Susie's Leaning Tower of Chocolate for 2010 January 12

A few weeks ago at a family party, we were discussing the new Alice in Wonderland movie and I heard it said that the movie was finally being made as the drug-induced fantasy intended by Lewis Carroll. I just finished reading Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There and I must say I don't think that's what he intended at all. The books are a little wacky, but not at all creepy and really no different than any other book with a dream sequence. They are actually quite logical and clever and fun.

Just to make sure, I went back and read the introduction to my book (The Complete Illustrated Works of Lewis Carroll) and sure enough - Alice's Adventures Underground was composed on the fly on a boating outing where Carroll was entertaining 3 young girls (One named Alice, believe it or not). The original, handwritten manuscript is included later in my book, so I'll get to that soon.

Also, I looked up the movie and it is apparently a sequel, where Alice returns to Wonderland as an adult and "learns of her true destiny: to end the Red Queen's reign of terror." Not that the movie doesn't look fabulous (and creepy). But I don't think it's closer to the book than other versions. Especially since the entire plot is different.

Next up: The Hunting of the Snark. Perhaps I should get out the soundtrack and indoctrinate Maggie. A boojum, indeed.