Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass (Oxford World's Classics) - Softcover

Carroll, Lewis

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0199558299 ISBN 13: 9780199558292

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2009

Synopsis

The "Alice" books are two of the most translated, most quoted, and best-known books in the world. Alice's encounters with the White Rabbit, the Cheshire-Cat, the Queen of Hearts, the Mad Hatter, and many other extraordinary characters have made them beloved by children. Yet they also appeal to adults fascinated by the many layers of satire, allusion, and symbolism about Victorian culture and politics.

This new edition explores the phenomenal range of reference and the paradoxical appeal of two of the most inventive books in world literature. The volume has been deftly edited by one of the foremost children's literature experts, Peter Hunt, and it features the original, much-loved illustrations by Sir John Tenniel, newly scanned and reset for enhanced sharpness and clarity. Extensive explanatory notes give information on Carroll's political, social, intellectual, and personal allusions and sources. The book provides an extensive bibliography and a chronology of Carroll's life and times, and it also includes a deleted episode called "The Wasp in a Wig."

About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

About this title

Review

That Alice. When she's not traipsing after a rabbit into Wonderland, she's gallivanting off into the topsy-turvy world behind the drawing-room looking glass. In Through the Looking Glass, Lewis Carroll's masterful and zany sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, she makes more eccentric acquaintances, including Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the White Queen, and a somewhat grumpy Humpty Dumpty. Through a giant and elaborate chess game, Alice explores this odd country, where one must eat dry biscuits to quench thirst, and run like the wind to stay in one place. As in life, Alice must stay on her toes to learn the rules of this game. Through the Looking Glass immediately took its rightful place beside its partner on the shelf of eternal classics. And luckily for generations of enraptured children, Carroll was again able to persuade John Tenniel to create the fantastic woodblock engravings that have become so indelibly associated with the Alice stories. For almost 130 years, Alice's curious adventures have amused, perplexed, and delighted readers, young and old. This gorgeous, deluxe boxed set of both volumes contains engravings from Tenniel's original woodblocks that were discovered in a London bank in 1985, and reproduced for the first time here. "'What is the use of a book,' thought Alice, 'without pictures?'" What indeed? (All ages)

From the Publisher

Founded in 1906 by J.M. Dent, the Everyman Library has always tried to make the best books ever written available to the greatest number of people at the lowest possible price. Unique editorial features that help Everyman Paperback Classics stand out from the crowd include: a leading scholar or literary critic's introduction to the text, a biography of the author, a chronology of her or his life and times, a historical selection of criticism, and a concise plot summary. All books published since 1993 have also been completely restyled: all type has been reset, to offer a clarity and ease of reading unique among editions of the classics; a vibrant, full-color cover design now complements these great texts with beautiful contemporary works of art. But the best feature must be Everyman's uniquely low price. Each Everyman title offers these extensive materials at a price that competes with the most inexpensive editions on the market-but Everyman Paperbacks have durable binding, quality paper, and the highest editorial and scholarly standards.

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0199558299
• ISBN 13: 9780199558292
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 352
• Editor: Hunt Peter