I just finished it after 2 days. I’m curious to know your thoughts on it. I think it’s quite interesting. When authors write weirdness for weirdness sake, I lose focus quickly. But Lewis Carroll demonstrates, in my opinion, much in the way of cleverness, wordplays and philosophical perspectives. Sure, it’s incoherent madness occasionally. Even bordering on psychedelic. But, as the Cheshire Grinning Cat famously remarks: “We’re all mad here.”
The adult world is often so serious, so rigid, so defined within a set of rules. I think this book is a great read for adults, to bring back some of that feeling of wacky, unshackled childhood imagination that adults used to have. I imagine that, especially considering the time it came out, 1865, a great deal of people must have found it outrageously bizarre. Mostly adults of course.
Alice is also interesting as a character. She doesn’t try to solve the most obvious problems or challenges facing her. Like how to get out of there, how to find safety etc. She just goes with her curiosity, like prioritising to get into a nice garden that she catches a glimpse of, for no other apparent reason than because it seems nice. Very much like a dreamer would forget their normal instincts of maintaining control of their situation.
Personally I also appreciate the book for the ideas it has given me for upcoming role-playing sessions. And because I’m in a strange situation right now that is a bit like the one Alice is in. I’m stuck in a foreign country for the next week or so. I don’t know anyone here, and it all feels a bit unreal. But I’m frequenting this one library. And they have more classic books in their English section. I might go for some Mark Twain, Oscar Wilde and Charles Dickens next. Which of these authors do you recommend next?
Oh, and I saw that there’s a sequel to Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland. Through The Looking Glass. Can you recommend this book?
Thanks for your thoughts, and happy reading and dreaming!
by Moftem
6 Comments
This is my second favourite book of all time. The first is Through the Looking Glass. You must read it.
I think it’s fucking genius, shown to the masses in a format they can understand.
Dodgson was a mathematical and literary genius, as well as an accomplished logistician and cryptologist. It’s a mistake to think he wrote anything weird for weirdness’ sake.
It was a smash hit with adults and children. It immediately sold out and the rights to publish in other languages were snapped up just as fast. It has never stopped being popular and has never stopped being printed.
Is English your first language?
Both the Alice books are even better if you read The Annotated Alice, which uncovers the philosophy, mathematics, and logic in them. The edition provides the full text of both books, complete with the illustrations by John Tenniel. Neither book is at all incoherent; both are surreal, but entirely logical.
Personally, I think that “Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There”, is even better than the earlier book.
*Through The Looking Glass* is wonderful — highly recommend! Lots of memorable characters and iconic poems like Jabberwocky, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, etc.
All the other authors you mentioned are great too. I recommend Mark Twain’s *Tom Sawyer* and *Huckleberry Finn*; Oscar Wilde’s play *The Importance of Being Earnest*, and Charles Dickens’ *Oliver Twist* as good starting points. You can check out the specific subreddits for those authors to get more info and suggestions.
Drugs have been around for a long time lol. It’s a fantastic read. My user name is an adaptation because HSCaterpillar was already in use.