Books

New York: Limited Editions Club, 1932. Hardcover. This handsome Limited Editions Club edition of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, pseudonym of Charles Dodgson (1832-1898), is noteworthy for a trifecta of virtues – for being in exceptional, truly fine condition, for retaining both the original glassine wrapper and slipcase, and for being signed by Alice Hargreaves, inspiration for the titular “Alice”, and by the printer and typographer, Eric Warde. There were 1,500 copies issued of this 1932 Limited Editions Club edition, bound in extensively gilt-tooled and illustrated red Morocco, issued in a glassine dust wrapper and housed in a blue cloth slipcase with spine illustrations mirroring those of the binding. The in-text illustrations are by John Tenniel. This copy’s colophon is hand-numbered “956” and signed “Frederic Warde” below his printed name. Within a debossed panel on the recto of the blank preceding the frontispiece is the signature of “Alice…

"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.