In October 2021, I was able to see original illustrations from the Dali edition of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland at our local art museum.   (In 1969, Dali illustrated this beloved children’s book with colorful, playful surrealistic images.)

I grabbed a copy of this edition at the exhibit and set about reading it.  (It dawned on me that I had never read the entire tale of Alice, the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, et al.)  I enjoyed my afternoon reading with a cup of tea at hand.It’s been a while since CTB has hosted a children’s book or YA book.   (In 2012, we read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, in 2013 it was The Hunger Games, and in 2017 we selected Farmer Boy.)  It was time for another one.  You can read the announcement post here.

About the book:

I’m assuming everyone knows the tale but if you need a refresher, here it is.  After following a strange white rabbit and falling down a hole, Alice finds herself in a magical world, a true Wonderland. Although meant as a children’s tale, Lewis Carroll’s 1865 novel is a magical mystery tour for adults and youngsters alike.

You’re never too old.

About the author:

Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English author, poet and mathematician. His most notable works are Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel. He was noted for his facility with word play, logic, and fantasy (from Wikipedia).

What I thought:

As I mentioned before, I’m not sure I had ever read the book in its entirety.   It was a fun read especially with my edition and it’s surrealistic illustrations.  Dali’s work added to the mind bending world of Wonderland.

I loved Alice’s wonderment as she wandered through Wonderland.   When she grows as big as a house (or even bigger) her only thoughts are “There ought to be a book written about me, that there ought” (34).    Of course an adult would be screaming, “What is happening!!!!”   Alice just goes along for the ride.  In her world, there are no worries.

The Food:

I was truly surprised by the amount of food in this tale.

• orange marmalade (8)
• DRINK ME with its “cherry-tart, custard, pine-apple, roast turkey, taffy and hot buttered toast” (11)
• EAT ME “beautifully marked in currants” (12)
• comfits (26)
• “pebbles were all turning into little cakes” (36)
• large mushroom (38)
• goose (42)
• eggs (45)
• soup with pepper (50)
• “Have some wine” (55)
• tea (55)
• “It was the best butter” (56)
• treacle (60)
• tea and bread and butter (60)
• tulip roots instead of onions (62)
• a large mustard-mine (72)
• mock turtle soup (75)
• lobster (79)
• whiting (82)
• pie-crust and gravy and meat (85)
• tarts (87)

How much truth is in Alice’s analysis of temperament and food?

‘Maybe it’s always pepper that makes people hot-tempered,’ she went on, very pleased at having found out a new kind of rule, ‘and vinegar that makes them sour—and camomile that makes them bitter—and—and barley-sugar and such things that make children sweet-tempered.  I only wish people knew that:  then they wouldn’t be so stingy about it, you know—‘ (71)