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Alice's Adventures in Wonderland #0
Alice's Adventures Under Ground
Alice in Wonderland is the most famous and one of the most enchanting children's books of all time. Less well-known is the story of how Lewis Carroll came to write it; and almost completely unknown is the original version, Alice's Adventures Under Ground , which Carroll wrote and illustrated as a gift for young Alice Liddell. The manuscript, beautifully handwritten and illustrated in a charming naive style, was sold from one collector to another, until 1948, when it was given as a gift to the British Museum. In its 130-year history, several facsimiles have been made, but until now, none has done justice to Carroll's original. For this edition, the entire manuscript was photographed in color and reproduced with precise fidelity to the original. An enchanting evocation of the world of Lewis Carroll, offering a rare insight into this most enduring of children's stories.
112 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 1864
149 people are currently reading
4766 people want to read
About the author
Lewis Carroll
6,157 books8,513 followersThe Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, better known by the pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican clergyman and photographer.
His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass as well as the poems "The Hunting of the Snark" and "Jabberwocky", all considered to be within the genre of literary nonsense.
Oxford scholar, Church of England Deacon, University Lecturer in Mathematics and Logic, academic author of learned theses, gifted pioneer of portrait photography, colourful writer of imaginative genius and yet a shy and pedantic man, Lewis Carroll stands pre-eminent in the pantheon of inventive literary geniuses.
He also has works published under his real name.
His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass as well as the poems "The Hunting of the Snark" and "Jabberwocky", all considered to be within the genre of literary nonsense.
Oxford scholar, Church of England Deacon, University Lecturer in Mathematics and Logic, academic author of learned theses, gifted pioneer of portrait photography, colourful writer of imaginative genius and yet a shy and pedantic man, Lewis Carroll stands pre-eminent in the pantheon of inventive literary geniuses.
He also has works published under his real name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 252 reviews
July 15, 2019
did you know there are versions of this book you can read IN LEWIS CARROLL'S HANDWRITING?
unrelatedly, my life has just peaked
------------
This book is a half-baked, unfinished, not-intended-for-publishing version of a now-existing book, and guess what? It’s still fantastic.
Your fave could, simply put, never.
Alice’s Adventures Under Ground is mainly impressive for what it had been - a story Charles Dodgson made up on the spot while rowing a boat, in an unparalleled feat of multitasking - and what it will become.
What it will become, obviously, is not only Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (inarguably one of the greatest children’s classics of all time, and that’s not even just me playing favorites) but DOUBLE THE LENGTH.
Dodgson never intended to publish this book!!! He just told Alice Liddell a story, Alice was like “hey that was an especially good story, can you write it out for me?” Dodgson is like ya sure give me a few months, I’ll do 37 pen drawings, and...here you go here’s a manuscript merry Christmas even though it’s November.
Smash cut to: the Liddells use that sh*t as a coffee table book because who wouldn’t, all their guests read it because who wouldn’t, and everybody tells Dodgson to publish it because who wouldn’t.
But at first he didn’t intend to! And then once he gave in, he just...doubled the length.
HOW DOES YOUR MIND WORK LIKE THAT!!!
This has less nonsense and wonder and whimsy and complicated quasi-logic in it than the book we all know, but that really just shows that Carroll’s mind was able to just COME UP WITH THAT. He just added poems and songs and the Mad Hatter and March Hare and Dormouse and their mad tea party and the Cheshire Cat and the Duchess and the baby who turns into a pig and a bunch of other things and made a masterpiece.
And really, that’s more impressive than if it could be found here, too.
Again I will say: Your. Fave. Could. Never.
Bottom line: I could live a thousand years and read a million books and never love any of them like I love Alice and her adventures in Wonderland.
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i honestly think i could live a thousand years and not find anything i love as much as Alice and Wonderland.
review to come
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i literally scream from the rooftops that Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is my favorite book and i am only just now reading this for the first time.
who am i.
(shoutout to my roommate for knowing me better than anyone and getting me the best gift ever) (read: this book)
unrelatedly, my life has just peaked
------------
This book is a half-baked, unfinished, not-intended-for-publishing version of a now-existing book, and guess what? It’s still fantastic.
Your fave could, simply put, never.
Alice’s Adventures Under Ground is mainly impressive for what it had been - a story Charles Dodgson made up on the spot while rowing a boat, in an unparalleled feat of multitasking - and what it will become.
What it will become, obviously, is not only Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (inarguably one of the greatest children’s classics of all time, and that’s not even just me playing favorites) but DOUBLE THE LENGTH.
Dodgson never intended to publish this book!!! He just told Alice Liddell a story, Alice was like “hey that was an especially good story, can you write it out for me?” Dodgson is like ya sure give me a few months, I’ll do 37 pen drawings, and...here you go here’s a manuscript merry Christmas even though it’s November.
