Customer Reviews (1)

Charles Dodgson / Lewis Carroll's Symbolic Logic
This book has been extremely helpful to me in writing my PhD thesis on Dodgson (Carroll) and his remarkable didactic approach.Unlike many other Victorians, Dodgson used fantasy, imagination,humor and vivid visual descriptions and charts to teach logic to students of all ages - from young children (like Alice) to high school teachers in girls' schools (he promoted logic to all sexes!) and to students in college. Bartley's book presents in a clear and comprehensive manner many of Dodgson's syllogisms and graphic techniques. It also provides insight into Dodgson's methods and history in the introduction, as well as presenting information such as letters and illustrations that shed light on Dodgson's way of thinking. Students / teachers of logic / computer science will be interested in the problem set presented in the second half of the book, with various versions and solutions, including the Members of Parliament Problem and Froggy's problem. ... Read more

Product Description
Two little children meet adventure in such places as Dogland, Outland, and Elfland. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

The Genius is Fallible After All...
After reading the Alice books, I never imagined Carroll could write a literary failure.Unfortunately, as the introduction of this book so clearly states, Sylvie and Bruno is a literary failure.Why?Perhaps it's too much of an adult book.Perhaps the confusion of the first few chapters throws off too many impatient readers.These possibilites are certainly plausible.But what a shame!The work itself contains so many instances of wonderment that I can't name them all.Like a true craftsman of storytelling, Carroll masterfully walks the line between dream-like fantasy and all-too-familiar reality, swiveling between these two opposing states of being whenever the urge strikes.

One would venture to guess that the narrator is afflicted with Alzheimer's disease.That is, until he actually brings back a tangible souvenir from the dreamworld in the form of a rare Indian flower bouquet, incapable of surviving a lengthy transport to merry old England.Upon participation in this scenario, the open-minded reader begins to question the composition of reality.Are dream worlds filled with magic out there eluding us?Can it be that our steps in the real world are never terribly far from landing on a little fairy?The ponderment of such superstition is indeed rare today, but perhaps it shouldn't be.

Yes, extraordinarily deep questions are raised in this strange book where "actors" do somersaults during dramatizations of Shakespeare and gardeners run around "watering" plants with watering-cans as barren as the Sahara Desert.As anyone can see, Carroll didn't seem to have any problems coming up with wild stuff to write.I particularly enjoyed the rumor of the crocodile walking on its forehead.

I think the one thing Carroll never gets enough credit for is his use of humor.Sylvie and Bruno is quite funny.I couldn't help laughing at Bruno's story of, "a Mouse and a Crocodile and a Man and a Goat and a Lion."And the Baron's Embassy chapter is comedy gold.Carroll was truly an enlightened individual.I wish we had more like him today.

Carroll was also quite Biblical, and that's evident in this book.While strongly promoting faith in the Bible, he heavily criticizes the practically (I think) defunct method of filling up every Sunday with forced, nonstop preaching, and the far from defunct method of promising financial wealth to people who give.He notes that England's ability to endure such tactics for a whole century while still believing in God is a credit to the goodness of the people there.Unfortunately, a century after the printing of this book, the belief isn't quite as strong as it used to be.Perhaps Carroll's criticisms had some validity.

Carroll had the gift of innovation that is so terribly difficult for most people, including myself, to grasp.What extraordinary value his works have!It's a shame Sylvie and Bruno has so much value and yet so little popular appeal.I just wish Carroll could have shortened the story and wrapped it up in one volume.

I give it four stars objectively, but I like it much, much better than many books I've given five stars too.Definitely one of my all-time favorites.

Oh, and I am pleased to note the following: Carroll writes in the book's introduction that he's very against a technique he calls "padding" - which was later perfected by producer Robert Lippert in the horribly long film Lost Continent.

A goldmine
When you begin to read this book (together with its second part "Sylvie and Bruno Concluded"), you must always remember what Lewis Carroll states in the Preface: that the book was written putting together all sorts of bits of writing that the author had skteched and drafted here and there for a long time, trying to find a common thread. So it's an assorted bunch of funny, clever and often deep pages. Even so, you might miss one of the charms of "Alice's adventures in Wonderland": the spontaneity, the straightforwardness. This is very much the opposite situation: a book that was written slowly, painstakingly constructing the main body of the story.

So you can find here almost all dimensions of Carroll's thoughts: humorous nonsense and innumerable puns (including a word as original as "Jabberwocky" or "Boojum": "Phlizz"); logical and mathematical puzzles, including a simple and clever description of a Möbius strip; tender and lovely stories for children; lots of poetry... And three elements I haven't found neither in the Alice books nor in "The Hunting of the Snark": solemn religious meditations; the only real presence of death in a Carroll text (as far as I know, not being a Carroll scholar myself) when Sylvie watches a dead hare; and an adult romance.

All these aspects are intertwined in a precarious narrative line-- there are almost as many disgressions as there are chapters; but what might seem a flaw in the book can be its main charm. All in all, Carroll found here A METHOD FOR NONSENSE or, as he says, "a far clearer idea (...) of the meaning of the word 'chaos'".

This is certainly not the best book to begin to read Carroll, but it's a pity it's not even half as popular as the Alice books. It's really worth reading it: it's like delving deep into the goldmine of the brain and the heart of a genius.

Sylvie and Bruno Is Totally Worth The Read
There is *nothing* disappointing about Sylvie and Bruno. It is not anything like Alice.. it surpasses Alice in every way.
This book is filled with a goodness that just can't help itself... and while it can be silly at times, and crazy at others, in the end it brings me to tears, every time. It is noble and honest and the characters steal your heart...
Not all of life is suffering... and this book is about that. I would really encourage you to pick it up. The first few chapters are a little crazy as you get used to this half-reality half-fantasy style... but it pulls you in so quickly, and will really blow you away.
An absolutely wonderful book!

