On July 4, 1862, a young deacon, who taught Mathematics at Christ Church College in Oxford, took a trip with the three little daughters of a clergyman. The cheerful party went rowing until late in the afternoon, with laughter, joy, songs, and stories. And, on that memorable day, amidst the sunny waters of the river, 'Alice' was born.

'Alice', the heroine who would become as legendary as Cinderella and Snow White, who would be adored by generations and charm millions of readers from every country and every age. The two books by Lewis Carroll that resulted are now classics.

In the first, 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland', the little heroine gets lost in a captivating dream, in a fairy-tale country; in the second, 'Through the Looking-Glass', she experiences the most bizarre adventures in an inverted reality.

Written with humor and tenderness, brilliantly, sensitively, and multilayered, these works undoubtedly enrich the way we see and think about things. Today, the 'spirit' of 'Alice' is an integral part of European culture: it will forever continue to immerse us in the wonderful world of imagination and inspire future generations.

[Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]