Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll (1832-1898) was the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, an English author, mathematician, and photographer, best known for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass. His playful, logical, endlessly inventive nonsense created some of the most beloved children's books ever written.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland follows a curious girl who falls down a rabbit hole into a topsy-turvy world of talking creatures, riddles, and impossible logic — the White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter, and the Queen of Hearts. Carroll also wrote the wonderful nonsense poem 'The Hunting of the Snark' and the epic 'Jabberwocky.'
A shy Oxford mathematics don, Dodgson invented the Alice stories to entertain the young daughters of a colleague. His delight in wordplay, paradox, and logical puzzles gives the books a depth that fascinates adults as much as children.
His prose is charming and clear, and our editions present it beautifully. Read the opening free, and read or listen with a membership.
Lewis Carroll in the library · 1 work
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Frequently asked questions about Lewis Carroll
What did Lewis Carroll write?
Carroll is famous for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel, Through the Looking-Glass. He also wrote the long nonsense poem 'The Hunting of the Snark,' the novel Sylvie and Bruno, and, under his real name, works on mathematics and logic. The two Alice books are his enduring masterpieces.
Where should I start with Lewis Carroll?
Start with Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, the original and most famous of his works. Through the Looking-Glass is the equally delightful sequel and contains the poem 'Jabberwocky.' Both are short, funny, and endlessly imaginative, and can be enjoyed by readers of any age.
What is Alice in Wonderland about?
It follows a young girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit hole into Wonderland, a strange and dreamlike world governed by absurd logic and inhabited by unforgettable characters. As she grows and shrinks and meets creatures like the Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts, the story delights in wordplay, riddles, and playful nonsense. It works both as a children's fantasy and as a witty puzzle for adults.
Was Lewis Carroll really a mathematician?
Yes — under his real name, Charles Dodgson, he was a lecturer in mathematics at Oxford and published serious works on logic and geometry. His love of logic, paradox, and precise language runs all through the Alice books, which are full of clever puzzles and games with meaning. The two sides of his mind — mathematician and storyteller — are inseparable in his work.
Are the Alice books hard to read?
Not at all — they are short, funny, and written in clear, charming prose. Their playfulness with logic and language is a delight rather than an obstacle, though some Victorian jokes and references may be unfamiliar. A clear modern edition keeps all the wit and whimsy intact.
When did Lewis Carroll live?
Carroll lived from 1832 to 1898. He published Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in 1865 and Through the Looking-Glass in 1871. He spent his career as a mathematics don at Christ Church, Oxford, writing his famous children's books alongside his academic work.
Where can I read Lewis Carroll for free?
The Alice books and Carroll's other works are in the public domain and freely available. Older editions keep the original text and illustrations. Here you can read the opening free in clear modern English, and read or listen with a membership.
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