Alice in Wonderland / Alice Through the Looking Glass

2011-02-06 - Penderel's Oak

Attendees

Sheridan, Ruth, Ejde, Tim, Chris, Maddy, Lorraine, Andy, Lisa, Sandy.

Introduction

Either Elin or Ruth suggested it.
No need for introduction - just about everybody in the world knows what it is. Ruth - the first proper book I read on my own - I really, really loved it.
The nomination was nothing to do with /that/ film - one or two people sort of liked the film, but no-one thought it had anything to do with the book.

First Impressions

Tim - you keep rediscovering quotes which you'd forgotten originated with Alice.
Lorraine - surreal, wonderful.
Andy - I've realised I've never actually read it, though had picked up so many im impressions over the years that I had thought I had. Very surreal.
Chris - good, but you have so many memories of it that it didn't live up to expectations.
Madeline - The two books get mixed up in memory. Very good source material but as a book on its own not so good. I'm sure he was on drugs when he wrote it.
Kitty - a fairy tale with an embassment of riches.
Edje - When I was little I wanted to be Alice. I'm sure it started my love for reading fantasy. Was he on drugs or would drugs help it? I found it slightly too absurd.
Ruth - It's not the first time I've read it since I was seven, but it's still amazing how much your reading is affected by the movies (Alan Rickman is the caterpillar). I was surprised by how incredibly precocious Alice is (but then I was when I was seven too).
Sandy - It was a good read, recommended by a tutor in intelligent systems in computing. Lisa - Really enjoyed it.

Favourite Characters and Scenes

Cheshire Cat - because he says what he wants and then goes off.
The White Knight - is terribly proper and polight and constantly falls off his horse.
The White Rabbit - because of his stylishness, fob watch and watch chain.

Walrus and the Carpenter - bad, as a Vegan (all the poor oysters!)

Other Stuff

Quite a few people think they've read one or both books, but as they read it find that, in fact, they haven't, probably because of how wholly it has permeated our culture, either through the Disney film or through other routes.
As a kid you think Alice is awesome but as an adult you realise how precocious she is. Some are charmed by the precociousness of the pure and innocent, others are made 'tired' by this.

Voting

Shorlist
Neil Gaiman - Stardust
Ray Bradbury - Fahrenheit 451

Stardust won with 6 votes (thanks to Ejde voting for Kitty in his absence) while Fahrenheit 451 got 5. Next meeting on Sunday 6 March 2011.

BiblioGoth Bingo

World of Warcraft
Neil Gaiman
Cat Neighbourhood

page created: 2011-02-06