• A new edition of Lewis Carroll's classic Alice stories by one of the foremost children's literature experts, Peter Hunt, and featuring Tenniel's much-loved illustrations.
• Includes the 'Wasp in a Wig' episode, removed from the proofs of Through the Looking-Glass.
• Takes account of the most recent research and critical opinion.
• The Introduction places the book in the context of children's literature and general literature, and reviews interpretations of them, and the various views of Dodgson's relationship to children and childhood.
• Extensive explanatory notes give information on Dodgson's political, social, intellectual, and personal allusions and sources.
• Includes an extensive bibliography and a chronology of Dodgson's life and times.

New to this Edition:

• Engaging and comprehensive introduction by Peter Hunt, a leading authority on children's literature.
• Up-to-date bibliography.
• Extensive annotation, drawing on the latest scholarship.
• Appendix containg 'The Wasp in a Wig', an episode in Through the Looking-Glass that was withdrawn at proof stage.
• Newly scanned illustrations and reset text to give improved appearance.

     
'But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked.
'Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat. 'We're all mad here.'
  
The 'Alice' books are two of the most translated, most quoted, and best-known books in the world, but what exactly are they? Apparently delightful, innocent fantasies for children, they are also complex textures of mathematical, linguistic, and philosophical jokes. Alice's encounters with the White Rabbit, the Cheshire-Cat, the King and Queen of Hearts, the Mad Hatter, Tweedledum and Tweedledee and many other extraordinary characters have made them masterpieces of carefree nonsense, yet they also appeal to adults on a quite different level. Layers of satire, allusion, and symbolism about Victorian culture and politics, as well as revelations about the intricate subconscious problems of their author, add to their fascination and make them impossible to classify. 
  
This new edition explores the phenomenal range of reference, and the paradoxical appeal of two of the most inventive books in world literature. It also includes an episode removed by Carroll from the proofs of Through the Looking-Glass, called 'The Wasp in a Wig'. 
  
ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
 
 
REVIEW:
"OUP's edition makes a decent fist of contextualising and explaining a book that appeals to adults and children." - Colin Waters, Sunday Herald