Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8172 in Books
• Published on: 2001-10-25
• Binding: Paperback
• 368 pages

Synopsis
'A landmark, bringing together a lifetime's work on Lewis Carroll by writer and mathematician Martin Gardner. He dazzles on Carroll's puzzles and games of logic and entertains on everything from Alice's influence on the Beat poet Jack Kerouac to how mercury in hat linings turned hatters mad...it is unsurpassed' - Jackie Wullschlager, "Financial Times". 'The indispensable guide to a classic of English literature...no one who has ever wondered about the meaning of 'Jabberwocky' should fail to include on their Christmas list' - Robert McCrum, "Observer".

Customer Reviews

Maybe I lack imagination...
A student chose this for our book club, and although I had some misgivings I said yes, because after all it's a classic.I tried to forget the fact that I didn't like it the first time I read it. I enthusiastically bought myself this annotated edition and started reading it again...
And surprise, surprise I still don't like it. My four stars go to the editor , though. The notes are wonderful,even though sometimes I get a bit fed up with them and concentrate on just the text for a while.
I suppose the reason I don't like "Alice" is I'm not into nonsense. My student told me I should try and believe what is happening is true. I've tried but I can't,maybe it's because I'm getting old...

Drink me !
It's not so much a looking glass that is required here but a magnifying glass as it would help to read the tiny annotated text which accompanies the original story.
Either that or a small bottle marked "Drink Me" which when taken reduces the reader to a size in keeping with the small print.
Although the subject has been thoroughly and well researched explanations of "comfit" and "ferret" leave no doubt that this examination of an English treasure is probably aimed at the American market.

Can't be too definitive
Not knowing what you do not know it tells you everything. This book appears to be stand alone logic and fun on the surface. Some may even think it is a children's book. If so why all the courses and scholarly writings on the story?
Some things are self evident as being so short that you can touch your toes. Others may take some time as the reason hatters are mad is the process includes mercury so even if it was directed at a particular person or not hatters are mad. Still when was the last time you used a bathing machine? Knowing some of information can enhance the enjoyment of reading the story.
You get the original illustrations to boot. So when you are finished perusing this book it can be used as a coffee table conversation book.