Life and Letters of Lewis Carroll

What it is

This is a biography of Lewis Carroll written by his nephew Stuart Dodgson Collingwood, published in 1898, shortly after Carroll's death. It draws on Carroll's letters, diary extracts and photographs, and was dedicated to the "child friends" of Lewis Carroll.

Why it matters

As the first biography of Carroll, written by a family member with access to his private papers, it shaped how later generations understood his life and personality. It matters both as a source of facts and as an example of how families controlled the public memory of a famous relative soon after death.

Look closer

• Why might a nephew be especially trusted, or especially careful, in writing about a famous relative?
• What might be left out of a biography written so soon after its subject's death?
• How does the preface's apology for possible errors affect how much you trust the book?