Book of the Month - September 2013

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson), first published in July 1865, is a tale of summer. Nicholas Williams’ Irish language translation was published in 2003 under the title Eachtraí Eilíse i dTír na nIontas. Many of the characters in the book belong to a pack of cards.

Lastall den Scáthán agus a bhFuair Eilís Ann Roimpi is a winter’s tale. This translation of Carroll’s second Alice book, Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, published in December 1871, was also done by Nicholas Williams. Much of this second story is based on a game of chess.

Here is a taste of the book’s style:

“Don’t stand chattering to yourself like that,” Humpty Dumpty said, looking at her for the first time, “but tell me your name and your business.”
“My name is Alice, but—”
“It’s a stupid name enough!” Humpty Dumpty interrupted impatiently.
“What does it mean?” “Must a name mean something?” Alice asked doubtfully
“Of course it must,” Humpty Dumpty said with a short laugh: “my name means the shape I am—and a good handsome shape it is, too. With a name like yours, you might be any shape, almost.”

In the video below, Órla Ní Chuilleanáin reads an extract from Lastall den Scáthán agus a bhFuair Eilís Ann Roimpi, which was book of the month on ClubLeabhar.com in September 2013.