Alice in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass

By: Lewis Carroll

Narrated by: Ralph Cosham

First published in 1865, The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland was an immediate success. Carroll's sense of the absurd and his amazing gift for games of logic and language have made the Alice books popular with both adults and children, and they have remained some of the best-known children's books written in English. Commuters Library recaptures the magic in this superb unabridged reading. Follow Alice down the rabbit hole; go with her to meet the Caterpillar, the Mad-Hatter, the Mock Turtle, and the Queen of Hearts. The journey is as strange and wonderful as it has always been.

Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There stands alone as a great work of fantasy. Written six years after The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland, it is in many ways a more complex and far-ranging story. In the backward land of the looking glass, hear the story of the Jabberwocky and be the guest of Tweedledum and Tweedledee and confront Humpty Dumpty who scornfully states, "When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean: neither more nor less."

(P)2002 Commuters Library

Critic reviews

"Only Lewis Carroll has shown us the world upside down as a child sees it, and has made us laugh as children, irresponsibly." (Virginia Woolf)
"Cosham's ability to follow the sinuous curves of sentences and his dignified but dramatic sense of pacing make this a thoroughly satisfying listening experience." (Booklist)

beautiful classic

amazing to see the very very different story between Carroll and Disney something's Disney did great, but other places I prefer here in the book. have to read to find out

The Best Narration

What made the experience of listening to Alice in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass the most enjoyable?

This is by far the best narration of Alice in Wonderland. --"I do wish they would update the book cover" said Alice, "It is rather old and one can barely tell what the picture holds. Oh Audible! listen to your listeners, they are so very kind and give you much money to do so."--

Who was your favorite character and why?

I love the Mad Hatter and gibberish he can come up with.

Which scene was your favorite?

It has to be the never ending tea party. JOY!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Laugh for sure but I did not break out in hives or anything like that.

A Subtle and Clear and Engaging Alice

Ralph Cosham does a fine job of reading Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, using a clear and engaging voice and avoiding trying to do too much. That is, he does not strain to alter his voice too much for the different bizarre characters, sticking close to his appealing natural speaking voice, while at the same time expressing plenty of emotion and color, depending on the situation. I like his approach, because it allows me to savor Carroll's text more fully than do the readers of some other versions available through audible.com, readers who change their voices for the different characters to an almost grotesque and distracting degree.

And the text, of course, is wonderful: full of Carroll's unique blend of nonsensical logic and logical nonsense and philosophical conundrums and questioning of identity and reality and language and humorous parodies and dreamy and nightmarish fantasy and melancholy love and sweet nostalgia, all revealed through the many funny and colorful, severe or rude or mad or childish adult-figures through whom Carroll fascinatingly interacts with Alice.

There are three minor problems with this audio book, however, that prevent me from giving it five stars. First, the sound is a little muffled. Second, no sooner does Cosham read the last word of one chapter than, without enough of a blank space, or pause, his voice startles the listener by saying the chapter number and title of the next chapter. Finally, the moving and beautiful closing poem that Carroll wrote for the end of Through the Looking Glass is missing from the audio book. Nevertheless, I recommend this audio book for being perhaps the best one (in price and quality) among the unabridged versions available through audible.com.

Enjoyable-well Narrated but…

The sound quality wasn’t close to what Audible typically puts out.
The chapter breaks we’re off too.
Great narration though!

Utter nonsense

Exactly what you expect from Wonderland and Ralph Cosham reads it wonderfully. Through the looking glass is by far one of the most confusing and difficult reads I've ever experienced.

Always one of the best

A wonderful audio adaptation!
Just s magical experience all round. This is one of the best versions around, highly recommended.

Most Satisfactory

Nicely read version of a classic set of tales. A very fine deal for the price. Good stuff.

Ralph Cosham!

Honestly I think I could listen to Ralph Cosham read the dictionary and be enthralled the entire time

Not My Favorite Fantasy

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I recognize that this is a classic, but I don't seem to be able to find the merry part of the madness in it.

Did Ralph Cosham do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

I didn't find anything striking or inspiring about the vocal performance.

Did Alice in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass inspire you to do anything?

Perhaps I reacted badly to Alice being constantly contradicted.

Any additional comments?

Some people react badly to the Lord of the Rings. I think this one is mine. I feel badly, as if I "ought" to be able to love it or enjoy it, but it justleaves me cold,

Kid Story

Major Kids story. Did not enjoy much