A glorious collection that delves deep into the inception, influences, and literary and historical underpinnings of nearly 100 of our most beloved fictional realms. Literary Wonderlandsis a thoroughly researched, wonderfully written, and beautifully produced book that spans four thousand years of creative endeavor. From Spenser'sThe Fairie Queeneto Wells'sThe Time Machineto Murakami's1Q84it 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. Each piece includes a detailed overview of the plot and a "Dramatis Personae."Literary Wonderlandsis a fascinating read for lovers of literature, fantasy, and science fiction. Laura Milleris the book's general editor. Co-founder of Salon. com, where she worked as an editor and writer for 20 years, she is currently a books and culture columnist atSlate. A journalist and a critic, her work has appeared in theNew Yorker, Harper's, theGuardian, and theNew York Times Book Review, where she wrote the "Last Word" column for two years. She is the author ofThe Magician's Book: A Skeptic's Adventures in Narniaand editor of theSalon. com Reader's Guide to Contemporary Authors. | Literary Wonderlands by Laura Miller, Hardcover | Indigo Chapters