​Falling For Alice

In 1865, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (1832-1898) had his manuscript Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland published by MacMillan (London, England). One hundred and fifty years later, we still celebrate that adventure.

 

The nebbish English mathematician wrote of a fantastical world, riddled with nonsense and exploits that even now captures the hearts of contemporary readers. During one of his picnic boat rides with the Dean of Christ Church’s three daughters—Ina, Edith, and Alice Liddell—Dodgson made up a short tale about a young girl named Alice and her adventure. The middle daughter, Alice Liddell encouraged Dodgson to write his tale down, which he did. Originally, he had titled it Alice’s Adventures Under Ground. He produced a homemade book complete with illustrations and presented it to Alice Liddell as a Christmas present. He later expanded it into the tale we know and love.

 

Dodgson published it under the pen name Lewis Carroll, which he first used for a short romantic poem entitled Solitude that was printed in The Train in 1856. What started out as a tale told in a boat to three young girls, blossomed into the fantasy tale that has inspired spin-off novels, movies, fashion, merchandise and so much more.

 

ALICE LIVES ON IN OUR WORLD

 

Down the rabbit hole has become a common phrase in English. Many other wonderful Alice-inspired phrases, such as off with their heads and we’re all mad here, are part of our everyday lives and we might not even stop to notice their effect.

 

During his time, Carroll met with critics—as most authors have come to understand, criticism and the business of public art go hand in hand. Many dismiss his work as childish nonsense. But, you see, it’s the story’s nonsense that makes it so endearing. With clever unsolvable questions such as, Why is a raven like a writing desk? and wonderful advice given by a hooka-smoking caterpillar to the Cheshire cat, Alice’s world sticks with us long after we leave Wonderland. Carroll’s words hold a treasure trove of wisdom ingeniously cloaked within the pages of his tale. Many life lessons can be lifted from Alice and her adventures.

 

Here are some popular quotes from Alice in Wonderland. We’d love to hear your favourites.

 

“I can’t go back to yesterday; I was a different person then.”

 

“If everybody minded their own business—the world would go round a deal faster than it does.”

 

“Begin at the beginning—and then go on until you come to the end, then stop.”

 

New Alice. New Wonderland. New stories to love.

 

Our short stories in Falling for Alice are written as homage to Carroll’s creativity and exploratory spirit. Everyone benefits from a bit of make-believe and nonsense every now and then, right? We’ve been creative with Alice and her world, and added a hefty dose of our own imaginations.

 

This is not your mother’s Alice.

 

Happy 150th birthday, Alice, my dear! You look wonderful for your age.