This year marks 20 years since Karoline Leach's groundbreaking research...

It really is 20 years since Leach's In the Shadow of the Dreamchild. 

Can you believe? Where's the time gone? 

I'm extremely thankful for this research as I'm sure many of us are. It contextualised Dodgson in his era and pointed out gaping holes in prior biographies. 

Its influence can still be felt now in Carroll academia as it spurred Jenny Woolf's concise biography and analysis and later influenced Edward Wakeling's analysis of Dodgson's letter circle.

Not bad for something 20 years ago was being called to be forgotten by older scholars who hated to see holes in their research being exposed. 

Perhaps the only downside in this is the split among Carroll scholars: one which is slowly being repaired over time as more experts are influenced by Leach. 

I only wish Leach's research had impacted the general public's view of Mr Dodgson and fiction about him. That seems to be stuck in a pre Leach time limbo at the moment. Here's hoping that changes soon.

Happy 20th anniversary, In the Shadow of the Dreamchild!

Happy 4th of July!

Happy July the 4th!

Here's some of Dodgson's first sketches for Alice's adventures Underground. 

Summer of  1862. 

Charles Dodgson  is telling the ‘Alice’  story to the three famous sisters, Ina, Alice and Edith Liddell,  while  on their famous river-trips.  Indications are the girls  loved  the tale and were always begging for new instalments, but that Dodgson was less enthusiastic (on one occasion he calls  it the ‘interminable’ Alice’s Adventures, and is peeved because he wants to sing them a new song he just made up instead). At around the same time Alice asks him to write her story down. He promises he will do so.

(Essay quote from Karoline Leach)