Smash cut to: the Liddells use that sh*t as a coffee table book because who wouldn’t, all their guests read it because who wouldn’t, and everybody tells Dodgson to publish it because who wouldn’t.
But at first he didn’t intend to! And then once he gave in, he just...doubled the length.
HOW DOES YOUR MIND WORK LIKE THAT!!!
This has less nonsense and wonder and whimsy and complicated quasi-logic in it than the book we all know, but that really just shows that Carroll’s mind was able to just COME UP WITH THAT. He just added poems and songs and the Mad Hatter and March Hare and Dormouse and their mad tea party and the Cheshire Cat and the Duchess and the baby who turns into a pig and a bunch of other things and made a masterpiece.
And really, that’s more impressive than if it could be found here, too.
Again I will say: Your. Fave. Could. Never.
Bottom line: I could live a thousand years and read a million books and never love any of them like I love Alice and her adventures in Wonderland.
---------
i honestly think i could live a thousand years and not find anything i love as much as Alice and Wonderland.
review to come
---------
i literally scream from the rooftops that Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is my favorite book and i am only just now reading this for the first time.
who am i.
(shoutout to my roommate for knowing me better than anyone and getting me the best gift ever) (read: this book)
February 8, 2021
This book is charming. Manuscripts are special at the best of times, but seeing Carroll's original story in his own handwriting is just wonderful -- especially paired with his haunting own illustrations of Wonderland.
March 8, 2010
This is the real Alice as photographed by Lewis Carroll back in the 1860s:
I suspect Humbert Humbert would approve...
Unsubstantiated rumors aside, this is a wonderful replica of the original book that Carroll hand wrote and illustrated himself as a gift for the young Alice. You can see the original manuscript at the British Library which has been a highlight of all my trips to London. Hopefully they've cleaned up the drool I left on the glass case when I was last there ogling it.
This book is only about half the length of the eventually published version that is beloved by so many but it's clear already why everyone encouraged him to go ahead and get it out there for the general public. Most of what is here is in the final version with only a few minor changes and several significant additional adventures added. The Mad Hatter, the Duchess and the Cheshire Cat are notably absent from this early version but the general framework of the story is firmly in place. Carroll's illustrations are amateurish however they still possess a charm all their own.
This book is a must for the serious Alice fan and stands completely on its own even if you haven't read the "official" version. And seriously, if you haven't read the official version then get to it my friend, NOW!
If Carroll had given me a book like this when I was little, I would have let him take my picture...
I suspect Humbert Humbert would approve...
Unsubstantiated rumors aside, this is a wonderful replica of the original book that Carroll hand wrote and illustrated himself as a gift for the young Alice. You can see the original manuscript at the British Library which has been a highlight of all my trips to London. Hopefully they've cleaned up the drool I left on the glass case when I was last there ogling it.
This book is only about half the length of the eventually published version that is beloved by so many but it's clear already why everyone encouraged him to go ahead and get it out there for the general public. Most of what is here is in the final version with only a few minor changes and several significant additional adventures added. The Mad Hatter, the Duchess and the Cheshire Cat are notably absent from this early version but the general framework of the story is firmly in place. Carroll's illustrations are amateurish however they still possess a charm all their own.
This book is a must for the serious Alice fan and stands completely on its own even if you haven't read the "official" version. And seriously, if you haven't read the official version then get to it my friend, NOW!
If Carroll had given me a book like this when I was little, I would have let him take my picture...
June 14, 2017
Heard about alice so many times when I was a kid, when I decided to read for carroll I thought to myself "Is it finally time for alice?", and then I thought to myself again "OH HELL YEAH", then I found this big omnibus that has all carroll`s works in it and found out that Alice has an original manuscript that was written as a gift to a little girl "a real girl with the name alice" and it says that carroll named the little hero of his book by that name after the real alice
but to be honest....I can`t help but to feel that this version of alice misses something.
but to be honest....I can`t help but to feel that this version of alice misses something.
January 6, 2021
Do not get confused that this one is a pre-sequel or something. It's not. It's the same story.
Read
July 13, 2019Fall into a strange world underground.
Talking rabbits wearing waistcoats are only the start of Alice's adventures
Few things indeed were really impossible
She came to a low curtain, behind which was a door about eighteen inches high: she tried the little key in the keyhole, and it fitted! Alice opened the door, and looked down a small passage, not larger than a rat-hole, into the loveliest garden you ever say. How she longed to get out of that dark hall, and wander about among those beds of bright flowers and those cool fountains, but she could not even get her head through the doorway, "and even if my head would go through", thought poor Alice, "it would be very little use without my shoulders. Oh, how I wish I could shut up like a telescope! I think I could, if I only knew how to begin." For, you see, so many out-of-the-way things had happened lately, that Alice began to think very few things indeed were really impossible.
