All but one. One which I save for my holidays. My still most loved book: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson/ pen name: Lewis Carroll. A 1954’s addition, bought in early 2008 off TradeMe. I didn’t even save my sketch book, nor my pens; I really don’t understand why, now that I think about it. Maybe I was a bit off on the day of packing those boxes.
Anyway, this book accompanied me during the flight (and flights before this) and my holiday days up until now. Even I read it again and again; it never fails to make me stick. And the way all the nonsense going on in the ‘story’, I also never fail to just let go of the book whenever I wanted to stop and do something else.
You see, this is a very important feature for a good read (for me who has very short attention span). Because, if I read a book that is too engaging, I would never stop and I’d probably end up spending the whole day or many days just to finish it. But not with this book.
And one thing that I love about the story is that, as I read on, I kept thinking, THIS IS NONSENSE. It’s crazy, it’s all such a mess! It is, in fact, adventure. And it won’t stop make me wonder what it really is. What the story is really telling. What is actually going on in Carroll’s mind when he wrote this? The wonders, I say... He was anyway also a mathematician.
The story’s reference to a deck of cards (Wonderland) and to a playing of chess (Looking Glass) are merely some of the evidence that there really is more to the story line than just Alice’s dreams on lazy and boring afternoons.
Well, there’s so much analysis of the story (both stories) that we can find nowadays. I’ll take my time interpreting the story myself first while I read those other analysis and interpretations bit by bit. Starting from Google and Wiki, so much to read about...
And there's so many adaptations and other works of art that are inspired/influenced by this book. I remember being so excited when I first knew that Mr. Burton will make one too; a live-action movie out of the story, sort of, more of an extension story as said. And I remember seeing a poster; and get all excited showing it to Clyde. And today I bumped on to the trailer again so I want to share it. Maybe you’ve watched it. But s'what.
And I wanted to share this part ...
...taken off from Chapter 5: Wool and Water (Through the Looking-glass). Maybe we can learn something from it.
‘Only it is so very lonely here!’ Alice said in a melancholy voice; and at the thought of her loneliness two large tears came rolling down her cheeks.Really, read between the lines. Not because you’re trying to be a douche, but surely, there’s much to read there than just those words. Too much to learn from just a short excerpt.
‘Oh, don’t go on like that!’ cried the poor Queen, wringing her hands in despair. ‘Consider what a great girl you are. Consider what a long way you’ve come to-day. Consider what o’clock it is. Consider anything, only don’t cry!’
Alice could not help laughing at this, even in the midst of her tears. ‘Can you keep from crying by considering things?’ she asked.
‘That’s the way it is done,’ the Queen said with great decision: ‘nobody can do two things at once, you know. Let’s consider your age to begin with—how old are you?’
‘I’m seven and a half exactly.’
‘You needn’t say “exactually”, ‘ the Queen remarked: ‘I can believe it without that. Now I’ll give you something to believe. I’m just one hundred and one, five months and a day.’
‘I can’t believe that!’ said Alice.
‘Can’t you?’ the Queen said in a pitying tone. ‘Try again: draw a long breath, and shut your eyes.’
Alice laughed. ‘There’s no use trying,’ she said: ‘one can’t believe impossible things.’
‘I dare say you haven’t had much practice,’ said the Queen.
…..
Believe me.
*Cheshire-cat-grin*
Good luck!