every character really.

These stories put a smile on my face, they're clever, remarkably weird, and funny. I'm delighted I got to read and appreciate them so. Read them, it is a fantastic medicine for the mind!

To go further:

See Alice in Wonderland (2010) by Tim Burton.

Read A Spaniard in the Works (1965) by John Lennon.

Listen to Lucy in The Sky With Diamonds (1967) by the Beatles / I Am The Walrus (1967) by the Beatles / White Rabbit (1967) by The Jefferson Airplane. Yup, 67 was a killer year for Alice-inspired songs.

4.5 ⭐

\\n  ”What dreadful nonsense we are talking!” - \\n
Alice concludes amidst a typically bizarre and directionless conversation with the Red and White Queens. However, she is wrong again! “Really you are very dull!” For in fact, it is the most wonderful kind of nonsense. It is that unpredictable, dream-like absurdity that one only finds in exceptional works of surrealist fiction.

It seems both ‘Alice in Wonderland’ (1865) and ‘Through the Looking Glass’ (1871), along with the life of Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) himself, have been turned inside-out in a manic search for a definitive hidden meaning, allegorical or otherwise, to neatly attach to the two works. The author's close association with George MacDonald, Carroll being a satirist himself, and the fact that Alice indulges in some questionably-sourced, mind-altering consumables and converses with a blue hookah-smoking Caterpillar who persuades her to eat magic(al) mushroom causing further hallucinations, all lead one to believe that the abundance of analysis is likely justified.

‘Alice in Wonderland’ began as a children’s story written for Carroll’s eight-year-old acquaintance and photography subject, Alice Pleasance Liddell. Carroll was well known for telling stories to the children in his parish, and it becomes clear as early as the first book, but particularly in ‘Through the Looking Glass’, that he truly lamented the inevitability of growing up and losing one’s innocence and imagination. In keeping with the irrational depth of analysis performed on this work, does Alice not cry so much as she grows that she nearly drowns in her own tears? In a way, these works are Carroll’s prosaic ode to the pure, unadulterated imagination of children.

It’s not just pure imagination though; Carroll attempts, with resounding success, to imitate a dream-like state which is not exclusive to children but to all of us. It is the one time our sub-conscious is permitted to run amuck, on night release from the prison that is the rational mind! The disorientation that Alice experiences with her surroundings, the morphing environments, shapeshifting characters, the non-linear timeline, the universal state of free-association; these are all characteristics of the unfettered dreaming mind.

I think it’s an absolutely charming tale for adults and children alike, particularly those with a fondness for surrealist humour. The copy I read was the 2019 Harper Design edition with illustrations by the MinaLima graphic design studio. The illustrations are great, but I read this on Kindle and have since seen images of the physical Hardcover which is obviously much more vibrant not being black and white, as well as having interactive elements. So if you do read this edition, go for the physical copy if possible! I’ll probably get a copy myself; with so much to love about the story, not least of all the quirky cast of characters, this one lends itself almost too perfectly to a daddy-daughter read! Hasta la proxima chamos!


\\n  And, though the shadow of a sigh
May tremble through the story,
For “happy summer days” gone by,
And vanish’d summer glory--
It shall not touch with breath of bale,
The pleasance of our fairy-tale.\\n

I'm pretty sure everyone knows what these books are about.

Both Alice's stories are completely bonkers and very much loved. They are filled with奇幻的情节 and strange characters that have captured the imaginations of readers for generations.

I've read them many, many times over the years. They are part of the reason I got hooked on reading as a child and remain among my favourites of all time. The vivid descriptions and unique storytelling style make these books a joy to read.

Disney took elements of both the stories to create the classic Alice In Wonderland film, which was originally released on this day in 1951. The film brought the magical world of Alice to life on the big screen and introduced the story to a whole new generation of viewers.

If you haven't read these books yet, I highly recommend that you do. Put on some Jefferson Airplane and get lost in the wonderful world of Alice. You won't be disappointed!

“But I don't want to go among mad people,” Alice remarked.
“Oh, you can’t help that,” said the Cat: “we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.”
“How do you know I'm mad?” said Alice.
“You must be,” said the Cat, “or you wouldn't have come here.”

150 years ago, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson welcomed a new Dean to Christ Church College, Oxford, along with his family. The family included three daughters, Lorina, Edith, and Alice. Charles had been writing prose and poetry from a very young age. It was young Alice Liddell who encouraged him to write down the stories he made up for her and her sisters. Thus, “Alice's Adventures in Wonderland” was published and has since become a staple in children's reading collections.