"Drink me". Why not?
She went back to the table, half hoping she might find another key on it, or at any rate a book of rules for shutting up people like telescopes: this time there was a little bottle on it--" which certainly was not there before" said Alice--and tied round the neck of the bottle was a paper label with the words beautifully printed on it in large letters.
It was all very well to say "drink me", "but I'll look first," said the wise little Alice, "and see whether the bottle's marked "poison" or not," for Alice had read several nice little stories about children that got burnt, and eaten up by wild beasts, and other unpleasant things, because they would not remember the simple rules their friends had given them, such as, that, if you get into the fire, it will burn you, and that, if you cut your finger very deeply with a knife, it generally bleeds, and she had never forgotten that, if you drink a bottle marked "poison", it is almost certain to disagree with you, sooner or later.
However, this bottle was not marked poison, so Alice tasted it, and finding it very nice, (it had, in fact, a sort of mixed flavour of cherry-tart, custard, pine-apple, roast turkey, toffy, and hot buttered toast,) she very soon finished it off.
"What a curious feeling!" said Alice, "I must be shutting up like a telescope."
It was so indeed: she was not only ten inches high, and her face brightened up as it occurred to her that she was now the right size for going through the little door into that lovely garden. First, however, she waited for a few minutes to see whether she was going to shrink any further: she felt a little nervous about this, "for it might end, you know," said Alice to herself, "in my going out altogether, like a candle, and what should I be like then, I wonder?" and she tried to fancy what the flame of a candle is like after the candle is blown out, for she could not remember having ever seen one. However, nothing more happened, so she decided on going into the garden at once, but, alas for poor Alice! when she got to the door, she found she had forgotten the little golden key, and when she went back to the table for the key, she found she could not possibly reach it: she could see it plainly enough through the glass, and she tried her best to climb up one of the legs of the table, but it was too slippery, and when she had tired herself out with trying, the poor little thing sat down and cried.
Sound bite
"Curiouser and curiouser!" cried Alice, (she was so surprised that she quite forgot how to speak good English,) "now I'm opening out like the largest telescope that ever was! Goodbye, feet!"
"Who are you?"
There was a large mushroom near her, about the same height as herself, and when she had looked under it, and on both sides of it, and behind it, it occurred to her to look and see what was on the top of it.
She stretched herself up on tiptoe, and peeped over the edge of the mushroom, and her eyes immediately met those of a large blue caterpillar, which was sitting with its arms folded, quietly smoking a long hookah, and taking not the least notice of her or of anything else.
For some time they looked at each other in silence: at last the caterpillar took the hookah out of its mouth, and languidly addressed her.
"Who are you?" said the caterpillar.
You will meet the most outlandish creatures through the eyes of Alice.
Enjoy!
Talking rabbits wearing waistcoats are only the start of Alice's adventures
Few things indeed were really impossible
She came to a low curtain, behind which was a door about eighteen inches high: she tried the little key in the keyhole, and it fitted! Alice opened the door, and looked down a small passage, not larger than a rat-hole, into the loveliest garden you ever say. How she longed to get out of that dark hall, and wander about among those beds of bright flowers and those cool fountains, but she could not even get her head through the doorway, "and even if my head would go through", thought poor Alice, "it would be very little use without my shoulders. Oh, how I wish I could shut up like a telescope! I think I could, if I only knew how to begin." For, you see, so many out-of-the-way things had happened lately, that Alice began to think very few things indeed were really impossible.
"Drink me". Why not?
She went back to the table, half hoping she might find another key on it, or at any rate a book of rules for shutting up people like telescopes: this time there was a little bottle on it--" which certainly was not there before" said Alice--and tied round the neck of the bottle was a paper label with the words beautifully printed on it in large letters.
It was all very well to say "drink me", "but I'll look first," said the wise little Alice, "and see whether the bottle's marked "poison" or not," for Alice had read several nice little stories about children that got burnt, and eaten up by wild beasts, and other unpleasant things, because they would not remember the simple rules their friends had given them, such as, that, if you get into the fire, it will burn you, and that, if you cut your finger very deeply with a knife, it generally bleeds, and she had never forgotten that, if you drink a bottle marked "poison", it is almost certain to disagree with you, sooner or later.
However, this bottle was not marked poison, so Alice tasted it, and finding it very nice, (it had, in fact, a sort of mixed flavour of cherry-tart, custard, pine-apple, roast turkey, toffy, and hot buttered toast,) she very soon finished it off.
"What a curious feeling!" said Alice, "I must be shutting up like a telescope."