Remarkable
The book IS inconsistent.Unlike the brilliant Alice books, there are places where what Carroll is trying to do just doesn't work.But this book is written on a GIGANTIC scale.Carroll tries to take the basis of Alice, and expand it into something of real profundity - something that covers an entire moral and ethical universe.And much of the time, he actually *succeeds* at such an impossible task.There are scenes that are hysterically funny, and scenes that will make you weep. The book is VERY touching, and gives a strong and unforgettable message on the totality, wonder and all-conquering nature of all-conquering love.Sylvie, the fairy-child, is Love Itself, embodied. Despite its spottiness, this book is very, very impressive, and you will want to read it more than once, just to re-experience the good stuff, which is very, very good.

"For I think it is Love. For I feel it is Love. For I'm sure it is nothing but Love!"

Indeed.And Amen.

Weird and confusing but it really grows on you
At first this seems disappointing after Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. But after a while it grows on you. I don't bother to try and follow the story. I just open it at random and read bits of it. There'salways an unusual and interesting idea, or some funny dialogue or else atotally off the wall dreamlike image. Also there are some great poems init.It is admittedly a patchy book. I like Bruno- he's quite like Alicebut that baby talk was popular in Victorian times and grates on you now.Lewis Carroll didn't succeed in blending these great elements into a bookthat's easy to read,and this is why it is less popular. But it isdefinitely worth getting if you want another glimpse into the mind thatwrote Alice. You will find plenty of the same kind of stuff. Also I thinkLewis Carroll was a really nice person as this book often cheers me up whenI feel low. It is happy and positive. ... Read more

Product Description
With fantastic characters and enchanting language, Lewis Carroll created magical wonderlands which children have always loved to visit. This work contains 26 selections from his works, along with vocabulary and context notes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A VERY FUN BOOK TO READ WITH THE YOUNG ONES
I cannot think of a better way to introduce the poetry of Lewis Carroll than this small volume.The selection is excellent and of interest you the young reader.The commentary is quite relevant as are the pictures which accompany it.I find that often now, our young people go all the way through the early grades in school and many of them have never heard of carroll,much less read their poetry.This was the sort of stuff my generation and the generation before it grew up on and cut our teeth on.I do not feel I am any worse for the wear.I am fearful that we are bringing up an entire generation (rightfully or wrong, although I feel it is the later) of young folks who will have no appreciation to this great art form and will miss a lot.This book helps.This entire series helps, as a matter of fact and I certainly recommend you add this one and the others to your library.Actually, it is rather fun reading these with the young folk and then talking about them.Not only do you get to enjoy the work your self and perhaps bring back some great memories, but you have the opportunity to interact with your child or student.It is actually rather surprising what some of the kids come up with.I read these to my grandchildren and to the kids in my classes at school.For the most part, when I really get to discussing the work with them, they enjoy it.Recommend this one highly. ... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

No JABBERWOCKY???!!!
Through the Looking Glass without Jabberwocky or The Walrus and the Carpenter is just not adequate!

Criminally Butchered: Kindle Store Is A Joke
I should have read the reviews before downloading this book. It's really missing all the poetry and illustrations, which are an integral part to the story. I had previously downloaded "Alice In Wonderland" from the Kindle Store and I'd noticed the illustrations (some of which the text REFERS to) were missing, but I thought, okay, it's an e-book. Now this one has parts of the text missing.

With these Amazon free books, it seems you really get what you pay for. Don't waste your time here, go to an ARCHIVE site (the ORGanization type - get it?). You can run a search on it. You'll find wonderful PDF facsimile copies of the original ancient books, complete with illustrations and beautifully yellowed pages, and you can copy and carry them on any device, unlike Amazon's garbage, which has to be "sync'ed" with the computer logged on. And you don't even need Kindle to read them. Turn your notebook sideways and view them on Acrobat. That's what I do.

Kindle is useless. The free books are worthless and the copyrighted books cost as much as the printed versions, so why bother buying this crap?

Kindle edition free...and not worth it
My complaints about this edition are much the same as the free version of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" also available for the Kindle.Specifically, the absence of the Tenniel illustrations, and the removal of Carroll's poetry.Actually, in this case, the latter is even worse, as poems in the story itself, not just the opening or closing, are missing (although the acrostic poem at the end, one of Carroll's most touching works, is also removed).My advice is not to waste your time with this unforgivably-incomplete version, and try to find a paid edition that includes all the vital elements missing from this one.

Incomplete Edition
Like many other reviewers have noted, this version is missing the poetry. This is really incomplete and does a disservice to the work.

Poetry is gone
I don't suggest this book for anyone as some of the most important works within the work are missing entirely. ... Read more

Product Description
The culmination of a lifetime of scholarship, The Annotated Alice is a landmark event in the rich history of Lewis Carroll and cause to celebrate the remarkable career of Martin Gardner. For over half a century, Martin Gardner has established himself as one of the world's leading authorities on Lewis Carroll. His Annotated Alice, first published in 1960, has over half a million copies in print around the world and is highly sought after by families and scholars alike--for it was Gardner who first decoded the wordplay and the many mathematical riddles that lie embedded in Carroll's two classic stories: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Forty years after this groundbreaking publication, Norton is proud to publish the Definitive Edition of The Annotated Alice, a work that combines the notes of Gardner's 1960 edition with his 1990 update, More Annotated Alice, as well as additional new discoveries and updates drawn from Gardner's encyclopedic knowledge of the texts. Illustrated with John Tenniel's classic and beloved art--along with many recently discovered Tenniel pencil sketches--The Annotated Alice will be Gardner's most beautiful and enduring tribute to Carroll's masterpieces yet. Celebrating his eighty-fifth birthday in the fall of 1999, the redoubtable Gardner has been called by Douglas Hofstadter "one of the great intellects produced in this country in this century." With The Annotated Alice: The Definitive Edition, we have this remarkable scholar's crowning achievement.Amazon.com Review
"What is the use of a book," thought Alice, "without pictures or conversations!"

