Lewis Carroll: A Biography: Amazon.ca: Morton N. Cohen: Books

Product Description

From Publishers Weekly

Biography of the multitalented author and mathematician.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

In his time, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson was known to the world as an outstanding pioneer photographer of children, particularly of female children, as well as for being the author Lewis Carroll. One of Dodgson's "child-friends," Alice Lidell, served as the inspiraton for his literary Alice. These child-friend associations subjected Dodgson to public scrutiny, gossip, and suspicion concerning his emotional and sexual proclivities, suppressed though they may have been. Dodgson chose to "let them talk." Biographer Cohen (Lewis Carroll: Interviews and Recollections, Univ. of Iowa Pr., 1988) uses previously unavailable family and personal documents, diaries, and letters to show that the shy bachelor Dodgson, Oxford mathematics don and lecturer, held himself to the strictest of moral codes. While Lewis Carroll has been probed and analyzed by countless writers (see, for instance, John Pudney's Lewis Carroll and His World, 1976), this book is about the intimate and complex life of the man behind all those who lived on the other side of the looking glass. Recommended for all literature collections.?Robert L. Kelly, Fort Wayne Community Schs., Ind.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Customer Reviews

11 Reviews

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
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Average Customer Review

4.5 out of 5 stars (11 customer reviews)

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2.0 out of 5 stars Cohen has so many questions to answer, April 29 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Lewis Carroll: A Biography (Paperback)

Cohen's book was seriously challenged by the publication of Karoline Leach's 'In the Shadow of the Dreamchild'. We Carrollians have been waiting for five years now for Cohen to update his book in response. He needs to do so.

Is he going to rebut Leach's claims that the whole in-love-with-Alice-story is a myth? What is his response to the amazing discovery of the 'cut pages in diary' document? What does he say to Leach's claims that Dodgson befriended numerous adult women and was probably sexually normal?

I for one and many like me are very keen to know where this debate is going. Mr Cohen has promised a reply 'soon'. But when is 'soon?'

We need an updated version of this book. Until then I have to give the book just two stars, though I'd like to give more.

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5.0 out of 5 stars a lyrical work on a complex man, April 22 2004

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Laura (Westminster, MD United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lewis Carroll: A Biography (Paperback)

I first picked up this book from the local library as a ninth grader not even particularly fond of the Alice books- I think I just liked the cover. I ended up checking the book out many times afterwards, reading and rereading it. This book is beautifully written, and paints a fair and thorough picture of a quietly tormented genius. I would recommend this book to anyone, not just "Alice" lovers.

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5.0 out of 5 stars The Definitive Biography, May 28 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Lewis Carroll: A Biography (Paperback)

Cohen is clearly the world's foremost authority on Lewis Carroll, and his biography of this fascinating author is a rich amalgam of factual detail and careful analysis, supplemented with many interesting photographs.

Unlike the narrow thesis-driven Leach book, this biography provides a well-rounded and comprehensive portrait of Carroll the man and author.

Cohen has done more to establish the factual details of Carroll's life and work than anyone else, thanks to this biography and to his scrupulous editions of Carroll's letters.

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Most recent customer reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars out-dated but still worth a look
Since the publication of Leach's 'In the Shadow of the Dreamchild', Cohen's central thesis about Carrol's sexuality has become out of date and a little embarrassing. Read more

Published on Dec 15 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely fascinating!
If you are interested in Lewis Carroll and his Alice books get this volume. The day I obtained my copy I began reading at midnight and continued to daylight. Read more

Published on July 21 2001