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First published edition of the book that is "especially demonstrative of the fantasy genre" (Carter) and a work that was "enormously influential, bringing about a sea change in children's fantasy and mounting a defiant opposition to the didactic tendencies of Victorian children's literature" (Stableford, p. 63). This copy includes an autograph note in which Dodgson extends technology at his Oxford college. The "electric bell" was a frequent source of frustration for Dodgson. In 1882 he accepted the curatorship of the Christ Church Common Room. It is recorded that "he resigned in a year, but it took eight more years to make the resignation finally effective... He kept the ledgers himself as well... He ordered the wines, took charge of the servants and the cat, attended to decoration and repairs, including the electric bell (on the agenda for nine years), took the responsibility for magazines and newspapers, introduced afternoon tea in 1884, and made as many improvements as he could slip or push past a rather obstructive committee" (Lennon, p. 285). It seems that, having finally installed an electric bell for the Common Room, Dodgson then required the technology to be extended to his own rooms. He writes to the Rev. Robert Godfrey Faussett (1827-1908), as steward and treasurer at Christ Church, that he is "much obliged for the estimate for the electric bell, and shall be quite willing to learn my share of the expense". He notes that he "should want a 'push' in each of my two bedrooms. Hadland thought that (as both rooms look out North) the best way to reach them would be to continue the roof-cord, and bring it down outside, and in at the windows". (Hadland may be Samuel Hadland (b. 1838), a gas fitter, mentioned by Dodgson in his diary in 1884). Wakeling notes that Faussett "gained a First in mathematics at Christ Church and became Mathematic Lecturer in 1849. He was given a Studentship in 1853. On his return he became Treasurer and Steward of Christ Church. He was Dodgson's mathematical tutor and became his close friend and life-long adviser. The two colleagues met frequently and made joint excursions to London, enjoying a common interest in the theatre and other arts" (Diaries, I, p. 62). Alice's Adventures in Wonderland was originally printed in Oxford at the Clarendon Press in June 1865, but Dodgson heard that the book's illustrator John Tenniel was dissatisfied with its quality, so he suppressed the entire edition of 2,000 copies. The book was reset by Richard Clay for this present edition which, although dated 1866, was ready by November 1865, in time for the Christmas market. The unused Oxford sheets were sold to Appleton's for use in their New York edition, published the following summer. The Macmillan edition was published in an edition of 4,000 copies. READ MORE Octavo (189 x 122 mm). Early 20th-century blue calf by Riviere, spine with raised bands, lettering pieces in brown morocco, compartments lettered and elaborately tooled with rose decoration in gilt, covers, board edges and turn-ins ruled in gilt, marbled endpapers, gilt edges. With original cloth bound in at rear. [Together with:] Autograph letter signed ("C. L. Dodgson"), to "Dear Steward" [R. G. Faussett] tipped in to front free endpaper, [Oxford:] Christ Church, 8 February 1888. Single leaf (126 x 202 mm) with address written by hand, written on both sides in purple ink. Frontispiece and 41 illustrations by John Tenniel. Spine slightly sunned, minor surface abrasions to covers; some creases to autograph letter with minor repairs to tears; a near-fine copy with a very good letter. Grolier Children's 100, 35; Printing and the Mind of Man 354; Williams, Madan, Green & Crutch 46. Carter, "Which way? Which way?": The Fantastical Inversions of Alice in Wonderland, 2007; Lennon, Lewis Carroll, 1947; Magill, Survey of Modern Fantasy Literature.

"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" follows the escapades of a curious young girl named Alice, who, while bored on a riverbank, spots a white rabbit in a waistcoat. She follows it down a rabbit hole and finds herself in a whimsical world. Throughout her journey, Alice encounters peculiar characters like the hookah-smoking Caterpillar, the grinning Cheshire Cat, and the Mad Hatter hosting a nonsensical tea party. She experiences a series of transformations, shrinking and growing, as she navigates through the bizarre landscapes and meets creatures like the March Hare and the Dormouse. The Queen of Hearts, with her penchant for ordering beheadings, adds a touch of absurdity to the already surreal environment. Alice grapples with the nonsensical rules of Wonderland, engaging in peculiar conversations that highlight the absurd logic of this fantastical realm. As she tries to find her way home, she faces challenges, solves riddles, and discovers that the reality of Wonderland often defies logic. Ultimately, Alice's adventures culminate in her realizing that the world she encountered was a dream. She wakes up on the riverbank, pondering the strange and wonderful events she experienced in Wonderland, leaving readers with a blend of imagination, whimsy, and thought-provoking absurdity. Carroll's tale remains a classic exploration of childhood, curiosity, and the unpredictable nature of dreams.