Readers who share Alice's taste in books will be more than satisfied withThe Annotated Alice, a volume that includes not only pictures andconversations, but a thorough gloss on the text as well. There may be some,like G.K. Chesterton, who abhor the notion of putting Lewis Carroll'smasterpiece under a microscope and analyzing it within an inch of itswhimsical life. But as Martin Gardner points out in his introduction, somuch of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass iscomposed of private jokes and details of Victorian manners and mores thatmodern audiences are not likely to catch. Yes, Alice can be enjoyedon its own merits, but The Annotated Alice appeals to thenosy parker in all of us. Thus we learn, for example, that the source ofthe mouse's tale may have been Alfred Lord Tennyson who "once toldCarroll that he had dreamed a lengthy poem about fairies, which began withvery long lines, then the lines got shorter and shorter until the poemended with fifty or sixty lines of two syllables each."And that, contraryto popular belief, the Mad Hatter character was not a parodyof then Prime Minister Gladstone, but rather was based on an Oxfordfurniture dealer named Theophilus Carter.

Gardner's annotations run the gamut from the factual and historical to thespeculative and are, in their own way, quite as fascinating as the textthey refer to. Occasionally, he even comments on himself, as when he quotesa fellow annotator of Alice, James Kincaid: "The historical contextdoes not call for a gloss but the passage provides an opportunity to pointout the ambivalence that may attend the central figure and her desire togrow up." And then follows with a charming riposte: "I thank Mr. Kincaid forsupporting my own rambling."There's a lot of information in themargins (indeed, the page is pretty evenly divided between Carroll's textand Gardner's), but the ramblings turn out to be well worth the time. Sohand over your old copy of Lewis Carroll's classic to the kids--thisAlice in Wonderland is intended entirely for adults. --AlixWilber ... Read more

Customer Reviews (69)

Alice in Wonderland - Annoitated
This is a magnificent hardback book, with annotations by Martin Gardner of Scientific American. A great gift, too.

A book for the fans
This book is great because it includes both books Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found there. I liked the second book more than the first because in my opinion it had more meaning. Anyone who is a fan of Alice would value this great book. The illustrations are awesome, it has a few but great quality.

Totally beautiful
the book is beautiful, from the paste to the sheets, the way martin added every anottation.
totally love it

Annotated Alice by Martin Gardner
I had known about Gardner's "Annotated Alice" for years but only just purchased my copy.I am pleased that I waited.Aside from the enlarged number of annotations in this most text by Gardner, there are now three "Introductory/Forwards" by Gardner which add greatly to the enjoyment of this Edition. Gardner died earlier this year, so this will be the last update by him. A true Collector's Edition, and well priced, for one of the great books of the 19th Century for adults and children alike.A "must" addition to any serious library.

Julian Peabody

Annotated Alice: the definitive edition
I was looking for book of Alice in wonderland that included the original drawings, This does and make for an interesting read with the notes on each pages. ... Read more

Product Description
Classic Book for the Kindle: Phantasmagoria and Other Poems by Lewis Carroll

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Customer Reviews (4)

I'm Not Educated Enough To Understand It
I love Lewis Carroll's work, but sometimes I just have no freaking clue what he's talking about.I experienced this sensation of vagueness a few times during my reading of the Sylvie and Bruno books, but I felt it most while reading some of the poems in Phantasmagoria.

But what I could understand I really enjoyed.I really loved Hiawatha's Photographing, Melancholetta, Size and Tears, and The Lang Coortin', although some of these poems have strangely inconclusive endings.It's interesting to see Carroll's last poem in this book, Fame's Penny Trumpet, where he's really, really mad at academic big-wigs.

Make sure you read Alice before even attempting to read this.

Vintage Carroll enhanced by Frost's art and Gardner's notes
This book has woodcuts by Arthur B. Frost that capture the humor of Carroll's poem perfectly.Martin Gardner has provided a short introduction with letters from Carroll to Frost regarding the art and to a friend with regards to para-psychological phenomena.He also provides notes for obscure words or puns.Frost and Gardner are what makes this the version of Carroll's Phantasmagoria you should read.

The poem itself is a conversation between a man of 42 and a less than adept ghost. Among the things learned are the 5 rules of behavior for a ghost, the housing requirements for a ghost etc.Carroll's vintage humor is expressed in a narrative poem of seven cantos using verses of five rhymed lines.The poetry is well written - the rhymes are not forced but natural, the humor relatively subtle.

This book justifies its being in the series "Literary Classics".

We're talking the best of Carrol here.
This poem, writen in five line verses, ranks right up there with Alice in Wonderland.The poetry of Homer with the wit of Dr. Suess.I would suggest this book to anyone who likes poetry in any form.

GREAT STUFF!!
This is great verse if you like Lewis Carroll.It sounds great as beat poetry, too!! ... Read more

Product Description
The classic Photofile series brings together the best work of the world’s greatest photographers in an attractive format and at a reasonable price.Handsome and collectible, each book contains some sixty duotone photographs plus an introduction and a bibliography. 59 b&w illustrations ... Read more

Customer Reviews (291)

Loved it!
This was an amazing book! The author's colorful ideas and characters give the reader a sense of wonder as he takes the reader through the many wild adventures of Alice. Lewis Carrol writes in great detail as he describes how Alice jumped down the rabbit hole, struggled with her ever changing size, took care of a baby that turned into a pig, had tea with a mad hatter, and played croquet with a queen. It was easy to relate to Alice and her curiosity and imagination. She longed for an adventure, and that longing is inside of all of us somewhere. It's nice to read a story about someone who actually dares to take the steps into potential danger that we all turn away from daily for fear of the unknown. I am a victim of this fear, but this book made me want to take hold of that childish curiosity and jump into some crazy adventure. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone.

