Lewis Carroll.

Charles Lutwidge Dodgson was born on January 27, 1832 in Daresbury, Cheshire, England, the eldest boy among 11 children. His father, a clergyman, raised the family in the rectory. As a boy, Carroll excelled in mathematics and won many academic prizes. He was educated at Richmond School and Rugby School before attending Christ Church at the University of Oxford.

In 1865, Carroll published Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, which grew from a story he told Alice Liddell and her sisters during a picnic. The book became a steady success, leading to the sequel Through the Looking-Glass in 1871. He also wrote The Hunting of the Snark, a masterpiece of literary nonsense. Beyond writing, Carroll was a skilled photographer, creating portraits of notable figures such as the actress Ellen Terry and the poet Alfred Tennyson. He lectured in mathematics at Christ Church from 1855 to 1881.

Carroll suffered from a stammer but found himself fluent when speaking with children. He never married and maintained close friendships with young girls, most notably Alice Liddell, daughter of Henry George Liddell. These relationships have sparked speculation, but little evidence of misconduct exists. He had 10 siblings, including three brothers and seven sisters, and was known for his shy and withdrawn nature.

By the time of his death in 1898, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland had become the most popular children’s book in England, and by 1932, one of the most popular worldwide. Carroll’s works influenced many later authors, including Neil Gaiman, who referenced the Cheshire Cat in his novel The Ocean at the End of the Lane. He coined words such as jabberwocky, chortle, and galumph, which entered the English language. In 2025, the 160th anniversary of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was celebrated with events in Oxford. He is remembered as the creator of the whimsical world of Wonderland.