ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND (commonly shortened to Alice in
Wonderland) is an 1865 novel written by English author Charles Lutwidge
Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. It tells of a girl named
Alice falling through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by
peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures. The tale plays with logic, giving
the story lasting popularity with adults as well as with children. It is
considered to be one of the best examples of the literary nonsense
genre. Its narrative course and structure, characters and imagery have
been enormously influential in both popular culture and literature,
especially in the fantasy genre.
Dodgson's tale was published in 1865 as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
by "Lewis Carroll" with illustrations by John Tenniel. The first print
run of 2,000 was held back because Tenniel objected to the print
quality. A new edition was quickly printed, released in December of the
same year but carrying an 1866 date.
The entire print run sold out quickly. Alice was a publishing sensation,
beloved by children and adults alike. Among its first avid readers were
Queen Victoria and the young Oscar Wilde. The book has never been out of
print. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland has been translated into at
least 174 languages. There have now been over a hundred English-language
editions of the book, as well as countless adaptations in other media,
especially theatre and film.