It was so indeed: she was not only ten inches high, and her face brightened up as it occurred to her that she was now the right size for going through the little door into that lovely garden. First, however, she waited for a few minutes to see whether she was going to shrink any further: she felt a little nervous about this, "for it might end, you know," said Alice to herself, "in my going out altogether, like a candle, and what should I be like then, I wonder?" and she tried to fancy what the flame of a candle is like after the candle is blown out, for she could not remember having ever seen one. However, nothing more happened, so she decided on going into the garden at once, but, alas for poor Alice! when she got to the door, she found she had forgotten the little golden key, and when she went back to the table for the key, she found she could not possibly reach it: she could see it plainly enough through the glass, and she tried her best to climb up one of the legs of the table, but it was too slippery, and when she had tired herself out with trying, the poor little thing sat down and cried.
Sound bite
"Curiouser and curiouser!" cried Alice, (she was so surprised that she quite forgot how to speak good English,) "now I'm opening out like the largest telescope that ever was! Goodbye, feet!"
"Who are you?"
There was a large mushroom near her, about the same height as herself, and when she had looked under it, and on both sides of it, and behind it, it occurred to her to look and see what was on the top of it.
She stretched herself up on tiptoe, and peeped over the edge of the mushroom, and her eyes immediately met those of a large blue caterpillar, which was sitting with its arms folded, quietly smoking a long hookah, and taking not the least notice of her or of anything else.
For some time they looked at each other in silence: at last the caterpillar took the hookah out of its mouth, and languidly addressed her.
"Who are you?" said the caterpillar.
You will meet the most outlandish creatures through the eyes of Alice.
Enjoy!
December 29, 2017
Alice in wonderland is one of my favourite stories. I loved it as a child, and I still love it now. In fact, I think I appreciate it even more as an adult.
This book is an anniversary edition of the original manuscript. It is a great deal simpler than the version everybody knows. It is missing some rather significant scenes, such as The mad hatters tea party, and meeting the Cheshire cat. That actually, is probably one of my favourite scenes.
Every time I reread Alice in wonderland, I find it more absurd and nonsensical each time. I'm not sure whether that's anything to do with my age, but, I do know that this captivating story will have my heart forever.
This book is an anniversary edition of the original manuscript. It is a great deal simpler than the version everybody knows. It is missing some rather significant scenes, such as The mad hatters tea party, and meeting the Cheshire cat. That actually, is probably one of my favourite scenes.
Every time I reread Alice in wonderland, I find it more absurd and nonsensical each time. I'm not sure whether that's anything to do with my age, but, I do know that this captivating story will have my heart forever.
August 20, 2018
Super strange, defiantly not something that i personally see as anything necessary at all, but i do see why some people might love this story, and i do see the potential for it as a beautiful illustrated picture book. I am sure that adds another layer to it that makes the story that much more enjoyable.
March 17, 2009
Exact reproduction of the book given to Alice by Lewis Carroll. What we have here is an early version of 'Alice in the Wonderland' with illustrations by the author. A very beautiful book by a unique genius. There is always the question of what Carroll's desires lie with respect to young Alice - but the truth is Carroll is a brilliant mind that wrote literature that is superb in every corner of the mind - the light and the dark. This book would make a great gift. To that special someone.
October 6, 2023
Hmm. This wasn't as good as I wanted it to be. Alice's Adventures Under Ground is the ur-text (the original version) of Alice Adventures in Wonderland. And whilst I appreciate the manuscript/facsimile style of this book, I am more than happy that Carroll revised this first draft. Most of the good rhymes and funny puns are not in this ur-text, they were added later on.
Don't get me wrong, if you take this text as the first draft that it is, then it's wonderful work. You can tell how much love and thought Carroll put into this tale. The premise is quite clever and original for its time, and it's also just nice and comforting that he came up with this tale in the first place to bemuse the real-life Alice. Also, his handwriting is so beautiful and clean, what's up with that?
Carroll had known the Liddell children since around March 1856, when he befriended their father. In June 1856, he took the children out on the river. He began writing the manuscript of the story the next day, although that earliest version is lost. The girls and Carroll took another boat trip a month later, when he elaborated the plot to the story of Alice, and in November he began working on the manuscript in earnest.
To add the finishing touches he researched natural history in connection with the animals presented in the book and then had the book examined by other children—particularly those of George MacDonald. Though Carroll did add his own illustrations to the original copy, on publication he was advised to find a professional illustrator so the pictures were more appealing to its audiences.
Carroll began planning a print edition of the Alice story in 1863. On 26 November 1864, Carroll gave Alice the manuscript of Alice's Adventures Under Ground, with illustrations by Carroll, dedicating it as "A Christmas Gift to a Dear Child in Memory of a Summer's Day". The published version of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is about twice the length of Alice's Adventures Under Ground and includes episodes, such as the Mad Tea-Party, that did not appear in the manuscript.
