'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' is far and away my favourite book of all time. For some reason though, I'd never read the original, shorter version - until now. First off, I have to say I am completely in love with this facsimile edition - actually seeing Carroll's own written words and drawings is amazing. I also love the last page of the book, where he refers to the real-life Alice. That adds a whole other dimension to the book and makes you realize that this was meant as a private gift, not a book meant for publication. However, I have to admit I don't like this edition nearly as much as I do the later, published edition. Many of my favourite parts (most notably the mad tea party) aren't in this original version. And of course it's just a lot shorter overall - too short really, to draw you into Wonderland.

Super strange, defiantly not something that i personally see as anything necessary at all, but i do see why some people might love this story, and i do see the potential for it as a beautiful illustrated picture book. I am sure that adds another layer to it that makes the story that much more enjoyable.

I grew up watching and reading Alice in Wonderland so going back to this world felt amazing

It was so interesting to see this version of the story. There is just something so fascinating about reading a story written in the author's own hand and with his original illustrations. Plus the differences between this 2nd version and the version best well known today. I also loved getting to read his notes and additional thoughts. A definite must-read for any Alice aficionados.

Love the extra information and the re-imaging of the illustrations

I love Alice in Wonderland. I love the cheesy Disney movie, the not-so-great Tim Burton adaptation (I’m very much looking forward to the sequel) and the fairly surreal (and somewhat unnerving) 1998 Alice through the Looking Glass. So of course I do very much enjoy the book itself. When I saw the opportunity to purchase this anniversary edition of the original manuscript, I took it.

This story is significantly more simple than the more widely known Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.It’s missing some of the more well known scenes, such as the Mad Tea Party and the encounter with the Cheshire cat. However, it is still an enjoyable and amusing read, as it follows Alice and her frustrating attempts to get into the garden and never seeming to be the proper Alice-sized Alice. While reading it, it was far to easy to imagine a silly man telling such a whimsical story for the entertainment of little girls.

I rate this story 5/5 stars. It was so very delightful, and as it is a children’s book, it was a very fast read. It combines nonsense with a silly sense of humor and is sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face. I always wondered how it was that Charles Dodgson was able to tell such a whimsical tale to three young girls, and now having read it, I understand.

A great foundation for the beloved fleshed out future novel that this evolved into.