All Things Alice: The Wit, Wisdom, and Wonderland of Lewis Carroll

by Linda Sunshine

Welcome to Wonderland and the topsy-turvy world of Lewis Carroll, where nothing means quite what it seems and nobody might pass you on the street! Journey down the rabbit hole and through the looking-glass and enter into the mythical, magical imagination of Lewis Carroll and his beloved heroine, Alice.

Editor Linda Sunshine, in her follow-up to the bestselling All Things Oz, has gathered together an incredible collection of artwork, quotations, letters, recipes, puzzles and games inspired by the works of Lewis Carroll. She has traveled the world for the most extraordinary examples of art from hundreds of editions of Carroll’s works, including versions from the United States, England, Italy, France, Japan and Russia. Complementing Sir John Tenniel’s classic drawings are works by such renowned illustrators as Arthur Rackham, Gwynedd Hudson, Charles Folkard, Blanche McManus, Gertrude Kay, Mabel Lucie Attwell and Milo Winter.

Also among the treasures in this collection is a short story Carroll penned for a young friend, “Isa’s Adventures in Oxford,” which has gone unpublished since 1900. Excerpts from Carroll’s letters, most of which have been seen only in scholarly texts, reveal his passion for wordplay and his unique wit. Even rare excerpts from the magazines Carroll created as a child for members of his family are featured here, alongside images of his most famous characters.

Open this book and begin a curiouser and curiouser journey with Alice and her friends: the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts, Humpty Dumpty, and, of course, the White Rabbit.

Genres: Nonfiction, Art, Classics, Reference

352 pages, Hardcover

First published October 19, 2004

Reviews

[Virgil · Rating 3 out of 5]

WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE WAS A MAD HATTER THEMED MAGIC SHOP IN THE CITY I LIVED FOR 6 YEARS AND I FIND OUT A FEW MONTHS AFTER MOVING AWAY THROUGH THIS BOOK?????

[Toby · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a collector, sort of, of Alice-related books & items so when I saw this book as a reference for an Alice image on notecards I liked, I went right to Amazon.com to get my copy. It's a compendium of quotes, bits & pieces of letters from & about Charles Dodson/Lewis Carroll and many many illustrations, paintings, photos from various Alice books, movies & plays. That's the good part; the incomprehensible part is how the pictures are credited. The logical way would have been to credit the illustrations page-by-page for easy reference; instead they are listed by illustrator, as if a reader was more interested in an individual artist's work, which is scattered throughout the book, than identifying the date/artist/style of illustrations that varied from page to page. I found it frustrating enough to discourage me from purchasing Linda Sunshine's previous collection, All Things Oz.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

"All Things Alice" is a picture book full of (yup) Alice, Lewis Carroll, and Mr. Charles Dodgson. Alice quotes, peoples thoughts on the books (like John Lennon has several quotes on how Alice his influenced his work), and letters from Mr. Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) to various children.

It's really a go to for any fan. Filled with brilliant pictures and illustrations of the books.

[Ella · Rating 5 out of 5]

The moment I picked up this book, I knew it would be something special—and it did not disappoint! All Things Alice: The Wit, Wisdom, and Wonderland of Lewis Carroll is a beautifully curated collection of quotes, trivia, artwork, and musings inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. It’s like stepping into a treasure trove of Wonderland magic, filled with Carroll’s clever wordplay and timeless charm.

The book weaves together excerpts from Alice, reflections on its cultural impact, and whimsical illustrations, making it a perfect keepsake for any Carroll fan. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, humor, or just a little nonsense, there’s something in here for everyone. It’s not a deep dive into analysis, but rather a celebration of all things Alice—a book to flip through whenever you need a touch of Wonderland.

After reading this book, you might just see Wonderland—and Carroll’s wit—in a whole new way!

[Michelle Morrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful book I found and read at the repair shop while my car was getting fixed. This book is all things Alice. Taking art and popular culture from the past century+, it's quotes and images and old advertisements and on and on, all touching on people's interpretations of Alice in Wonderland. I thoroughly loved all the old illustrations and paintings, but also appreciated the addition of some REALLY messed up versions, like that one Finnish claymation that wrecked my brain at an early age.