Good Bedtime Story
This is a fun read you can see where they get the ideas for all the movies from. Which for me makes the movies better. I like both books Alice's adventures in wonderland as well as Through the looking glass, the only thing I wondered is why, if all the movies are based on through the looking glass, does Alice always fall down the rabbit hole? I loved how she got into the looking glass world and I think that would make a great story too!!! The only question that remains is why is a raven like a writing desk????

hw assignment
This book is exactly how i remember the story being. I'm so assigning it as a book to do a report on for my kid. i think she'll like it.

An Inimitable Masterpiece and a Timeless Classic
"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" is one of the most beloved children's classics. It has been adapted into numerous cartoons, films and plays over the years, and it has become an important backdrop of the World culture. It is a brilliant and zany fairy tale that remains fresh and engaging well over a century after it had been written. This is in large part thanks to the unforgettable and unique characters that are as famous (if not more) as Alice herself: the White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat, the "Mad" Hatter, the Queen of Hearts and many more. They are among the most idiosyncratic characters in all of literature. However, the aspects of the book that I found the most fascinating were the clever use of language, the numerous puns, and the plays on the difference between the literal and actual meanings of different expressions and saying. It was very amusing to read these, and realize how clever and verbal this book actually is. The book made me reflect again on so many aspects of the world that I take for granted, and it made me feel like a child exploring and learning about various objects, ideas and relations for the first time. This alone makes this book worth reading and rereading, and I expect to come to it many times again.

Take a Journey with Alice
There are many editions of Lewis Carroll's classic Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass available today. This edition, combining both stories in a single volume is a real gem. The large 8" by 10" size is easy to hold and perfect for the classroom, personal reading, or reading aloud to a child. The text is interlaced with 85 vintage John Tenniel illustrations from the original 1865 and 1872 editions and makes this a treasure to own and a pleasure to read. I highly recommend this edition and hope you enjoy your journey with Alice and her many adventures in Wonderland. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (7)

Good actors, lousy adaption
As with Alice in Wonderland, you might think the BBC would get this one just right - not a bit of it. Carroll was very specific about what happens when and why, but here the story is all muddled up.The White Knight makes his entrance much too early and Tweedledum and Tweedledee relate "Jabberwocky" (while carrying on their battle) because "The Walrus and the Carpenter" was used already - in the Alice in Wonderland performance!In addition, Alice crashes through the looking glass rather than just stepping though it (as in the original).Why this script was approved is anyone's guess.If you enjoy the Alice books, you'll still enjoy this: the performance is excellent (the Alice is especially charming) and sound effects very atmospheric. But be warned about the adaption...

My rating is for the Ralph Steadman illustrated edition, which is the one pictured here.
I'm confused by the other reviews here, which all refer to some other illustrators. I'm looking at an edition that was illustrated by Ralph Steadman. Also, credit for the illustration is given to Ralph Steadman, in the Amazon description on this page. That is the edition I want and I certainly hope it is the one that is delivered to my home.
If it is any other edition than the one pictured on the page I ordered from, I'll be wanting a complete refund.

Thank you, Barbara

more than expected :-)
I collect different editions of Alice In Wonderland for the illustrations.

So this piece has a very nice illustrations style, there are a lots of them and the book is actually way thicker (read: better :-), than I expected.

The text itself I did not read honestly.

CAUTION: The Jeremy Reed paperback is not an illustrated edition
Due to Amazon's habit of interchanging descriptions and also customer reviews reviews for books with multiple editions, please note that this review refers only to the paperback edition with Jeremy Reed's critical appraisal:

This book is NOT intended for children.

The only illustration in this edition is the cover art, which is a subversive, overtly sexualized take on a tumbling Alice.

The supposed reason for publishing the edition at all is Jeremy Reed's "revealing" critical reading of C.L. Dodgson's (Lewis Carroll's) purported obsession with young girls. There is more than one argument to be made in this case, with San Francisco Museum of Modern Art curator Douglas Nickel offering a substantive counter-claim that considers Carroll's career in the context of the conventions of his Victorian England, rather than in our modern age of lurid post-Freudian pop psychology.

Overall, I can only recommend this book to those who wish to carry on the debate about Dodgson's sexuality, and only then if taken with a grain of salt.

What does Trevor Brown have to do with Helen Oxenbury's edition?
There are three reviews to this edition that talk about Trevor Brown's contribution, including the cover, to this book.Surely these comments should have been attached to a different book.This book is illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, and there is no attribution anywhere, including the cover, that has to do with Trevor Brown.
By the way, the Oxenbury illustrations are typical of her style.Frankly, as a collector of Carrolliana, I find Oxenbury's illustrations to be far too precious to hold the interest of adults, but others might find them to be appropriate for a child.The edition is well printed, on good paper and with solid color. ... Read more

Product Description
"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" is a summer tale published by Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) for the first time in July 1865. Many of the characters and adventures in that book have to with a pack of cards. "Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There" is a winter tale, which Carroll first published in December 1871. In this second tale, the characters and adventures are based on the game of chess. This book contains the famous illustrations of Sir John Tenniel, which first appeared in the original English edition. ... Read more

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Las ilustraciones que lleva este libro las dibujó el pintor inglés Sir John Tenniel. ... Read more

Product Description
“A fine mathematical biography.”—John Allen Paulos, New York Times Book ReviewJust when we thought we knew everything about Lewis Carroll, here comes this “insightful . . . scholarly . . . serious” (John Butcher, American Scientist) biography that will appeal to Alice fans everywhere. Fascinated by the inner life of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, Robin Wilson, a Carroll scholar and a noted mathematics professor, has produced this revelatory book—filled with more than one hundred striking and often playful illustrations—that examines the many inspirations and sources for Carroll’s fantastical writings, mathematical and otherwise. As Wilson demonstrates, Carroll made significant contributions to subjects as varied as voting patterns and the design of tennis tournaments, in the process creating large numbers of imaginative recreational puzzles based on mathematical ideas. 60 b/w illustrations ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Good insight into Dodgson's mathematics work
Although Charles Dodgson's literary works are of course very well known, his mathematical work is more obscure. In fact, his mathematics is notable not so much for its importance in the strict development of mathematics but rather for the algorithmic aesthetic that infused all of Dodgson's work. Dodgson was particularly interested in systematizing rules of thought, and he strove to do this in two areas, symbolic logic and linear algebra (notably determinants) that would not really yield to the power of the computer for generations. At the same time, Dodgson's interest in the paradoxes of systematization, in the interplay between algorithm and intuition, informed his fiction work and his work on puzzles as well.