The only known manuscript copy of Under Ground is held in the British Library. Macmillan published a facsimile of the manuscript in 1886. Nowadays, various facsimile editions are in print through different publishers.
Don't get me wrong, if you take this text as the first draft that it is, then it's wonderful work. You can tell how much love and thought Carroll put into this tale. The premise is quite clever and original for its time, and it's also just nice and comforting that he came up with this tale in the first place to bemuse the real-life Alice. Also, his handwriting is so beautiful and clean, what's up with that?
Carroll had known the Liddell children since around March 1856, when he befriended their father. In June 1856, he took the children out on the river. He began writing the manuscript of the story the next day, although that earliest version is lost. The girls and Carroll took another boat trip a month later, when he elaborated the plot to the story of Alice, and in November he began working on the manuscript in earnest.
To add the finishing touches he researched natural history in connection with the animals presented in the book and then had the book examined by other children—particularly those of George MacDonald. Though Carroll did add his own illustrations to the original copy, on publication he was advised to find a professional illustrator so the pictures were more appealing to its audiences.
Carroll began planning a print edition of the Alice story in 1863. On 26 November 1864, Carroll gave Alice the manuscript of Alice's Adventures Under Ground, with illustrations by Carroll, dedicating it as "A Christmas Gift to a Dear Child in Memory of a Summer's Day". The published version of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is about twice the length of Alice's Adventures Under Ground and includes episodes, such as the Mad Tea-Party, that did not appear in the manuscript.
The only known manuscript copy of Under Ground is held in the British Library. Macmillan published a facsimile of the manuscript in 1886. Nowadays, various facsimile editions are in print through different publishers.
June 18, 2022
Why is this literally just so much fun! I honestly had so much fun reading this.
Since I just finished reading Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, I'm basically just reading a condensed version of it here, since this is the original manuscript of it. (And in Lewis Carroll's handwriting, which was so cool!) So to keep things entertaining for myself I decided to read it out loud. And I had SUCH a fun time! I can't even explain how much fun it was to read this book out loud, with all the different characters and their voices, just SO FUN!! It honestly made me want to either have kids so I can read this to them, temporarily steal some kids to read this to them, or go work as that person in a library who reads books to kids so I can read this to them. Probably the last one.
But either way, I was just over here living my best life and having a blast while doing it. It made me want to reread the full version of Alice so I could do it out loud with voices. I love these books.
Since I just finished reading Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, I'm basically just reading a condensed version of it here, since this is the original manuscript of it. (And in Lewis Carroll's handwriting, which was so cool!) So to keep things entertaining for myself I decided to read it out loud. And I had SUCH a fun time! I can't even explain how much fun it was to read this book out loud, with all the different characters and their voices, just SO FUN!! It honestly made me want to either have kids so I can read this to them, temporarily steal some kids to read this to them, or go work as that person in a library who reads books to kids so I can read this to them. Probably the last one.
But either way, I was just over here living my best life and having a blast while doing it. It made me want to reread the full version of Alice so I could do it out loud with voices. I love these books.
August 9, 2013
This particular book is one of my favorite possessions. Alice in Wonderland was my favorite story growing up. This book has photos of the "real" Alice, the little girl for whom Carroll wrote his stories. It is also a reproduction of his original stories, in his handwriting, exactly the same as what he gave to Alice as a final gift. My mother purchased it for me before she passed away which makes it even more special. A beautiful copy of a beloved story.
October 31, 2018
The original, shorter version of Alice in Wonderland that Lewis Carroll wrote for his friends, before expanding it for publication.
July 12, 2024
i’m ngl the illustrations in the second half were kinda terrifying but i loved it😇
4/5 ⭐️
4/5 ⭐️
July 11, 2024
Alice’s Adventures Underground is like a fellow reader stated, all nonsense. Of course it was nonsense. All of his stories are crazy. He was a little crazy himself. Everyone blames it on him being a mad hatter. Who knows? All I know is that it’s a fun book to read.
September 2, 2023
this book is a facsimile of the second version of Alice in Wonderland that Carroll wrote. it's handwritten and illustrated by Carroll, and though his shading is beautiful, his artistic renditions of people leave something to be desired.
this second version is missing much of the mayhem that is found in the later, final edition of the story. there is no Cheshire cat, caucus race, Mad Hatter, or Duchess, and the trial scene is greatly abbreviated. the Pig and Pepper scene is missing entirely, and ostriches are used as croquet mallets instead of flamingos.
but it's still very good.
this second version is missing much of the mayhem that is found in the later, final edition of the story. there is no Cheshire cat, caucus race, Mad Hatter, or Duchess, and the trial scene is greatly abbreviated. the Pig and Pepper scene is missing entirely, and ostriches are used as croquet mallets instead of flamingos.
but it's still very good.
