When I spied “The Alice Behind Wonderland” as a new volume in Cary Library, I was intrigued as I remembered reading the book as a child before the movies took away some of the magic.
Author Simon Winchester is not one of my favorite authors, much as he is acclaimed by many reviews. His style of hopping hither and yon over time periods, backtracking or jumping ahead with “insights” or promises to explain later is disconcerting.
However, where did the famous Alice come from? And who was Lewis Carroll, really?
Perhaps some readers knew all about this, but it was news to me, and I had to know!
The wonderful story, “Wonderland,” written for one respectable English family’s beautiful daughter, is based somewhat on one photograph of the daughter in the Oxford University’s garden. This picture is greatly cherished and protected by the academics in England.
A large portion of the book is used to explain the development of portraiture and developing pictures with the glass plates in England at the time (1800s).
Lewis Carroll was a replacement name concocted by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, replacing a set of initials, “B.B.”, under which he had written for many years.
There is lengthy discussion of the politics during this time at the famous school, and Dodgson’s position there and his relationship with Alice’s family.
As happens so often these days, something attempted such as reading a really differently written book, we tend to learn more than than we expected. So it turns with Mr. Winchester’s work. Just can’t help ourselves, can we? It would be interesting to hear YOUR take on this…
Next week’s book is excitingly different and quite amazing. Read on!
