Inventing Wonderland
The Lives of Lewis Carroll, Edward Lear, J.M. Barrie, Kenneth Grahame and A.A. Milne
Jackie Wullschläger
A beautifully written journey through the lives and minds of the most acclaimed children's authors of all time
Between 1865 and 1930, Lewis Carroll, Edward Lear, J.M. Barrie, Kenneth Grahame and A.A. Milne, five writers who could not grow up, transformed their longing for childhood into a literary revolution. Their enchanting, mythical fantasies still hold sway over us today. Their catchphrases - 'messing about in boats', 'time for a little something' - have entered everyday speech and their characters - Peter Pan, Toad, Eeyore - are powerful contemporary archetypes. What made five eccentric men escape from Victorian and Edwardian England into the wild, anarchic landscapes of the imagination? Who were the child-models and muses that led them there, and why were their relationships with the writers so tangled and intense? In this revised and updated edition of her acclaimed collective biography, Jackie Wullschläger explores the lives behind the fantasies, drawing on letters, memoirs and diaries that are deeply revealing. "An illuminating collective biography ... the men who imagined the wonderlands live on" Daily Mail "A spirited guide to the Golden Age of children's literature ... a richly entertaining book" The Times "Fascinating ... Wullschläger's delight in their work and the excellence of her criticism make Inventing Wonderland a joy to read, as well as providing much food for thought" Daily Telegraph "Mesmerising" Literary Review
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About Jackie Wullschläger Jackie Wullschläger was born in London in 1962 and educated at University College, Oxford. She is a literary critic and features writer with the Financial Times, and has written extensively on children's literature. Her biography of Hans Christian Anderson was published to huge acclaim in November 2000. She is married, with a daughter, and lives in London and Brussels.
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