Read
July 20, 2020[ENG] The first draft that would become Wonderland, I expected something more different. It's just an extremely summarized version of the book we know, same dialogue and descriptions included, with only minor details that are different. A nice curiosity to include in a book with all of Carroll's work, but not a book I would get by its own. At least the illustrations are all new, and there are some letters by the author included at the end as well.
[ESP] El primer borrador de lo que se volvería En El País De Las Maravillas, esperaba algo más distinto. Es tan solo una versión extremadamente resumida del libro que conocemos, incluyendo mismo diálogo y descripciones, con solo un par de detalles que son distintos. Una bonita curiosidad para incluir en una copilación de los trabajos de Carroll, pero no algo para que sea libro propio. Al menos las ilustraciones son nuevas, y al final también se incluyen algunas cartas del autor.
[ESP] El primer borrador de lo que se volvería En El País De Las Maravillas, esperaba algo más distinto. Es tan solo una versión extremadamente resumida del libro que conocemos, incluyendo mismo diálogo y descripciones, con solo un par de detalles que son distintos. Una bonita curiosidad para incluir en una copilación de los trabajos de Carroll, pero no algo para que sea libro propio. Al menos las ilustraciones son nuevas, y al final también se incluyen algunas cartas del autor.
March 11, 2022
I never really got to properly experience Alice in Wonderland, in any of its iterations, during my childhood, so when I finally read the book during a skiing trip in Austria in 2013, I was less than impressed with it. I suspect it was largely down to two things: 1) It had no nostalgia in the Pleasant Memories bank for me (I only remember seeing the Disney cartoon once or twice, and being frightened of the Queen); and 2) I just am not really into children's stories. Even the tecnically children's book I do enjoy, I tend to like because their authors put effort into making the stories perfectly accessible for adult readers too. Case in point, Kenneth Grahame's inimitable Wind in the Willows, one of my favourite stories. One of the many things I love about that is the fact that, if the characters were not woodland animals, the story can actually be seen as an allegory about addiction (Toad and his costly thrill-seeking), political coups (the weasels' taking of Toad Hall), British patriotism and the camaraderie between friends.
With Alice, I just didn't get that. To me, it was just random shit, with a not-too-likeable girl wondering aimlessly from one weird scenario to the other. When I later read Through the Looking-Glass I enjoyed it better - perhaps my expectations were more reasonable. And now this, nearly ten years later, I found perfectly enjoyable and quite clever and amusing. All it is, really, is a less-developed version of the original book. Therefore I feel kind of silly rating this three and the final edit two. But I think I will push the original up to the three now also. Perhaps I had been too harsh.
With Alice, I just didn't get that. To me, it was just random shit, with a not-too-likeable girl wondering aimlessly from one weird scenario to the other. When I later read Through the Looking-Glass I enjoyed it better - perhaps my expectations were more reasonable. And now this, nearly ten years later, I found perfectly enjoyable and quite clever and amusing. All it is, really, is a less-developed version of the original book. Therefore I feel kind of silly rating this three and the final edit two. But I think I will push the original up to the three now also. Perhaps I had been too harsh.
May 20, 2023
Leer la historia original, es decir, la historia basada en el manuscrito original de Lewis Carroll, antes de que se hicieran diferentes modificaciones (adición de capítulos y eliminación de otros, eliminación de alusiones personales, etc.) para adaptarlo y conformar el que sería el volumen de Alicia en el País de las Maravillas, ha sido toda una experiencia.
Lo leí en nada, y ha sido como leer un cuento encantador. Me ha gustado lo curiosa que es Alicia, y también las vueltas que le da a todo, como de una pequeña idea, empieza a desarrollar pensamientos interminables en su mente. Contiene momentos divertidos, por ejemplo, me ha hecho reír cuando Alicia le hablaba a los animales de cómo su gata se comía a los pájaros y estos huían despavoridos. Me ha gustado mucho conocer al conejo blanco, a Dodó, a la reina que adora cortar cabezas y a la oruga, entre otros, aunque me ha faltado conocer al sombrero, que supongo que es un añadido de Alicia en el País de las Maravillas. La verdad es que la adaptación de Disney tiene partes muy fieles, pero este cuenta con otras escenas (como cuando come parte de la seta), me ha gustado atisbar las diferencias. Espero leer pronto Alicia en el País de las Maravillas, para poder apreciar las diferencias entre él y el manuscrito original.
