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Alice in Wonderland
Lewis Carroll’s extraordinary dream of a world – or world of a dream – has seeped into our collective consciousness like few other books. Filled with outlandish creatures and quizzical conversations, its apparent nonsense is underpinned by its own logic, which surely makes it the most imaginative tale ever written. Widely adapted, it has also been translated into 176 languages, including Cockney, Middle Breton and three languages of Zimbabwe.
‘Carroll possessed an unforced genius for the most brilliant nonsense and deliciously mad dialogue’
Guardian
Tinted title pages and a spectacular new binding design reflect the magic of Carroll’s incomparable story, while Charles van Sandwyk’s series of charming colour plates and black-and-white drawings neatly capture its many iconic characters. Van Sandwyk has also hand drawn gorgeous new endpaper maps.
Production Details
Bound in blocked cloth with an inset printed label Set in Adobe Caslon 168 pages 37 integrated colour illustrations and 44 black & white illustrations Printed map endpapers Printed slipcase 10˝ x 6¾˝
Selecting an artist to portray this seminal story
Alice in Wonderland’s characters were so memorably defined by John Tenniel in the first edition that all subsequent illustrators are presented with an exceptional challenge. However, no artist is better suited to the task than Charles van Sandwyk, who reveres the work of his great predecessor but is able to bring his own creative brilliance to the story. A self-taught calligrapher and illustrator, Charles van Sandwyk has been compared to artists as diverse as Arthur Rackham, E. H. Shepard and Beatrix Potter. His knack of bringing animals to life with the gentlest of detailing, and pulling the traits of human characters to the fore in each illustration, makes his work utterly engaging.
The Queen turned crimson with fury, and, after glaring at her for a moment like a wild beast, began ‘Off with her head!’
Beautiful design detail in this stunning gift edition
Van Sandwyk has previously worked with The Folio Society on The Wind in the Willows, The Blue Fairy Book and How to See Fairies (the latter of which he also wrote), as well as the limited edition of Alice in Wonderland, which was published in 2015. This new edition includes many of the same extravagant design details as the limited edition, plus a series of wonderful, newly coloured illustrations. To complement these, a multitude of pen-and-ink drawings – many incorporating Charles van Sandwyk’s charming calligraphy – portray the book’s iconic characters with wit and tenderness. Each chapter opens with an elaborate dropped initial that is intertwined with motifs from the chapter: the Rabbit’s watch and tiny kid-gloves; the Queen’s roses; a tureen of mock turtle soup. Alice is famous for its typographic jokes (the mouse’s tail is a source of fun for designers of every edition) and there are plenty more illustrative puns to discover among these pages.
About Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll is the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, who was born in the village of Daresbury, England, on 27 January 1832. The third of eleven children, he was raised in his clergyman father’s rectory for much of his youth. A talented mathematician and voracious reader, Dodgson attended Richmond Grammar School and Rugby School before studying and later lecturing at Christ Church College, Oxford. His early writing included essays, poetry and pamphlets, but it was his children’s books that would earn him fame. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland began life as a story for Alice Liddell, daughter of the Dean of Christ Church, Henry George Liddell. After regaling Alice and her friends with the tale on a boating trip, he was persuaded to write it down as a keepsake. Family friends eventually persuaded Dodgson to seek publication, and the book was published by Macmillan in 1865 under his pen name. It quickly became hugely popular and was followed by the sequel, Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, in 1871. Alice went on to become one of the best-selling children’s books in the world.
About Charles van Sandwyk
Charles van Sandwyk was born in South Africa and raised in Canada; he taught himself calligraphy and intaglio printing as a teenager. His first self-published book appeared when he was just 20, and won a national award. Since then his work has been archived by the National Library of Canada and treasured by private collectors across the world. Van Sandwyk has produced illustrations for the Folio editions of The Blue Fairy Book, The Wind in the Willows and How to See Fairies (which he both wrote and illustrated). A limited edition of Alice inWonderland, illustrated by Charles van Sandwyk, was published by The Folio Society to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first edition. It sold out rapidly.
Reviews Powered By
Average Score for 238 Review(s)
This is definitely the highest quality book in our home library (and the most expensive but I'd say worth it). The physical attributes, the way the paper feels, the binding, the protective sheath, even the thickness and texture of the cover itself are all clearly top quality. The illustrations, colors, front styles and layout of the book are even better than I expected. This will be a treasure on our shelves for a long time.
Review by
JILL J
on 12th January 2025
Wells designed and illustrated book, ideal for children and adults alike.
Review by
Brian F M
on 5th January 2025
Beautiful edition
Review by
DIANA SAMUELS
on 1st January 2025
Stunning book.
Review by
Mrs Claire Jennings
on 31st December 2024
The timeless adventures of Toad, Mole, Ratty and Badger have enchanted children and their parents for more than a century. This is a glorious edition of a children’s classic, with enchanting illustrations by Charles van Sandwyk.
A beautiful edition of Tolkien’s classic children’s story. Leaving his comfortable hobbit hole Bilbo Baggins goes on a reluctant adventure to defeat a dragon, and along the way he encounters the vile, but pathetic Gollum, and his ‘Precious’ – a ring to rule them all.
The inhabitants of the fairy realm are beautifully imagined in Charles van Sandwyk’s tales; exquisitely illustrated and brought together as a collection for the first time by The Folio Society.
Margery Williams’s affectionate tale of enduring love, The Velveteen Rabbit, has been faithfully reproduced in this beautifully designed new Folio collector’s edition.
