cover image Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Decoded

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Decoded

David Day. Doubleday Canada, $40 (320p) ISBN 978-0-385-68226-8

Day (A Dictionary of Tolkien) ably reinterprets Carroll's famous text as a classical primer in disguise, identifying connections with mathematics, theosophy, politics, and philosophy. Day argues that the various existing valid interpretations from these perspectives together constitute a complete classical education, which Carroll intended to impart "secretly and subliminally" to his favorite child-friend, Alice Liddell. Even if the reader isn't ultimately convinced of this conclusion, the various premises Day brings together are strong enough to intrigue anyone who is not already familiar with them. Carroll's text is illustrated with a mix of art by John Tenniel, the book's original illustrator, and later artists; Day's annotations and sidebars include classical mythological art, historical paintings, and photographs. Though this is a handsome addition to any collection of Alice analysis, it inexplicably lacks a full treatment of Through the Looking-Glass, making it a poor substitute for the new edition of Martin Gardner's The Annotated Alice. Likewise, its biographical content (throughout and in a concluding section) is no substitute for Morton Cohen's new edition of Lewis Carroll: A Biography. Day's classical interpretation may make this work more popular among academic readers than recreational ones. (Oct.)