This pleasant, easy-to-read book nicely captures the milieu of Oxford mathematics education in the nineteenth century generally and Charles Dodgson's life in that milieu in particular. Notable is the affection for scholarship for its own sake, and for a much more sedate pace of life, than obtains nowadays.

Even in political science, Dodgson was way ahead of his time in his interest in systematizing voting protocols; although he did not anticipate Arrow's theorem, he at least did some preparatory work.

As a strict mathematician, however, Dodgson did not have the deep technique of the great 19th century mathematicians. His work rarely exceeds very basic mathematics, what would now be learned, perhaps in less detail, in middle school. There is, at least in the book, no calculus, no complex variables, no power series, no abstract algebra, no non-Euclidean geometry, no infinite set theory, not even impossibility proofs. He deals with Euclidean geometry (plane geometry in the examples) and some basic linear algebra.

At the same time, with this limited palette, Dodgson addressed very important problems - the problems he worked on all wound up leading to major, important fields (computational logic, computational linear algebra, and voting theory).

Not only does this book give insight into Dodgson's work and character, it also has some fascinating old exam papers from that time period. Indeed, the book would have been substantially improved had it included more facsimiles of period-authentic examinations and textbooks (as well as, for that matter, a bit more explanation of the somewhat confusing system - to American readers - of exams and matriculation at Oxford). But what it does have is interesting.

An example of a nice puzzle by Carroll is from The Tangled Tale: a traveller walks along level ground and up a hill, then returns the way; leaving at 3:00 PM and returning at 9:00 PM that day; travelling at 3, 4, and 6 mph uphill, level and downhill respectively. How far did he travel and when, within a half-hour, did he reach the top of the hill?

A nice exam problem from Oxford at the time was to solve

(x+sqrt(a^2-x^2))/(x-sqrt(a^2-x^2)) = b ,

where one presumes this is over the reals. There is something relaxing about math before the high-powered modern machinery took hold, everything concrete and finite.

Very Interesting Book
I liked this book because it is a bio of Lewis Carroll from a mathematical standpoint.Yes, it does touch on his literary career, but is mostly about his development as a mathematician and an Oxford Don.

A Mathematical Biography
In this short but charming book, the author introduces the reader to Charles Dodgson whose pen name was Lewis Carroll - creator of Alice in Wonderland.Although the book is categorized as a biography, relatively little of Dodgson personal life is presented. Instead, the author has chosen to focus more on his mathematical genius and accomplishments. Nevertheless, one can glimpse what Dodgson's life must have been like through the many quotes from his diary and his letters, as well as through his dedication and passion for thinking up and solving various mathematical problems - several of which are presented in this book. The writing style is clear, friendly, authoritative and engaging. The book's 209 pages of main text include a great many interesting pictures and useful diagrams, thus making this a relatively short read. Because of its many mathematical problems and brain teasers, this book would most likely be loved the most by math buffs.

A puzzling fellow
For most people familiar with Lewis Carroll, it is because he was the writer of that classic story, Alice in Wonderland.What's less known is that even before he made his name in literature, he was a mathematician of some prominence, and that this field would creep into his fictional writing.

Actually, Lewis Carroll was a pseudonym for Charles Dodgson, an Oxford educated mathematician of the mid-1800s.He would also teach at Oxford and start to write his stories there, as well as mathematical works.Always eager to please children (including the inspirational Alice), he would become one of the first people to develop recreational mathematics, a field that focuses on some of the more wonderfully entertaining aspects of numbers (particularly the whole numbers).

Robin Wilson's Lewis Carroll in Wonderland serves as a biography of Dodgson/Carroll, focusing on his work in math.The first half or so is more filled with biographical facts; it is in the second half that we get more of the math, most of which requires no higher learning in the field.We get some of the word play, puzzles, logic problems and riddles that were Carroll's forte.Many are interesting, but admittedly, some of the problems that seem presented as logic problems are anything but, coming off more as tricky riddles and leaving the reader feel a little cheated.

If you have an interest in the life of Lewis Carroll, this would probably be a good book to read; on the other hand, if you enjoy recreational mathematics, this book is merely okay.I tend to think of this book more as a biography, so I'll rate it as a good, four-star read, well-written and with plenty of illustrations.

"Begin at the beginning," the King said, very gravely,
and go on till you come to the end: then stop."

Excellent advice, of course, but in the case of Charles Dodgson, the story is so enormous, one may never finish. Author of the two famous Alice books, creator of hundreds of early photographs, mathematician with papers on logic, algebra, geometry and the mathematics of voting, author of almost 100,000 letters, and diarist with ten massive collected volumes -- it's amazing that one person could produce such a volume of work.

The Alice books have gone through hundreds of editions over the years, there are collections of his puzzles and scholarly analyses of his works on the mathematics of voting (some of which would cast light on the complexities of Amazon's Ranking systems). Dodgson was even something of a wine expert with a delicious spoof on wine tasting based on experts in tasting jam (see the first Comment).

