Audiobook #re3 - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

As you guys probably know if you have been reading the blog for a while, I have actually read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland not once, but twice. The first was back in 2010 and was an abridged version of the book (I know, there are abridged versions of books!) and the second was in 2013 and that was full of grammar mistakes. Oh, so many grammar mistakes/errors!

So when Leanne from Midas PR emailed me if I wanted to listen to Scarlett Johansson's reading of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, I said I would once I caught up with my audiobooks. And now that I have, I have downloaded, listened and am going to talk about the story and Scarlett's reading of this tale.

I think we all know the story of Alice in Wonderland. Alice falls down a rabbit hole chasing a White Rabbit. She falls into a world where she has tea with the March Hare and the Mad Hatter, playing croquet with the Queen of Hearts, meeting the Caterpillar and talking to (my fave character!) the Cheshire Cat.

As you guys are probably aware, i have very mixed feelings on this. If I had read this as a child, I would be obsessed with this story and the world (hence my love for Disney and any other version I can watch). But as an adult... well, it's really surreal. There's not much plot - but that's the point. This is a story of a young girl have a dream of a world that makes no sense. Dream logic and all.

So, Scarlett Johansson's reading of this tale. I have two feelings on this. Once I found my footing with Scarlett's voice and got use to how she read, I found myself enjoying it. It flowed and Scarlett has a voice I could listen to.

However, there were times I found her reading jarring. There were a few times Scarlett reading made me feel like she was a school governess. It was so strict and straight-laced. And I wonder at times, if it's because Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is such a British story and Scarlett is American that maybe this was the wrong story for her to narrate. I can't help but wonder if The Wonderful Wizard of Oz would have been a better choice (and if she does, I would very happily devour that! I believe Anna Hathaway has done an audiobook version of this so I will be investigating that!)...

It was a lovely reading and am intrigued over who Scarlett reads next...

Press Release - Scarlett Johansson Reads Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

I have a press release for you guys. Now, don't groan. I think you might like this. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is getting a new audiobook. Read by Scarlett Johansson. Yes, THAT Scarlett Johansson.

Audible has been very busy in the past few months, have they? Because of this, and I am quite curious over this, I'm going to just pop this press release here (thank you Midas for the press release!).

SCARLETT JOHANSSON PERFORMS ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND FOR AUDIBLE

VANESSA JOHANSSON DIRECTS HER SISTER IN A NEW RECORDING, NOW AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD AT AUDIBLE.CO.UK

February 24, 2016 – Audible Studios, a production arm of Audible.co.uk, today announced the release of Golden Globe nominee and Tony Award-Winning actress Scarlett Johansson’s audio interpretation of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. This vivacious performance of the famously fanciful tale by the star of Lost in Translation, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Girl with a Pearl Earring is now available for download at http://www.audible.co.uk/alice

Scarlett Johansson was joined in the recording studio by her sister, actress and accomplished audiobook narrator Vanessa Johansson, who served as director of this production. Vanessa has narrated dozens of audiobooks in her own right, and brought her own experience and unique perspective on the art form to the recording process.

"It was a great pleasure to work alongside my sister, Vanessa, to read aloud the great works of Lewis Carroll,” said Scarlett, who won a Tony Award in 2010 for her performance in A View from the Bridge on Broadway. “Having grown up loving the story of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and reading many books aloud with Vanessa, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to share my love for Alice with an audience. I hope that this recording is enjoyed by not only those who are existing fans of the material, but also by new and curious readers, who may just be discovering Carroll’s work for the first time.”

“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is such a deliciously whimsical and curious story,” added Vanessa, whose audiobook credits span a variety of categories including children’s books, history, fantasy, biography, fiction, self-development and more. “We had such a blast dialoguing during the recording process, thinking about the characters, and creating an audio world for this book. I hope the joy that we experienced together comes across to listeners.”

“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is a delightfully peculiar story that really comes alive when performed,” said Audible EVP and Publisher Beth Anderson. “We knew that Scarlett’s distinctive voice and exuberant characterization combined with the vision for the performance she shared with her sister Vanessa would create a recording of surpassing artistry, as befits this magical story. This is a delectable treat for listeners of all ages.”

In addition to Johansson, among the acclaimed performers who have narrated works of literature for Audible are Rosamund Pike, Dan Stevens, James Franco, Jesse Eisenberg, Jake Gyllenhaal, Kate Winslet and Tim Robbins. In 2013, Audible Studios won its first Grammy Award, for its production of Janis Ian’s memoir Society’s Child, and also won the Audie Award for Audiobook of the Year, for Colin Firth’s performance of Graham Greene’s The End of the Affair. 

Audible, the world’s largest seller and producer of downloadable audiobooks and other spoken-word content, invented and commercialized the first digital audio player in 1997, and has since been at the forefront of the explosively growing audiobook download segment. In 2015, listeners around the world downloaded 1.6 billion hours of audio from Audible; Audible members downloaded an average of more than 17 books over the course of the year. Two thirds of new Audible members are first-time audiobook buyers.

GoodRead - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

I have to admit something. I adore the Disney versions (both the animation and the Tim Burton version - "The Alice?"), but I have never read Lewis Carroll's stories of them. I knew they were two stories of Alcie adventures merged together, but never read them. So, when the lovely Emma from Book Angel Booktopia sent me a copy as a surprise (I love her because she thinks of books and shares them with people), I thought "Ok, I will have to read you in the near future." But it took reading several quite dark books and me beginning to feel I might slip into a reading slump to grab this.