Próximamente reseña en http://adictaloslibros.blogspot.com.es
Lo leí en nada, y ha sido como leer un cuento encantador. Me ha gustado lo curiosa que es Alicia, y también las vueltas que le da a todo, como de una pequeña idea, empieza a desarrollar pensamientos interminables en su mente. Contiene momentos divertidos, por ejemplo, me ha hecho reír cuando Alicia le hablaba a los animales de cómo su gata se comía a los pájaros y estos huían despavoridos. Me ha gustado mucho conocer al conejo blanco, a Dodó, a la reina que adora cortar cabezas y a la oruga, entre otros, aunque me ha faltado conocer al sombrero, que supongo que es un añadido de Alicia en el País de las Maravillas. La verdad es que la adaptación de Disney tiene partes muy fieles, pero este cuenta con otras escenas (como cuando come parte de la seta), me ha gustado atisbar las diferencias. Espero leer pronto Alicia en el País de las Maravillas, para poder apreciar las diferencias entre él y el manuscrito original.
Próximamente reseña en http://adictaloslibros.blogspot.com.es
Want to read
March 21, 2021i've been obsessed with Lewis Carroll and J.M. Barrie since i've been 12 years old, and you know what? those hyperfixations/obsessions you develop young will seriously guide you in the future.
flash forward to me doing my intense honours research project (basically just regurgitating and finally(!) being able to write down weirdly detailed info about Carroll (that has genuinely been bouncing in my brain like a Dell computer logo monitor) since age 12 in an essay and actually get graded (!!!) on it) about the making of Alice two years ago as a sophomore in uni.
i am one year away from getting my English degree in British literature :')
basically, your childhood fixations will literally predict your future endeavours so go have crazy fun when you're young.
flash forward to me doing my intense honours research project (basically just regurgitating and finally(!) being able to write down weirdly detailed info about Carroll (that has genuinely been bouncing in my brain like a Dell computer logo monitor) since age 12 in an essay and actually get graded (!!!) on it) about the making of Alice two years ago as a sophomore in uni.
i am one year away from getting my English degree in British literature :')
basically, your childhood fixations will literally predict your future endeavours so go have crazy fun when you're young.
June 6, 2022
5 stars- English paperback
The condition of the book is amazing. It contains the original manuscript of the Alice in Wonderland and some background story on how the story was developed.
Danced around when I found it on a rainy day in a secondhand bookstore in a little village in England. It's a great book for Lewis Carroll's fan. Or any fan of classics or of childrens books where you need a big imagination.
The condition of the book is amazing. It contains the original manuscript of the Alice in Wonderland and some background story on how the story was developed.
Danced around when I found it on a rainy day in a secondhand bookstore in a little village in England. It's a great book for Lewis Carroll's fan. Or any fan of classics or of childrens books where you need a big imagination.
September 28, 2025
The original "It was all a dream"
May 2, 2019
I never read the other adventures of Alice. Nice children's book and a good read. Recommended
January 1, 2016
I wanted to read one of my many copies of Alice in Wonderland in recognition of the 150th Anniversary of the novel, and on the final day of 2015, I remembered that goal and sat down with the facsimile of the original manuscript for the book that became Alice. It's a lot of fun to see where the version which we are all so familiar with came from, and it's hard not to get a little thrill when you see the familiar words set down in the author's own hand. As a first draft, it of course does lack some of the fine tuning in the final version of the book, but it's wonderful to see the formative stages of something so memorable.
April 12, 2018
I must confess that I have never read anything from Alice in Wonderland, the only knowledge I had of this fairy tale is what is shown by Disney (and even then it took quite a while before I even watched the movie).
Nevertheless, it was very interesting to read such an early manuscript of 'Alice in Wonderland'. Especially the personal touch by Lewis Carroll, shown through his drawings, handwriting and foreword. It made it more clear what kind of person the author was and his motivations and thoughts behind this story.
I find it quite amazing how his imagination worked and how he concocted these peculiar events. It was overall a very nice, enjoyable read!
Nevertheless, it was very interesting to read such an early manuscript of 'Alice in Wonderland'. Especially the personal touch by Lewis Carroll, shown through his drawings, handwriting and foreword. It made it more clear what kind of person the author was and his motivations and thoughts behind this story.
I find it quite amazing how his imagination worked and how he concocted these peculiar events. It was overall a very nice, enjoyable read!
January 31, 2016
If you are a fan of amazing books, fantastic illustrations, and just happiness in general then please pick up a copy of Alice's Adventures Underground. Even if it's just to use as decoration, I can promise you it will be a fantastic investment.
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READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE: https://frumiousreadsbooks.wordpress....
Subscribe to me on YouTube! youtube.com/c/Frumious
January 18, 2022
i found this charming piece stuck in the corner of my school library, only to discover this is the second manuscript by Lewis Carroll - one of his very first versions of Alice in Wonderland. i love the hand-writing as well as those lovely sketches inside, which vividly crafting how Carroll imagined his intrigued characters. what a unique reading experience!
April 12, 2021
Pleasant Read
A light hearted fanciful tale i really enjoyed.
Easy to read and fun. The tale flows nicely along at a good pace.