Robin Wilson has put together an excellent summary of Dodgson's life and some superb extracts from his writing for children. He alludes to his contributions to photography, albeit with very few examples; Dreaming in Pictures: The Photography of Lewis Carroll by Douglas R. Nickel is an excellent source.

The heart of the book is an assessment of Dodgson's work as a mathematician. It's not really necessary to work out all of the problems -- although it is certainly possible to do so with Wilson's help and basic algebra and geometry training. The book moves swiftly, but be warned, some of the problems are so cleverly written, you may find yourself trapped and spend several pleasant minutes, even hours, working your way through to a solution.

Either way, you'll come away from this excellent study with a deeper appreciation of Dodgson's complex imagination and with a real appreciation of Wilson's skill in bringing that imagination to life.

Robert C. Ross2009 ... Read more

Product Description
Though he is most known today for his beloved Alice in Wonderland series, Lewis Carroll had a productive literary career in many genres including logic and poetry. Collected in this Kindle book is the collective work of Lewis Carroll. This edition includes an active table of content to make finding each story easy. Illustrations are not included in this edition.

Included titles:

Fiction:
Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland
Through the Looking Glass
Sylvie and Bruno

Poems:
The Hunting of the Snark
Phantasmagoria

Other:
The Game of Logic
A Tangled Tale
What the Tortoise said to Achilles ... Read more

Product Description
This book contains all the stories of Lewis Carroll, together with all the original illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Check the contents. Do you really need a COMPLETE set!
'The Complete, Fully Illustrated Works, Deluxe Edition' of lewis Carroll's works may actually be more than you really want. While three of Carroll's works, the two Alice fantasy novels and the long poem, 'The Hunting of the Snark' are major classics of English literature, Carroll wrote an equal or greater amount of pretty dull stuff, primarily the two 'Sylvia and Bruno' novels, which I have never been able to finish.

My suggestion to all but the Carroll scholar and people who want to see his logical works is to buy the annotated versions of the two Alice novels and the annotated 'Snark', all annotated by Martin Gardiner. This way, you are also guaranteed of getting Henry Holiday's illustrations for 'The Hunting of the Snark', which are not in all 'Complete' collections.
... Read more

Product Description
Lewis Carroll was the pen name of the Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, the author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and other beloved children's books. But before achieving fame as an author, Carroll was a prolific and sophisticated photographer, acutely engaged in the art world of Victorian England. This beautifully illustrated book is the first to examine Carroll's photographs not as the sideline of a celebrated writer, but as the creations of a serious photographic artist-and to demonstrate their importance to the history of photography.

Douglas R. Nickel traces the evolution in thought about Carroll's photography in the period since his death, demonstrating the ways it has been viewed largely through the filter of his literary reputation.Key to this have been certain preconceptions built up around Carroll's attitudes toward children, especially Alice Liddell, the inspiration for his first book and the subject of a number of his photographs. Nickel demonstrates how, by overturning the modern myths that have attached themselves to Carroll's photography, the works themselves can be seen again as they were by their original Victorian viewers. This analysis reveals not only Carroll's signal achievement in the medium, but also a new understanding of Victorian art photography in general.

This volume serves as the catalogue for an exhibition organized by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, on view from August to November, 2002, which then travels to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (February to May 2003), the International Center for Photography in New York (June to September 2003), and the Art Institute of Chicago (October 2003 to January 2004). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Not enough pictures
I was really hoping for a photography "coffee table" type book when I got this item, but the bulk of it is text, which albeit enlightening, was not at all what I expected.The images themselves are printed quite small, approximately the actual size of a daguerreotype, whereas the book is 10"x11", so I couldn't help but wonder why the pictures were not enlarged more.I also felt there were not enough images; I have no idea how large a body of work Lewis Carroll left for posterity, but it seemed lacking.Overall I was disappointed.

"andyou, i suppose, dream in pictures." - Tennyson
Nichols has done a fantastic job of collecting some of Carroll's (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson's) most memorable images here in his book. Why the title? Perhaps because so many of Dodgson's images are of various states of somnolence... only Nichols can answer this question, or perhaps that Dodgson was a dreamer, for we know this for he was, after all, the force behind the Alice books, Sylvie and Bruno, The Hunting of the Snark (all under the name Lewis Carroll, whereas his photography was under the name Charles Dodgson, his real name.)

Nichols provides a thorough and interesting history here, although note this is not really a book for anyone who is not seriously interested in Dodgson's work as a photographer - if you really want to get to know Dodgson by all means, buy this book!!! Also buy Edward Wakeling's fine book at the same time, The Princeton Collection, which is self-explanatory and more of Dodgson's work, also with some exposition.

A beautiful book, a rare treasure, and a delight for the scholar as well as perhaps, the lay-reader willing to delve fathoms deeper into Dodgson's work.

Well worth the dive ~

sadi ranson-polizzotti

Good for the Carroll collector or as a reminder of the exhibit
This book was meant to accompany the exhibit of the photography of Lewis Carroll that visited the San Francisco Museum of Art in 2002, Houston in 2003, and the Art Institute of Chicago in 2004. Each photo has an attached discussion. The introduction to the collection by Director Neal Benezna is short and sweet. The discussions of the history and esthetics of Victoria photography (hagiography, prelapsarian freedom, tableaux vivants, historical reconstructions, imaginary themes, etc.) by author Douglas R. Nickel is useful and accurate as it appeared entirely based on the authoritative biography of Carroll by Cohen and on the scholarly work of Karoline Leach in her book "In the Shadow of the Dreamchild." Like Lewis Carroll's photos, this book has the excellent quality of directness, and an aesthetic purity that springs from a delight in the beautiful. Unfortunately, no nudes appeared in the exhibit and only one made its way into the book (Evelyn Hatch, figure 17, page 66.) That's a pity as it reflects badly on the freedom of artistic expression that Lewis Carroll championed. Another negative: The colored-in photos are not represented. They were interesting for many reasons and in a way anticipated the advent of color photography. I have five of them in my collection. They are truly beautiful and were photographed by Carroll and may have been colored by Carroll himself or by Miss Thompson, his woman friend.

following Leach
The whole of the 'biographical' section of this book seems to be taken from Karoline Leach's insane and scurrilous book 'In the Shadow of the Dreamchild', from which it borrows the whole crazy concept of the so called 'Carroll myth'.

