It could be a scene from the club's summer meal - but of course it's the Mad Hatter's tea party
July's club read was a classic of children's literature. But although some members had read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland as children, for most this was their first encounter with the book.
For all though there was a degree of familiarity with some of Alice's adventures as they have become such a part of our culture. Man were curious though about whether it could deliver for an adult reader.
There proved to be some division about whether this was a book that offered much to anyone other than a child. For its supporters, there were discernible depths that made it work at different levels. There were mathematical concepts, and elements of philosophy that were perhaps hard to fully understand, but certainly went beyond mere adventure.
Those that enjoyed the book appreciated it as an act of vivid imagination. For its fans, there was genius at work in the inventiveness of the adventures and the use of language. Much seemed like a fever dream, and it was clearly groundbreaking at publication, and still felt fresh more than a century on. It felt refreshingly subversive and challenging and clearly different to anything that had been written before. It had clearly had a profound influence on many aspects of our culture, and supporters also found the book funny and witty
For some though, Alice was more of a bad trip than a psychedelic high. Detractors felt it had little to offer the more mature reader, and struggled to see it as much more than a stream of nonsense aimed at younger minds. The adventures felt episodic and largely inconsequential despite the imaginative nature of the book. Some did bring a degree of prejudice, but felt the book failed to change their views. There was a lack of jeopardy from the randomness of events, and they also failed to find it made them laugh.
The cast of characters also led to much discussion. Although some came from compelling ideas - the disappearing Cheshire Cat and his grin for example - some members found they were at best unsympathetic, and at worst unbearable. Alice herself came across as a brat, and was hard to root for. For that reason, some felt the book lacked heart, making it hard to care about anything that was happening.
There was some discernible satire, and Carroll had undeniably created compelling images such as the Mad Hatter's Tea Party and the croquet game that etched themselves into the imagination. Some thought there may be contemporary resonances that might be lost on the modern reader, although the depiction of the despotic Queen of Hearts was one that certainly still felt relevant.
There was some comment about the book's ending which had Alice awaking from adventures that proved to be just a dream. Although members accepted that device might have been less hackneyed on Alice's original publication, it certainly felt like a cop-out now.
There was though universal praise for the book's original illustrations which helped bring it vividly alive. And despite the division, members agreed the book had produced a lively if polarising discussion.
For all though there was a degree of familiarity with some of Alice's adventures as they have become such a part of our culture. Man were curious though about whether it could deliver for an adult reader.
There proved to be some division about whether this was a book that offered much to anyone other than a child. For its supporters, there were discernible depths that made it work at different levels. There were mathematical concepts, and elements of philosophy that were perhaps hard to fully understand, but certainly went beyond mere adventure.
Those that enjoyed the book appreciated it as an act of vivid imagination. For its fans, there was genius at work in the inventiveness of the adventures and the use of language. Much seemed like a fever dream, and it was clearly groundbreaking at publication, and still felt fresh more than a century on. It felt refreshingly subversive and challenging and clearly different to anything that had been written before. It had clearly had a profound influence on many aspects of our culture, and supporters also found the book funny and witty
For some though, Alice was more of a bad trip than a psychedelic high. Detractors felt it had little to offer the more mature reader, and struggled to see it as much more than a stream of nonsense aimed at younger minds. The adventures felt episodic and largely inconsequential despite the imaginative nature of the book. Some did bring a degree of prejudice, but felt the book failed to change their views. There was a lack of jeopardy from the randomness of events, and they also failed to find it made them laugh.
The cast of characters also led to much discussion. Although some came from compelling ideas - the disappearing Cheshire Cat and his grin for example - some members found they were at best unsympathetic, and at worst unbearable. Alice herself came across as a brat, and was hard to root for. For that reason, some felt the book lacked heart, making it hard to care about anything that was happening.
There was some discernible satire, and Carroll had undeniably created compelling images such as the Mad Hatter's Tea Party and the croquet game that etched themselves into the imagination. Some thought there may be contemporary resonances that might be lost on the modern reader, although the depiction of the despotic Queen of Hearts was one that certainly still felt relevant.
There was some comment about the book's ending which had Alice awaking from adventures that proved to be just a dream. Although members accepted that device might have been less hackneyed on Alice's original publication, it certainly felt like a cop-out now.
There was though universal praise for the book's original illustrations which helped bring it vividly alive. And despite the division, members agreed the book had produced a lively if polarising discussion.
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