Literary Wonderlands is a thoroughly researched, wonderfully written, and beautifully produced book that spans two thousand years of creative endeavor. From Spenser's The Fairie Queene to Wells's The Time Machine to Murakami's 1Q84 it explores the timeless and captivating features of fiction's imagined worlds including the relevance of the writer's own life to the creation of the story, influential contemporary events and philosophies, and the meaning that can be extracted from the details of the work.
With hundreds of pieces of original artwork, illustration and cartography, as well as a detailed overview of the plot and a "Dramatis Personae" for each work, Literary Wonderlands is a fascinating read for lovers of literature, fantasy, and science fiction.
From the advent of the first works of literature many millennia ago, writers have used imaginary worlds both to entertain their readers as well as to examine social concepts, highlight key issues of humanity, examine their environments, and consider their personal beliefs. Thoroughly researched, wonderfully written, and beautifully produced, Literary Wonderlands explores 100 of the most fantastic and influential fictional worlds in literary history and delves into the captivating features of their formation and creation including the writer's own life and the relevance of contemporary events, movements, and philosophies, and the meaning that can be extracted from the details of the composition. The 100 entries include original archive artwork, illustrations, and cartography, along with a detailed overview of the story and a "Dramatis Personae." This truly global collection draws on texts from around the world, spanning over two thousand years of creative endeavor. Roaming from well-known worlds to less traversed terrain, Literary Wonderlands is a fascinating read for lovers of fantasy, history, and anyone fascinated with imaginary literary realms.
