I have really had a hard time trying to figure out what to blog about this week. Every book that I am reading and liking it seems so is everyone else in the store–which ultimately means that there are a lot of people in the store with good and similar tastes. So while I was scanning my bookshelves I found a book that I really loved earlier this year and tried in vain to get people to read. Alice I Have Been is a historical fiction book about the real Alice in Wonderland!!! And if that doesn’t interest you than I am at a loss. Everyone loves Lewis Carroll’s classic and if you don’t I bet you are real hesitant to say so in most crowds. It is a staple in every library period!
Alice Liddell is her name and she was the daughter of the Dean of Christ Church at Oxford. She had free roam of those grounds with all that knowledge that surely must cloud the air there. So many students, some even princes, and professors to meet and befriend. Mr. Charles Dodgson aka Lewis Carroll was quite fond of the Liddell girls, especially Alice. He took them on boat rides in the pond, made up stories for them and often photographed them. FYI: Lewis Carroll was quite a fine photographer and I am willing to bet that most are familiar with his photographs of Alice and just don’t know the whole story about the photos.
But of course where there is a closeness between a small girl and a full grown man the rumors will start to materialize. So that is all I feel at liberty to say about this book without spoiling this great read. After I was finished with this book I went back and reread Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and became obsessed with everything about Lewis Carroll and Alice Liddell.
Luckily shortly after I read this book I came upon a book about Lewis Carroll in the store with his books, The Mystery of Lewis Carroll. So of course I had to buy it and I went straight home and started to read it. So I truly wanted to do a research project on the whole subject after reading this book!
So I implore you to give into your flights of fancy, but also learn about a fun little snippet in literary history at the same time.
Check out some of the many beautiful editions of Alice in Wonderland.
-Ellen
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