Edward Guiliano

Isn't a book about Lewis Carroll supposed to be about Lewis Carroll?

I picked this up (used, naturally) because I thought a series of essays about Charles Dodgson would be illuminating. It might have been -- except that they might as well have called the thing "John Tenniel: A Celebration." Or maybe "Irrelevance: A Celebration." Roughly half the essays are about Tenniel, or his art, or his relationship with Dodgson. Yes, they're about the art in the Alice books, but the art in the Alice books show more isn't about Carroll.

And even when the essays are about Dodgson, they're often silly. Dodgson and surrealism. Dodgson as reflected in James Joyce. Dodgson and "Textuality."

How about something about Dodgson and Alice? Or Dodgson and Alice Liddell? Or about Dodgson?

I managed to make my way through every essay in here except the one about Joyce, but it was a thoroughly unrewarding effort. I will admit to certain prejudices, but I ended up liking only two essays, Morton Cohen's on Dodgson and Ellen Terry and Francine Abelles's on Dodgson and voting theory. And even the latter is awfully technical. The rest... well, if I wanted to buy a book about non-Dodgson, there are plenty of choices out there.

Truly sad. show less