The Westminster Alice: A political parody based on Lewis Carroll's Wonderland

The Westminster Alice: A political parody based on Lewis Carroll's Wonderland Review

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The Westminster Alice: A political parody based on Lewis Carroll's Wonderland Feature

Saki was the pen-name of Hector Hugh Munro, an author and playwright best known for his subtle and witty short stories. He wrote these Wonderland-inspired vignettes for the "Westminster Gazette", and in 1902 these were collected and published together as "The Westminster Alice". Saki's stories use Lewis Carroll's Wonderland to criticize and parody early twentieth-century British politics-and do so with great ingenuity and cleverness. Francis Carruthers Gould's astute illustrations add to the enjoyment. A preface and footnotes by John Alfred Spender and afterword by Hugh Cahill help guide the reader into understanding and appreciating the context of Saki's parodies-though the fun they make of politicians needs no explanation!

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Alice in Blunderland: An Iridescent Dream. An economic parody based on Lewis Carroll's Wonderland

Alice in Blunderland: An Iridescent Dream. An economic parody based on Lewis Carroll's Wonderland Review

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Alice in Blunderland: An Iridescent Dream. An economic parody based on Lewis Carroll's Wonderland Feature

John Kendrick Bangs (1862-1922) was born in Yonkers, New York, and is known for his work as an author, editor, and satirist. He worked for "Life", a number of "Harper's" periodicals, and "Puck", perhaps the foremost American humour magazine of its day. In "Alice in Blunderland: An Iridescent Dream"-first published in 1907-Bangs makes light of a range of economic issues familiar to his readers-these are quite topical and all-too familiar to today's reader as well. High taxes, corporate greed, bribery, institutional corruption, and govern­mental incompetence are amongst the themes of the book. Bangs' "Alice in Blunderland" relies more on absurdity than it does on nonsense, and some of the humour is indeed rather American. But Bangs' success is to make his reader smile wryly rather than laugh out loud-for his satire is very much on target.

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John Bull's Adventures in the Fiscal Wonderland: An economic parody based on Lewis Carroll's Wonderland

John Bull's Adventures in the Fiscal Wonderland: An economic parody based on Lewis Carroll's Wonderland Review

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John Bull's Adventures in the Fiscal Wonderland: An economic parody based on Lewis Carroll's Wonderland Feature

John Bull is the personification of Great Britain (or at least of England). He was first created in 1712 by John Arbuthnot, and eventually became a common sight in British editorial cartoons of the 19th and early 20th centuries. John is a sort of British Everyman, endowed with common sense and good intentions, who likes a pint of beer. In his trip to the Fiscal Wonder­land, John's frustrations with the bewildering nonsensi­cality of economic politics are made apparent by the author and illustrator. You don't need to be an expert in early twentieth-century British politics to enjoy John's adventures, though. The story's parody of Lewis Carroll's Wonderland books is still relevant and entertaining even a century later. Today's bankers and politicians seem not to have learned much from history. Regrettable as that is, at least Charles Geake and Francis Carruthers Gould can still make us laugh about it!

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Clara in Blunderland: A political parody based on Lewis Carroll's Wonderland

Clara in Blunderland: A political parody based on Lewis Carroll's Wonderland Review

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Clara in Blunderland: A political parody based on Lewis Carroll's Wonderland Feature

Caroline Lewis is a pen-name, that of the team of Edward Harold Begbie, J. Stafford Ransome, and M. H. Temple, who wrote both "Clara in Wonderland" and a sequel, "Lost in Wonderland". These two novels deal with British frustration and anger about the Boer War and with Britain's political leadership at the beginning of the twentieth century. -- But this book is not a stuffy study in early twentieth-century British politics -- it is a splendid parody, amusing as much for what it parodies as for its reflection of Lewis Carroll's originals, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking-Glass". Now, in 2010, more than a century from the book's first publication, "Clara in Blunderland" has to stand on its own in a way that it didn't in 1902. But it spans the century surprisingly well... Politics and politicians haven't changed much -- it seems -- in a century. That may be regrettable -- but at least Caroline Lewis can still make us laugh about it!

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Alice in Blunderland: A Parody of Alice in Wonderland (The Milford series)

Alice in Blunderland: A Parody of Alice in Wonderland (The Milford series) Review

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Alice in Blunderland: A Parody of Alice in Wonderland (The Milford series) Feature

Originally published in 1907, "Alice in Blunderland" is John Kendrick Bangs' take on the Alice story . . . redone for an American audience.

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