Extra points for the odd shape (perfectly square) and the thick physicality of it.

[Summer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book was great! If you are a big fan of Alice in Wonderland than you will definitely like this! It has bit and pieces from the stories and author. It is funny, whimsical, and quirky. Would love to own this book!

[Susan Liston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely and charming book which I've owned for a long time but never actually read. Glad I finally did.

[Bella ( Zephyrakyryze ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it :)

[Maple · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nomadic SA Chick Book Review

Linda Sunshine examines the work of Lewis Carroll's Alice stories in this in depth collection of original artwork, quotes, letters, and notes. Also included are various pieces that were created by others, but were inspired by Carroll's work.

Lewis Carroll's Alice Adventures in Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass were two of my all-time favorite stories as a child. Growing up and even today as an adult, I am always eager to read and see anything that is about Carroll's work, or inspired by him. All Things Alice by Linda Sunshine is a perfect collection of these things. This is a great companion book to Carroll's that addressed a lot of the "behind the scenes" workings. Filled with Carroll's logic and facts of the stories. This contains the beautiful art featured in the original stories, and has become a symbol for the amazing tale he created. A very beautiful collection.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

For anyone who is as much of an Alice-ophile as I am, this was a delightful little collection of quotes, resources, recipes, letters, and art. It highlighted Lewis Carroll’s unique personality and how he came about writing the children’s classics that made him famous. Beautifully illustrated, it included facsimiles of his personal letters, reproductions of Alice inspired art, and even a few pop-culture references (Morpheus from The Matrix). I only wish that, instead of numerous quotes directly from the text of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, there were more examples about how Carroll’s works influenced society. After all, Sunshine claims it is the third most quoted literary work behind The Bible and Shakespeare. Regardless, this was a fun book to peruse and a nice addition to my Alice collection.

[James Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

352 pages. This is an incredible (somewhat odd-shaped) book that is absolutely loaded with Alice-related artwork, quotations, poems, factual information, letters, riddles and even more. It's divided into sections which include: Living Backwards, About Alice, Large as Life and Twice As Natural: Carroll Creatures, Royalty in Wonderland, Birthday Specials, How Long Ago Anything Happened, Imperial Fiddlesticks: Letters of Lewis Caroll, Poetry of Cabbages & Kings, Stories of Shoes, Ships and SealingWax; Curiouser and Curiouser Amusements; Recipes To Feed Your Head; As It Isn't, It't Ain't: Carroll Commentaries and Drawings of a Muchness Appendix.

I was really amazed at the variety of things in this book and how interesting it was. I consider this one an absolute must for the Lewis Carroll/Alice in Wonderland collector.

[Natalie (lone-bookworm) Frowen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice easy read. Never been on the band wagon of Alice lovers but I probably have a sense of admiration towards Lewis Carroll (who wouldn't). I loved the poetry in there and the fact that you get the original storylines from all the mini stories that feature in Alice in Wonderland. I loved it and would recommend it to anyone who likes quick simple reads that take no time at all to finish.

[Su · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect coffee table book for indoctrinating the uneducated in the world of Alice.
The variety of pictures and the quirky take in the books are really fun and lively to dip into when you're having a bad day.

[Heydi Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this amazing window into all things Alice. I know a lot about Lewis Carroll and his works but I learned so many fun facts from this book. This books also contains fun activities and quizzes for the Wonderland fanatic.

A great read for any Wonderland fan.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a treat for anyone who is a big fan of Alice.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely little book of quotes from Lewis Carroll and others discussing him, filled with images of Alice from various mediums. A nice book to sit and flip through casually.

[Riley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Self proclaimed AIW addict! This book was AMAZING!

[Shélah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a big Alice fan, and this is great fun. However, I expected more from it in terms of commentary.

[Alison Burgess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy Alice in Wonderland. The illustrations and quotations throughout this piece is marvellous

[Cheryl]

pbs wishlist, also affordable at thriftbooks when I checked (but now I'm on wishlist)

[Antoinette Palmieri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this more then the all things oz book. But I enjoyed both for the art work inside.

[Jamie Holst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for any 'Alice' lover :)