R. C. Evarts (1890–1972)

My first thought upon finishing was 'what an odd little book.' Originally written in 1913 (though it definitely doesn't read like it), the book is a parody of Alice in Wonderland. It's definitely amusing and I like the drawings scattered throughout the book. My only issue is that there were a ton of in jokes (obviously for the benefit of ivy league readers from the time) that I totally didn't get. Overall, not bad, especially if you're an Alice fan.

The history behind the republication of this is about as interesting as the book itself. It's a charming little parody, but does require more inside knowledge of Harvard-Cambridge rivalry than I cared to look up. Many of the rhymes translate equally well to general collegiate life, but it's pithy, rather than clever, and I found myself wishing it was either longer or footnoted. A curiosity that will appeal to the hard-core Alice scholar, but few others.

Hilarious, and an interesting historical perspective.