Today is World Poetry Day. As the ‘Alice’ stories are full of poems, we have many to choose from.
Did you know the ‘Mouse’s tail‘ poem was different in the original version of the story? In Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, the Mouse promises Alice to explain why he dislikes cats and dogs, but doesn’t actually do that. In the original poem we do learn why!
Read full post >Lewis Carroll was born on 27 January 1832. Today would have been his 187th birthday!
‘One hundred and eighty-seven’ Humpty Dumpty repeated thoughtfully. An uncomfortable sort of age. Now if you’d asked my advice, I’d have said “Leave off at seven” — but it’s too late now.’
Lewis Carroll, author of the ‘Alice’ books, died on 14 january 1898, which is exactly 121 years ago today.
This parody of Carroll’s “Mad Gardener’s Song” was published in one of his obituaries, in the Westminster Gazette, and I think it is just perfect:
I thought I saw a fairy bird
That carrolled ever on;
I looked again, and saw it was
A mathematic don.
“Adieu, adieu,” he sadly sang;
“To Wonderland I’ve gone.”
Yesterday, the original electrotype blocks used for printing the illustrations of the first editions of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking Glass and what Alice found there” were sold at auction house Christie’s.
To be able to print the illustrations, Tenniel drew on wooden blocks, which were subsequently cut by the Dalziel Brothers. From these wooden blocks, copper-plated lead printing blocks were electrotyped.
Today exactly 153 years ago, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was published.
It wasn’t the actual first edition: that one was ready on 4 July 1865. However, all copies were recalled because of bad quality printing and a new ‘first’ edition was released on 18 November.
Read more about the history of the publication of the ‘Alice’ story.
Today’s the 31st of October, so I wish you all a very merry Halloween!
Are you celebrating Halloween Wonderland style? Do let me know in the comments!
For those who don’t, but would like to: be sure to check out my Alice in Wonderland Halloween ideas for next year!
Did you know that the 6th of October is called Mad Hatter’s Day?
The 6th of October can be written as 10/6 (it depends on the date format you use in your country), which refers to the card that is stuck in the Hatter’s hat.
So, are you celebrating Mad Hatter’s Day? Or do you prefer celebrating your Unbirthday?