Charles, better known by his alias Lewis Carroll, was an extraordinary man. He graduated from Oxford with a first in Mathematics and went on to study and teach at Oxford until his death in 1898. He was not only a writer but also an early pioneer of photography and painting. He mainly wrote short stories and poems, but “Alice's Adventures in Wonderland” was a longer version of his unique writing style. It was published in 1865 to great acclaim, and he became famous almost overnight. He also wrote the sequel “Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There.” However, this story seemed much darker, perhaps due to the depression he felt after the death of his father in 1871. “Sylvie and Bruno,” a tale of fairy siblings, is a lesser-known story from Carroll in 1895 and did not do as well as “Alice” but still remains in print as a testament to his wonderful writing.

Lewis Carroll's writing is often described as surreal and nonsensical. Many of his words are made up but are used in today's language. For example, think of the poem “Jabberwocky.” He has had almost as much impact on the way we use language as Shakespeare. The word “chortle” is used commonly today as if it were a real word for laughing.

In my recent re-read of “Alice,” I read aloud the poetry in the book. There is more poetry than I remembered, all told to Alice by the various characters she meets. The made-up Carrollian words sound both strange and familiar, and one can find a genuine rhythm when reading the book aloud.

Beneath the surface, the story can be quite dark, especially “Through the Looking-Glass.” While both books retain the whimsical, surreal nature of another world, “Looking-Glass” has a more sinister overtone. More things go wrong for Alice, and many more characters are unkind to each other. It also shows another side of Alice, as she has grown out of crying her way out of situations and now wants to be a Queen. Her previous adventure with the Queen must have sparked this desire, though she had shown disdain for the Queen of Wonderland who wanted to chop everyone's head off.

I found myself enjoying the latter book more than the former, but I'm not sure why. Perhaps it's the more grown-up version of Alice I prefer, even though she is still a child. Her experiences in the first “Wonderland” adventure seem to have had a significant impact on her, as she navigates the “Looking-Glass Wonderland” very well, often outsmarting those who are native to it.

The two books, often combined into one large one known as “Alice in Wonderland,” are all I've read of Lewis Carroll's works. However, I'm intrigued by his other works, especially his poetry. The surreal, nonsense nature of the poetry in “Alice” is unique to Carroll, and I'm curious to see if it carries over to his other works. Have you read his other works?

There is some controversy surrounding Lewis Carroll, mainly in biographies about him, particularly regarding his friendliness with young girls like the Liddell children. But I won't comment on that here. Instead, we'll focus on the great piece of literature he left behind. He wrote it while disappointed and unhappy with his teaching job at Oxford (despite staying there until his death) and saddened by the loss of his mother early in life and his father after “Alice's Adventures in Wonderland” was published. It's too much to wonder if the reputation of such an absorbing, wonderful book would be tarnished if the exact truth of his nature were known. The absurdities of the accusations are likely due to the era in which they are made.

In 2015, there are many events taking place around the globe to celebrate the 150th anniversary of this wonderful book. The Royal Mail is producing celebratory collection stamps, and who can forget the wonderful Disney film? The best thing you can do is to read and re-read this book and enjoy it for what it is: a beautifully written, surreal, and nonsensical book that has captivated the imaginations of both children and adults.

[On the night I re-read “Alice's Adventures in Wonderland,” the moon decided to show me his best Cheshire Cat smile in celebration of the 150th Anniversary of the book.]

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I've just completed reading "Alice" to my six-year-old son, Ludwig. Just like with all the classics, I truly don't know what more I can say about the book that hasn't already been said. Therefore, I made the decision to let him write a review. After "The Hobbit", this is his second review on Goodreads!

So, here is what Ludwig had to say:

"I adored the story. It was truly great. My favorite characters are Alice and the Cheshire-Cat. I really liked the part where they played chess in 'Through the Looking Glass'.

The story was never dull but always filled with fun. Some of the songs were quite good, but one of them was not so great.

I think my friends should read it. It was wonderful, but I don't desire to read it again. Once is sufficient for me.

I liked 'The Hobbit' more because it has a dragon and Gandalf!"

Well, you really can't dispute that :)

I had such an amazing time reading this and delving into the magnificent and peculiar world of Wonderland.

The illustrations were truly perfect and exquisitely drawn. They added an extra layer of magic to the story, bringing the characters and scenes to life in the most vivid way.

I simply can't even start to describe the charm and humor that these pages possess. It was so captivating that I was completely glued to the book from start to finish.