A light hearted fanciful tale i really enjoyed.
Easy to read and fun. The tale flows nicely along at a good pace.
March 8, 2019
First of all for all the reviews I glimpsed at I cannot understand why so many are wanting to prove that they know the full name of the little girl behind it and why they felt it important to include her in each and every review. As a result you can look at those reviews if you want to know who she was.
To begin with I find the introduction very interesting, especially as we purchased the manuscript so just so we could present it back to the English. Sticking with the strange and even stranger aspects it fits the profile of the story itself in its own weird aspect.
As for the book it is nice to be able to see the beautiful penmanship since so many samples have been lost over the years of other famous people. It reminds us just how much the written word was so important that it was actually much more legible than many samples we have nowadays. Also to see the sketchings he made also helped to add to the book by giving Carroll back his own artistic licensing, especially when the Disney versions are now so much more prevalent.
The writing itself was interesting while the author seemed to prefer the words queer, little and stupid more than anything else. The first isn't a surprise but the whole stupid added yet another dimension to the "Wonderland" tale than what many readers are provided for when they read the story while in all versions I feel quite sorry if there was an actual Florence.
This pre-Wonderland isn't as dreamy, outlandish or silly but has a lot more sense. There are parts where he attempts to make the step out into that realm but really quickly does Carrolll seem to move back into more safer grounds. As a result commonsense dictates instead of the caucus race and so many now favorite characters are missing but the reader at the same time gets a sense of just how much the idea had to develop before it became a classic that would be produced by Disney. At the same time I kind of wish there has been a work done that would explain how between this manuscript and the classic the story developed even more into becoming the piece that we marvel at today.
All in all it was a fun step out of Wonderland and an interesting look at the skeleton of a classic before it reached its winning mark. And for Wonderland fans this may be a bit disappointing read in its full presentation but it does save Alice from looking so frivolous while adding to her story.
To begin with I find the introduction very interesting, especially as we purchased the manuscript so just so we could present it back to the English. Sticking with the strange and even stranger aspects it fits the profile of the story itself in its own weird aspect.
As for the book it is nice to be able to see the beautiful penmanship since so many samples have been lost over the years of other famous people. It reminds us just how much the written word was so important that it was actually much more legible than many samples we have nowadays. Also to see the sketchings he made also helped to add to the book by giving Carroll back his own artistic licensing, especially when the Disney versions are now so much more prevalent.
The writing itself was interesting while the author seemed to prefer the words queer, little and stupid more than anything else. The first isn't a surprise but the whole stupid added yet another dimension to the "Wonderland" tale than what many readers are provided for when they read the story while in all versions I feel quite sorry if there was an actual Florence.
This pre-Wonderland isn't as dreamy, outlandish or silly but has a lot more sense. There are parts where he attempts to make the step out into that realm but really quickly does Carrolll seem to move back into more safer grounds. As a result commonsense dictates instead of the caucus race and so many now favorite characters are missing but the reader at the same time gets a sense of just how much the idea had to develop before it became a classic that would be produced by Disney. At the same time I kind of wish there has been a work done that would explain how between this manuscript and the classic the story developed even more into becoming the piece that we marvel at today.
All in all it was a fun step out of Wonderland and an interesting look at the skeleton of a classic before it reached its winning mark. And for Wonderland fans this may be a bit disappointing read in its full presentation but it does save Alice from looking so frivolous while adding to her story.
May 30, 2020
It’s good. I liked Alice in Wonderland and this is basically the same.. so, yeah, its good, it’s okay.
I read in another review that Lewis Carroll wrote this story for a befriended family, who then encouraged him to publish it. Which he did, but not before adding more to the story, including the chapters with the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter and the March Hare.
Since these are my favorite characters, I really missed them in this version and that’s why I can only give 3 stars. But I mean that as a compliment because I’m so glad that Lewis Carroll added them to the story before publishing Alice In Wonderland.
Ah, maybe an important detail: I listened to the audiobook. I haven’t seen an actual copy of this book, which is supposed to be quite impressive, because it is just like the original manuscript, handwritten by Lewis Carrol. So yeah I guess this book probably deserves more stars, just for being really cool.
I read in another review that Lewis Carroll wrote this story for a befriended family, who then encouraged him to publish it. Which he did, but not before adding more to the story, including the chapters with the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter and the March Hare.
Since these are my favorite characters, I really missed them in this version and that’s why I can only give 3 stars. But I mean that as a compliment because I’m so glad that Lewis Carroll added them to the story before publishing Alice In Wonderland.
Ah, maybe an important detail: I listened to the audiobook. I haven’t seen an actual copy of this book, which is supposed to be quite impressive, because it is just like the original manuscript, handwritten by Lewis Carrol. So yeah I guess this book probably deserves more stars, just for being really cool.
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