I read this book during my high school days. As I delved into its pages, I discovered that the life and ideas presented within were truly fascinating. The author's account of his experiences and the thoughts he shared provided me with a unique perspective. It was as if I was being taken on a journey through his world, witnessing the events that shaped him and the beliefs that guided his actions. Each chapter seemed to unfold like a new adventure, filled with moments of inspiration and revelation. The book not only piqued my curiosity but also made me reflect on my own life and the choices I was making. It was a truly enriching read that left a lasting impression on me.
Very interesting! This statement implies that there is something that catches one's attention and generates a sense of curiosity or amusement. It could refer to a wide range of things, such as a story, an event, a person, or an idea. When something is described as very interesting, it often means that it has unique or engaging qualities that make it stand out from the ordinary. It can spark further exploration and discussion, as people are eager to learn more about it. Whether it's a thrilling adventure, a thought-provoking concept, or a humorous anecdote, the label of "very interesting" suggests that it has the power to captivate and entertain. It invites us to delve deeper and discover the hidden gems within, opening up new perspectives and expanding our understanding.
Innovative photographer, mathematician and logician, poet, author, lover of language, fantasy, nonsense, and children, Oxford Don, inventor, and gadabout - Charles Lutwidge Dodgson had an incredibly diverse and remarkable mind. I have a strong desire to know him better. His hobby of photographing nude children is, to say the least, rather strange. However, considering the number of parents who consented to his taking such photographs or even actively sought him out, and given the Victorians' somewhat odd views regarding children, I am reluctant to assign Freudian motives. This is in contrast to the author of this book.
Author Morton Cohen undoubtedly has a wealth of knowledge about Lewis Carroll. Nevertheless, I am not overly impressed with how he presents that knowledge in this particular book. It is not just the assumptions he makes at various points, which I truly despise, but also the way he has organized the book. Instead of following a timeline, it is structured by subject. I can understand the reasoning behind his approach. With so much information to include about each subject, a strict timeline would have been far more challenging to manage. Perhaps if I had read a shorter biography of Dodgson first, it might have been more beneficial for me, as I would then have had a framework to which I could attach all this detailed information.
Currently, I have my eye on Roger Lancelyn Green's edited volumes of Dodgson's diaries. I am also open to other suggestions that might help me gain a more comprehensive understanding of this fascinating individual.
It was extremely interesting to read while my book club was delving into Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, which is one of my all-time favorites. I must admit that I was most curious about Carroll's unnatural fixation with little girls. He was truly a genius in mathematical lectures, writing, and humor. He took great care of his siblings and was a gifted photographer, possessing a multitude of talents. However, it is also a fact that he took many nude photos of little girls. His diaries are filled with heart-wrenching prayers to God, beseeching Him to remove his sinfulness.
This author believes that Carroll never actually acted on his unseemly fantasies but instead spent a lifetime suppressing his baser thoughts. Being too much of a Victorian gentleman to put any sexual thoughts in his diaries, people can only speculate about what truly transpired in the darkroom.
I am very much drawn to Charles Dobson. Here is a great quote: "Talking is a wonderful smoother over of difficulties. When I come upon anything in Logic, or in any other hard subject that entirely puzzles me, I find it a capital plan to talk it over aloud, even when I am alone. One can explain things so clearly, to one's self! And then, you know, one is so patient with one's self: one never gets irritated at one's own stupidity."
And I can surely relate to the following passage: "His uncharacteristic desuetude continued through the latter half of 1870. He recorded no depressions, sadness, or grief, but his old vigor was absent; he seems rather, to float numbly through the days." p. 381