If you haven't read this classic tale yet, I highly recommend that you do yourself a favor and pick it up. I guarantee that you will feel like a child again, filled with wonder and excitement, as you experience this work of genius.

It's a story that has stood the test of time and continues to enchant readers of all ages. So don't miss out on this wonderful adventure!

Alicia en el país de las maravillas is indeed one of the most significant pieces in universal literature when it comes to fantasy. Its ingenuity is such that it has managed to firmly establish itself in the collective imagination with great clarity, even for those who haven't actually read the work itself. Alicia, the hatter, the rabbit, the cat - these characters have now become part of popular culture, transcending geographical and age limits. In every sense, it is universal.

Carroll showcases a creative display worthy of recognition. The country of wonders is governed by its own absurdity, word games, metaphors, and unique inhabitants. Alicia traverses it in an awake, perceptive, and intellectually curious way, making the journey something singular. I'm not surprised by the success or popularity surrounding this work, given both its premise and the author's approach. However, it didn't quite capture me. Perhaps it's because it's a children's story, or perhaps because of the senselessness that for others is its main charm. I couldn't precisely say why, but I didn't like it as much as I might have expected, nor did I find its reading as fluid as I hoped.

Despite my personal reservation, there's no denying the impact and importance of Alicia en el país de las maravillas in the world of literature. It continues to inspire generations of readers and writers alike, and its奇幻world will likely remain a beloved part of our cultural heritage for a long time to come.

LETTURA DI GRUPPO E&L

I was very curious to read this book. So I was happy when it was voted. Unfortunately, then I was disappointed.

However, I must say that it is not because of the book but because of the edition.

I realized thanks to the group reading that my edition, that is, the one I am reviewing, did not have the notes.

At first I thought "but it doesn't matter" and instead they were fundamental.

Read like this, it was a nice fairy tale, without a beginning or an end, fun in some points, but nothing exciting.

The notes, instead, would have helped me understand the double meanings, the references to characters, legends, stories that Carroll was inspired by. And especially the nursery rhymes would have made sense. Instead, I missed all this. Only thanks to the other participants, who posted the notes, was I able to grasp what was beneath. What a pity.

I gave three stars because I don't feel like rejecting the book itself, but the edition does.

Therefore, I do not recommend this edition to you. If you want to deepen the reading, it is not for you at all. If then you want to read it as a fairy tale, go ahead. But the beauty of this book is to understand precisely Carroll's word games and without the notes this is impossible.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass are the most famous tales of the author. An infinite number of film versions have been derived from them. The Disney one, when I was a child, was often played and I had watched most of it, but it never really excited me much. So it remained in limbo for decades.

In the recent period, the story has resurfaced, so I pick it up and start reading. The first part seemed a bit distant to me, perhaps because it is the part I remember most from childhood and it bored me, but gradually the narration, the settings, the word games (explained in the notes) and the whole universe of nonsense began to surface and I was, gradually, immersed in its dreamy, fantastic charm.

One aspect that struck me is the development of the "animal characters", which, although anthropomorphized (an aspect I hate in all animated cartoons), turn out to be particular and not humans disguised as animals. It's difficult to explain, but in the end these animals were presented to me as the mirror of the child's fantasy, of the child's oddity, just like other living beings, for example the flowers. Alice, or any other girl or any other boy, lives in Nature (now, 150 years later, perhaps it is no longer so) and immersed in it, sees a particular side that no other adult will ever be able to grasp, because childhood is still far away, protected from what will come with adulthood, that is the loss of vision, of the most unrestrained, abstract and surreal fantasy, given by an education to be: loyal to the rules, to pragmatism, to concreteness.

The beautiful illustrations, then, enrich and not a little the narration, giving that artistic and imaginative touch to the story.

I'm going to play chess!

Ever drifting down the stream
Lingering in the golden gleam
Life, what is it but a dream?

As good as ever, reading this piece for the billionth time and still it remains my absolute favorite. Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, more than a century ago, penned a book that has an unwavering hold on my heart. I know I will revisit it very soon, and each time I do, I discover something new, something additional, something truly magical. It is, without a doubt, the best of the best.

I have a particular fondness for the Harper Collins special edition that features Minalima illustrations. It is an absolute must-have for any serious book collector. The illustrations add a whole new dimension to the story, bringing it to life in a way that words alone cannot. They are a work of art in themselves, and I find myself poring over them again and again, losing myself in the details and the beauty.

Ever drifting down the stream
Lingering in the golden gleam
Life, what is it but a dream?