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Alice in Wonderland has always seemed to me to be the most adult of children’s stories. Maybe it’s because I didn’t actually read it until I myself became an adult. Although, the truth is I didn’t read most children’s stories until I became an adult. Which is strange. I’ve always been an avid reader. My mother or some relative told me that I came home from kindergarden or maybe even pre-school angry because they weren’t teaching us to read. I don’t remember that (or really any of my childhood), but I can certainly believe it.

Somehow though despite a life-long love of reading, I don’t remember being read fairy tales or having them in the house. There was a Dr. Seuss book or two I think, and I remember looking at pictures of snakes in the encyclopedia, but that’s about it. I wonder if there were other books and stories that I’m not remembering.

I finally got around to reading Alice a few years ago. I must have checked it out from the library or something because despite reading and enjoying it, I didn’t have a copy. Anyway, about six months ago I decided I really wanted a copy, so I purchased the Annotated Alice: The Definitive Edition. I’ve yet to so much as crack it, but I’m really looking forward to it though once I get through my stack of books.

This is all a round about way of saying I was very interested in the background of the Alice books that Ultimate Insult pointed me towards.