Books

London: Macmillan & Co, 1866. Second (first published) edition. Very Good +. The book that forever changed the face of children’s literature. A handsome copy, rebound in full crushed red morocco by Morell. Marbled end papers, all edges gilt. Inverted "S" on the last line of the contents page. Slight cracking at the inner margin of the first few leaves, but holding. Several leaves with closed tears and a few small paper repairs to the margins (filling in loss), the largest on p. 187 fills in a triangular-shaped loss of approx. 1" x 3" (no text affected). Spine gently faded, but binding in excellent condition. A handsome copy overall, despite the flaws. "On the surface, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is a paradise of puns, paradoxes, and anthropomorphism. Underneath, it is a deeply honest portrayal of childhood and adulthood. What unites Carroll's wordplay and analytical anomalies with truth is Alice. She... fumbles through strange, increasingly grown up encounters, and…

"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.