But this is still a very fine book and the best analysis of Carroll's art that has been produced to date - a world better than theanxious misinformed and apologetic stance taken by the nervous Roger Taylor. ... Read more

Product Description
In 1865, English author CHARLES LUTWIDGE DODGSON (1832-1898), aka Lewis Carroll, wrote a fantastical adventure story for the young daughters of a friend. 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. 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.This unabridged replica edition features the original illustrations by English artist SIR JOHN TENNIEL (1820-1914), and is a treasured addition to any library. ... Read more

Product Description
A man of many talents, Lewis Carroll (1832-1898), the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, was a distinguished Professor of Mathematics at Christ Church College, Oxford, and a successful author of children's books. Long before he published the famous Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Carroll was a dedicated and prolific photographer, creating approximately 3,000 images during his twenty-five years of photographic activity. He is mostly remembered for his exceptional photographs of children, which include portraits of Alice Liddell, the inspiration behind his classic book. Carroll also used to compile his photographs into albums and send them to major cultural figures in Victorian society, in hopes that they might want similar portraits of themselves or their children. His photographs thus include sitters such as the family of the Pre-Raphaelite painter and poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti, John Everett Millais, and Alfred Lord Tennyson, among others. His work also features portraits of family members and close friends as well as landscapes and still lifes, demonstrating the remarkable extent and complexity of Carroll's photographic art. His work has become embedded deeply in modern culture, influencing many artists. His photographs have seen a recent resurgence in popularity, demonstrating their importance to the history of photography. Carroll is now considered one of the greatest Victorian photographers.



Anne Higonnet's thoughtful discussion of Carroll, as a photographer and as a prominent member of Victorian society, offers new insight into his relationships with his sitters in the light of the social conventions of the time. It also emphasizes Carroll s unique, dreamlike vision of childhood. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

From one of most renowned and prolific photographers in the Victorian era
Lewis Carroll, pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, is best know for his Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass stories. Less well-known is that he was one of the most renowned and prolific photographers in the Victorian era. In Lewis Carroll, Higonnet (Pictures of Innocence) provides an overview, not only of Carroll's photography, but also of the subjects, Carroll's relationships with them (especially with Alice Liddell) and interpretation of the photos. Most of the photos are portraits of Carroll'sfamily, friends, and occasional Victorian personalities like Alfred Lord Tennyson. There are also some still-lifes, landscapes, and some almost humorous pictures that are out of place in Victorian photos, but coming from the person who wrote Alice in Wonderland, should be expected. A book for fans of photography history or portraits. ... Read more

Product Description
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) is a novel written by English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. It tells the story of a girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by peculiar and anthropomorphic creatures. The tale is filled with allusions to Dodgson's friends. The tale plays with logic in ways that have given the story lasting popularity with adults as well as children. It is considered to be one of the most characteristic examples of the genre of literary nonsense, and its narrative course and structure have been enormously influential, mainly in the fantasy genre. The book is commonly referred to by the abbreviated title Alice in Wonderland, an alternative title popularized by the numerous stage, film and television adaptations of the story produced over the years. (Wikipedia) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

An Inimitable Masterpiece and a Timeless Classic
"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" is one of the most beloved children's classics. It has been adapted into numerous cartoons, films and plays over the years, and it has become an important backdrop of the World culture. It is a brilliant and zany fairy tale that remains fresh and engaging well over a century after it had been written. This is in large part thanks to the unforgettable and unique characters that are as famous (if not more) as Alice herself: the White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat, the "Mad" Hatter, the Queen of Hearts and many more. They are among the most idiosyncratic characters in all of literature. However, the aspects of the book that I found the most fascinating were the clever use of language, the numerous puns, and the plays on the difference between the literal and actual meanings of different expressions and saying. It was very amusing to read these, and realize how clever and verbal this book actually is. The book made me reflect again on so many aspects of the world that I take for granted, and it made me feel like a child exploring and learning about various objects, ideas and relations for the first time. This alone makes this book worth reading and rereading, and I expect to come to it many times again.

Great book; better illustrations.
The story of Alice in Wonderland is repeated in a very readable text and is as delightful as ever.This is not, however, a childrens' book.BarryMoser's illustrations tell the story of Alice in a different, dark andsomewhat menacing way.Is the rabbit hole just the means to reach anamusing world of people and animals with strange names and stranger habits,or is it the path to a nether region where the normal rules of socialconduct and the shape and size of "people" don't apply?If hisillustrations mean anything, Moser thinks perhaps it is the latter.Forexample, the Queen of Hearts appears not as the crazy, but ultimatelyharmless, creature of a Disney movie.Moser shows her as a dark andforeboding character and by his illustartion suggests that "off withher head" is a real threat.The text of the book is standard Alice,but the real reason to buy it is to get Moser's illustrations.This isdefinitely not a book for 10 year olds.But those of us who grew up onAlice as half comedy, half light hearted spoof will enjoy this twist on atraditional tale.Moser's other illustrations of classical works such asMoby Dick and The Devine Comedy are also well worth acquiring. ... Read more

Product Description
Packing spheres, Reversi, braids, polyominoes, board games, and the puzzles of Lewis Carroll.These and other mathematical diversions return to readers with updates to all the chapters, including new game variations, proofs, and other developments and discoveries.Read about Knuth's Word Ladders program and the latest developments in the digits of pi.Once again these timeless puzzles will charm readers while demonstrating principles of logic, probability, geometry, and other fields of mathematics. It's the perfect stocking stuffer for the puzzle wizard on your list. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Martin Gardner Classic
An excellent collection of Martin Gardner's columns from Scientific American.I have several of Gardner's books, and this particular series is the best production quality of the ones that I own.

