Είναι ακριβώς πάνω 5 χρόνια από τότε που η κόρη μου και εγώ (στα τακούνια του Τιμ Μπάρτον 200 million dollar Αλίκη στη χώρα των θαυμάτων movie that has grossed a whopping $1,025,467,110 μέχρι σήμερα) self-published Η Ρεάλ Αλίκη στη Χώρα των Θαυμάτων. το βιβλίο μας αφηγείται την ιστορία πίσω από τη δημοσίευση του χειρόγραφο, χέρι-απεικονίζεται πρωτότυπο χειρόγραφο, Περιπέτειες της Αλίκης του υπόγειου, which Lewis Carroll gave as an early Christmas present to our relative Alice Liddell in 1864. We had originally developed Η Ρεάλ Αλίκη στη Χώρα των Θαυμάτων biography in 2008 in response to an Alice In Wonderland school book day event. “Mom, how are we related to Alice Liddell?” A successful school presentation became a fun series of workshops that somehow became a real book in development. Τότε, shortly after Disney’s Αλίκη στη χώρα των θαυμάτων movie was announced in 2009, we presented our labor of love to a few bookstores, including some very important book people at 122 Fifth Avenue, Νέα Υόρκη (Barnes and Noble Corporate Headquarters). They totally got it and we got the heads up to print lots and lots of copies of our very lush coffee table masterpiece. “Don’t be late for the March 5 (2010) date,” I recall my salesman Jan Russo saying – Μάρτιος 5 was Disney’s release date for Αλίκη στη χώρα των θαυμάτων and the date on which our book was to be merchandised instore alongside Disney’s extensive selection of Alice movie books featuring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Αν Χάθαγουεϊ, Mia Wasikowska and all movie things Η Αλίκη στη χώρα των θαυμάτων. The consumer could be impulsive at point of sale. Hmm, liked the movie. This must be the backstory. Δούλεψε. Everything’s about timing.
Πέρυσι, the British Library (the original manuscript’s primary residence in England) allowed the 90 page green morocco bound book, Περιπέτειες της Αλίκης του υπόγειου, to be exhibited at The Morgan Museum in Manhattan. “Αλίκη” was turning 150 years old and all the world (including New York City) was celebrating what most consider to be the biggest children’s book of all time. Over the years since then, much has changed in the publishing businesses. Our self-publisher Author House is now owned by Penguin Random House. Most of our wonderful brick and mortar bookstores have disappeared. Less and less movies get theatrical releases. Paper represents a much higher risk than ever before and so one thinks very carefully about book promotions in brick and mortar outlets. And whatever happened to book and movie reviewers? One thing’s a given – marketing is still about timing. What could be bigger than piggy backing 150 years of Alice – why another blockbuster Disney movie of course? I don’t wish to jinx things, but I’m guessing that’s the case here.
Take 2 – Alice Through the Looking Glass opens in cinemas nationally on May 27, and around about the same date, Η Ρεάλ Αλίκη στη χώρα των θαυμάτων will be available in Barnes and Noble stores (and of course at www.barnesandnoble.com) nationally. I agree with Pink (who sings the Jefferson Airplane’s “λευκό κουνέλι” hit on the trailer): “I like quirky, I like weird,” και Η Αλίκη στη χώρα των θαυμάτων is a story that really allows us to let our imaginations run wild. In creating Η Ρεάλ Αλίκη στη Χώρα των Θαυμάτων βιβλίο, we had to do just that. How do you follow serious academics like Anne Clark (The Real Alice) and Colin Gordon (Beyond the Looking Glass) with yet another biography? “Feed your Head”…….my translation – use your imagination!
We sought a different treatment for our biography. A format that was widely accessible. Σε Η Ρεάλ Αλίκη στη Χώρα των Θαυμάτων βιβλίο, we juxtaposed pictures of everything–from Oxford University’s scenery where the story begins to pictures of the real Alice, the fictional Alice and Lewis Carroll, to a host of illustrations from the Alice books, to original illustrations created for our publication; with everything framed in the rich Victoriana art which inspired that period in history. Our goal was to give readers a visual feast, take them on a great adventure back in time, drag them down the rabbit hole and inspire their imaginations; or as Booklist said in its book review, “a browser’s delight that gives both a sense of the times as well as a look at its subjects.”
Και έτσι 5 χρόνια μετά, it is once again time for a little madness on May 27……”when the day becomes the night and the sky becomes the sea, when the clock strikes heavy and there’s no time for tea, and in the darkest hour, before my final rhyme, we will come back home to Wonderland and turn back the hands of time.”
Μετά από όλα – You’ve been gone too long Alice. Friends cannot be neglected.
(All photos are courtesy of CMRubinWorld and Η Ρεάλ Αλίκη στη Χώρα των Θαυμάτων)
Η Ρεάλ Αλίκη στη χώρα των θαυμάτων is available at Barnes and Noble stores and www.barnesandnoble.com/
C. M. Rubin είναι ο συγγραφέας των δύο πολυδιαβασμένα online σειρά για την οποία έλαβε ένα 2011 Βραβείο Upton Sinclair, “Η Σφαιρική Αναζήτηση για Εκπαίδευση” και “Πώς θα μας Διαβάστε?” Είναι επίσης ο συγγραφέας του μπεστ σέλερ τρία βιβλία, Συμπεριλαμβανομένων Η Ρεάλ Αλίκη στη Χώρα των Θαυμάτων, Είναι ο εκδότης του CMRubinWorld, και είναι ένα Ίδρυμα Fellow δι'υπερήχων.
Ακολουθήστε C. M. Rubin στο Twitter: www.twitter.com/@cmrubinworld
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