Happy Birthday to Alice in Wonderland Creator, Lewis Carrol!

Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll, was born on January 27th in 1832. Without this famous English author, we wouldn't have great poems, literature, photography, or classics like Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. We raise our glass to you Sir Carrol, happy (almost) birthday!

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Original Version

The adventures of Alice (named for one of the little girls to whom the book was dedicated) who journeys down a rabbit hole and into a whimsical underworld realm, instantly struck a chord with the British public, and then with readers around the world. Dodgson's playfulness, with language, with mathematical puzzles, with testy creatures such as the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts, still confounds and teases lovers of fantasy fiction today. 

Through the Looking-Glass - Original Version 

In 1872, in reaction to the universal acclaim Alice's Adventures in Wonderland received, Dodgson published this sequel. Nothing is quite what it seems once Alice journeys through the looking-glass, and Dodgson's wit is infectious as he explores concepts of mirror imagery, time running backward, and strategies of chess-all wrapped up in the exploits of a spirited young girl who parries with the Red Queen, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, and other unlikely characters. In many ways, this sequel has had an even greater impact on today's pop culture than the first book. 

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass 

Here, in one volume, you'll find both Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the 1872 sequel, Through the Looking-Glass. Together, this is a masterwork of playful prose in which the author has invented some of the most memorable characters in literature: the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter and the Red Queen. The conundrums and delights of these works ensure their ongoing influence over modern pop culture. This unabridged replica edition features the original illustrations by English artist Sir John Tenniel and is a treasured addition to any library.

Alice's Adventures Under Ground: Facsimile of the Original 1864 Author's Manuscript 

Alice's Adventures Under Ground was the little-known first draft of what became the famed Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. When Charles Dodgson, better-known as Lewis Carroll, first composed the story of Alice, it was on a boating trip with the Liddell sisters. It was for Alice Liddell that he told tales of Alice's adventures, and Dodgson eventually promised to write the stories down for her. This edition of Alice's Adventures under Ground is the second recorded version of Alice's tales (the first was destroyed), given as a gift to Miss Liddell for Christmas. Afterward, friends encouraged Dodgson to publish Alice's Adventures, which he did after some revisions with Macmillan & Company in London, as the version we know and love today. This facsimile of the handwritten 1864 manuscript includes additional material from the 1886 version and 37 original illustrations. The original manuscript can be viewed in the British Museum in London.

Thank you for your great works of literature Lewis Carrol!

December Series of the Month: History of the American People

"What with adventurers who were ungovernable and men of industry and ability who wished to be let alone, it was not an easy or a promising place in which to set up the authority of proprietors who were in England and had done nothing to help the men whom they meant to govern. Sir William Berkeley, nevertheless, being himself one of the proprietors, took the first step towards making good the rights of the new masters in 1664, when, by the authority of his associates, he commissioned William Drummond to act as governor among the people at Chowan and Perquimans."
       —from Chapter VIII: “New Jersey and Carolina”

Cosimo is lighting the birthday candles this month for Woodrow Wilson, born on December 28th, 1856! Help us in wishing him a happy birthday by picking up our December Series of the Month, A History of the American People.

It was during his tenure at Princeton that Wilson penned this five-volume history of the United States, and it reflects many of his ideas and biases he later brought to national politics. This beautiful replica of the 1902 first edition features all the original halftone illustrations. Students of Wilson and of the ever-changing lens through which history is told and retold will find this an enlightening and illuminating work.


About the Author: 

Before he served as the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921, before he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1919, Thomas Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924) was a lawyer and an academic: a university professor of history and politics, and president of Princeton University.

Cosimo offers Wilson's impressive series by individual volume at various online bookstores or as a full set in hardcover or paperback, especially of interest to collectors, readers who like to expand their personal library or professional librarians. If you are interested in purchasing the full set, please contact us.

The hardcover retail list price for the series is $154.95, but now:our price: $119.99  (you save $35 or a 22 percent discount)The paperback retail list price: $64.95, but now: our price: $49.99 (you save $15 or a 23 percent discount) including free shipping.

Happy Birthday Lewis Carrol!

Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll, was born on January 27th in 1832. Without this famous English author, we wouldn't have great poems, literature, photography, or classics like Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. We raise our glass to you Sir Carrol, happy (almost) birthday!

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Original Version

The adventures of Alice (named for one of the little girls to whom the book was dedicated) who journeys down a rabbit hole and into a whimsical underworld realm, instantly struck a chord with the British public, and then with readers around the world. Dodgson's playfulness, with language, with mathematical puzzles, with testy creatures such as the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts, still confounds and teases lovers of fantasy fiction today. 

Through the Looking-Glass - Original Version 

In 1872, in reaction to the universal acclaim Alice's Adventures in Wonderland received, Dodgson published this sequel. Nothing is quite what it seems once Alice journeys through the looking-glass, and Dodgson's wit is infectious as he explores concepts of mirror imagery, time running backward, and strategies of chess-all wrapped up in the exploits of a spirited young girl who parries with the Red Queen, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, and other unlikely characters. In many ways, this sequel has had an even greater impact on today's pop culture than the first book. 

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass 

Here, in one volume, you'll find both Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the 1872 sequel, Through the Looking-Glass. Together, this is a masterwork of playful prose in which the author has invented some of the most memorable characters in literature: the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter and the Red Queen. The conundrums and delights of these works ensure their ongoing influence over modern pop culture. This unabridged replica edition features the original illustrations by English artist Sir John Tenniel and is a treasured addition to any library.

Alice's Adventures Under Ground: Facsimile of the Original 1864 Author's Manuscript 

Alice's Adventures Under Ground was the little-known first draft of what became the famed Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. When Charles Dodgson, better-known as Lewis Carroll, first composed the story of Alice, it was on a boating trip with the Liddell sisters. It was for Alice Liddell that he told tales of Alice's adventures, and Dodgson eventually promised to write the stories down for her. This edition of Alice's Adventures under Ground is the second recorded version of Alice's tales (the first was destroyed), given as a gift to Miss Liddell for Christmas. Afterward, friends encouraged Dodgson to publish Alice's Adventures, which he did after some revisions with Macmillan & Company in London, as the version we know and love today. This facsimile of the handwritten 1864 manuscript includes additional material from the 1886 version and 37 original illustrations. The original manuscript can be viewed in the British Museum in London.

Thank you for your great works of literature Lewis Carrol!

 

The 150th Birthday of Edith Wharton and A Reflection on Her Most Famous Works

Edith Wharton was a privileged woman who was born in New York. She grew up surrounded by the elite of society. Her books act as commentaries on society at the time, often becoming critical, especially of New York's literary society. She spent much of her life in the US, until she no longer could deal with the hypocrisy and debauchery of American society and permanently relocated to France.

There was a recent article in The New Yorker highlighting Edith Wharton, her life and her work and how each of her characters reflect her life. It's a small tribute in and of itself to the great writings of Edith Wharton, who is most known for The Age of Innocence, House of Mirth, and The Custom of the Country. These three books in particular show proof that Wharton didn't take an extreme liking to New York society, despite her upbringing. Though it's her most popular books that keep her relevant and well known, it's her lesser known works like Summer, The Decoration of Houses, and The Descent of Man and Other Stories that truly show the depth and versatility of her talent as a writer. Happy 150th Edith!