Amusements, Surprises, Mysteries, Challenges!
Amusements, Surprises, Mysteries, Challenges!

Mathematics sometimes seems a matter of abstract symbols and calculations.Not in this book.Here it comes to life.Every chapter is filled with things to make or draw or think about.As you do these things, you learn what is going on and develop mathematics on your own.

Gardner leads off with the binary system and binary sorting, illustrated by use of a sorting deck similar to the commercial McBee Keysort system.Next, group theory is introduced via a game and illustrated by braiding leading to the "Dirac Belt Trick." This trick is the basis for a way to connect hoses and cords to rotating machinery and to avoid tangles.Dirac was interested in this trick because of its implications for the spins of electrons, a matter that is still a mystery to me, though I see how the trick works by trying it out as suggested.

Lewis Carroll's puzzles are here, with mazes and word ladders.Gardner shows how cutting and folding paper help you understand angle sums and dissections of figures.The references for the cutting and folding chapter include the recent work of Eric and Martin Demaine, Joseph O'Rourke, Greg N. Frederickson and others, useful if you want more technical details.

Senet opens the chapter on board games.This chapter winds up with a history of Reversi (and its kin Othello) which shows how tricky it can be to discover the origins of "new" games.A letter Peter Michaelsen sent Gardner in 1987 suggested Chinese origins for versions of this game, but those have yet to be traced and confirmed.Here is something to look into.

How can circles or spheres be packed most efficiently in a given area or volume?Sphere Packing is one of the greatest puzzles and most beautiful areas of geometry.Kepler conjectured that a hexagonal close packing is the densest packing in space - and Thomas Hales gave a proof in 1998, using computers to show that other arrangements are less efficient.From Martin Gardner's comments about this proof and the proof of the Four Color Map Theorem and the nonexistence of an order 10 projective plane (see Chapters 10 and 14 of this book), I see that he has doubts about trustworthiness of proofs that depend on computations.Calculations can go awry, but the drive to check and recheck important results works for computer work as well as it does for standard proofs.Hales has given a convincing account of his efforts and those of others to check his proof of the Kepler Conjecture (See [...]).

It is important to reexamine accepted proofs and calculations.An example from this book shows why.Percy Alexander MacMahon considered puzzles involving the 24 colored squares you get by quartering squares by their diagonals and then coloring them in every possible way using three colors (say, black, gray, and white).It is a nice exercise to count these 24 possibilities.Martin Gardner takes these squares up in Chapter 16.A rich array of possibilities arises if you try to arrange these squares in a 4 x 6 rectangle so that the outer edge is black and so that the colors match where the squares meet.

This is a reasonable challenge, not too easy and not too hard.Once you have succeeded, you might wonder how many different arrangements of this sort there are.From the first edition of this book, I recalled that there were roughly 12,000 such solutions to the 4 x 6 rectangle. This is based on a hand count of 12,224 made by Federico Fink of Buenos Aires in 1963, followed by computer search done at Stanford in 1964 by Gary Feldman, which gave a total of 12,261, a small increase possibly from a more systematic job.In 1977 Hilario Fernandez Long of Buenos Aires wrote Gardner to report a second computer search that found 13,328 solutions for the 4 x 6 rectangle.This raises concerns.How to square these varying results?For me, the more recent result being larger by 8% suggests that certain possibilities were overlooked, or that some duplication has arisen.Questions arise when there are discrepancies, as we see here.I am not completely satisfied with any of these numbers yet.I await further evidence.Whether the work is done by computer or by hand we look for confirmation by agreement with earlier work.Perhaps some of you will sort this out.The task is not as unmanageable as it might seem.

If the border of the 4 x 6 rectangle of MacMahon squares is black, then there must be a bar of four squares meeting with black edges and joining the sides of length six.Gardner cites T. H. O'Bierne proof of this.Looking further, toward the end of Winning Ways for Your Mathematical Plays by Berlekamp, Conway, and Guy there is a list the 20 possible patterns for the black edges on the interior of a 4 x 6 MacMahon rectangle whose edges are black.Using this as a basis, the enumeration of all such rectangles would be simplified.See Volume 2 of the 1982 first edition of Berlekamp, Conway, Guy or Volume 4 of the second edition (A K Peters, 2004).

A neat surprise is the slice of a torus that gives two intersecting circles ( Chapter 12, Problem 4).I wondered how to show that these seeming circles were really circles.A bit of searching led to Eric Weisstein's MathWorld article on the Torus ([...]).Fairly far down on this MathWorld page you will see how these circles look at a point on the torus where the two Villarceau circles (as they are called) lie in separate planes.Weisstein also cites Coxeter's Introduction to Geometry, a beautiful book and the subject of Chapter 17 of the book under review.In Coxeter's book you will find an analytic proof of the properties of these circles (and a citation of Gardner's column).

In Chapter 9 you meet Victor Eigen, the first mathemagician, a word Gardner coined for practitioners of magical tricks based on mathematical principles.The Gilbreath Principle is explained here, the basis for many magical effects.A long-awaited book by Persi Diaconis and Ron Graham from Princeton University Press is expected to be the word on mathemagic.

I had a hand in the work on this new edition, checking some developments and redoing a few illustrations.I thought that there would be few surprises when I saw the book itself, but I found many things that I had missed earlier or had not thought about enough.For example, the discrepancies in the MacMahon squares counts mentioned above.The good news is that there are things to be done and thought about, and that is the whole idea of these books!

Get a copy and go for it. ... Read more