I think we all know the stories. In Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Alice falls down a rabbit hole, chasing the White Rabbit. Here she meets the Dodo, had tea with the Mad Hatter and the March Hare, play croquet the Queen of Hearts and met (my fave character) the Cheshire Cat. In Through The Looking Glass, Alice walks through a mirror into world that feels like a huge chess game, meets the Red and White Queens, talk to some talking flowers, was told the tale of the Jabberwock ("She kills my Jabber-baby-wocky!?") and meets Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

It's very weird to read this as an adult because, I think, if I read this as a child, I would have loved it. And a tiny part of me love it. But while I was reading it now, as an adult, all I could think was "If Lewis Carroll tried to get this publish today, he couldn't. It would near impossible to get this publish today. So, how did this become a children's classic?" That was what I was thinking. I wondered how it became a classic. I think Disney help cement it, but I might be wrong.

It was weird. And insane. And I needed that. So, this was the perfect book to have after reading dark books as it was a relief. There was no pressure. And, I watched Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland and I kept going "Oh, this was in Alice in Wonderland" or "Oh! That's why her knights are chess pieces!" or "So, that's why we have the Bandersnatch, the Jubjub Bird and the Vorpal Sword! They're mentioned in the Jabberwocky poem!" (I didn't know Lewis Carroll wrote the Jabberworky poem so this was very new information for me!)

I did have issues when I first finished the book but, since then, I have watched an Alice In Wonderland so some of my issues have gone. Bar one. And this is aimed more at the publishers than you guys so...

To my knowledge, before a book gets published, publishers have editors and proofreaders to read the book and make sure that there are no mistakes in the book. However, I found TONS of mistakes. TONS! Most of them were grammar mistakes (for example, Alice would think something and then she would speak. Expect you had no idea when the thought ended and the speaking began because there was no quotation marks at the start of Alice speaking. Or the one sentence when Alice was playing croquet and the sentence read She she went in search of her hedgehog. Sorry, but she she? Only one she is needed). Small mistakes and yet, these slipped through and they got published. If this happened once or twice, I would have let it go, but these kind of mistakes happened ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE BOOKS! And that is very annoying to a reader. Well, to this reader. I can't speak for all of you guys.

I know this happens rarely (this is the first book that this has happened since I have started blogging - if not, ever!) but it's makes reading the book harder as you're going "Is that how it's meant to be...?"

While I do like it and I now truly "get" the Alice movies, I have been bought up on the Disney movies so my love is going towards them. But, if you want to read what the movies are based on, then get your hands on a copy (maybe not this edition, if you can help it)...

Fancy a Cup of Tea?

GoodRead - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Abridged)

We all know the basic story of “Alice in Wonderland” and most of us have seen the new Disney film “Alice in Wonderland”, directed by Tim Burton.

But have you ever read the novel that this story has come from, “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” or its sequel, “Alice Through the Looking-Glass”?

No? Neither had I, till one of my work mates (Thanks Joe!) lent me his “abridged” copy of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”.

And… yeah… it’s as weird as I suspected! It was a fast read, but a weird read nevertheless. It’s not like either Disney’s films but you see traces of the original source in there.

I’m not sure how I can review this book if I am totally honest with you. I wish I could, but I have no idea where to start or end! SORRY!!!

Odeon Cinemas Vs Disney's Alice in Wonderland

So, if you don't live in the UK, Ireland or Italy, you may have no idea what's going on. So, let me give you the info.

A large chain of cinemas have decided that they are not going to be showing Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland". The reason for this is that Disney wants a shorter time for the film to be at the cinema so there is a shorter wait for the film to come out on DVD (which is rumoured to come out at the end of May.) This would, also, beat piracy, according to Disney.

The usual amount of time that a film is out in the cinema is around 17 weeks.

Now, Odeon reason for this is that Disney (rumour has it) gave all cinemas a "Take It Or Leave It" stand on it. Plus, Odeon have said that this would "...set a new benchmark, leading to a 12-week window becoming rapidly standard".

Two other main UK cinema chains considered boycotting the film too: VUE and Cineworld. But Cineworld managed to set up an independent agreement with Disney and Vue is said to have also made an agreement also.

So, Odeon is not going to show the film in its cinemas throughout the UK, Ireland and Italy.

Rant time now. WTF?!

Okay, I accept that what Disney did with the rumoured "Take It Or Leave It" stand is wrong. There is always room to make a new agreement.

BUT, Odeon has SERIOUSLY shoot itself in the foot! And is making itself the bad guy in this whole situation!

For one thing, we all know that Alice will be a whole money making machine, and a small amount of money that the cinema gains from these viewings (2D and 3D) and on the food bought, is lost. Odeon is a BUSINESS and a business main goal is to MAKE A PROFIT!

The second thing is, it will drive people away to cinemas that will be showing the movies and risk losing those customers forever! Can the Odeon really risk that?

The third thing - and to me, this is important! - some people don't have the choice to go to other cinema to watch Alice. They might only have the Odean and that means that person won't have the chance to see this film. It's about that person's CHOICE to see the film, and if they can't because their local cinema won't show it, then surely that's not fair on the person.

My friends and I were planning to go to the Odeon near where we work because it's close to where we work. But, because of this, we are rethinking our plans and this is too much effort. The two nearest us is one in one direction (near one friend's house) and the other is in the other direction (near where I live). Both are about a 20 minute drive from where we work. At least we have a chance to change our minds and say "We'll try there."

Most people can't. And that's the point I'm trying to make.

I understand why Odeon are worried over this and I understand why Disney want to change this, but this, to me, isn't about money. It's about someone wanting to enjoy themselves! To me, this is pointless and business will be lost on both sides.

But with the ways things are, neither side will back and it will be the public that will suffer.

And to me, that's not right.