Wizard of Oz (Books of Wonder)

a lovely book indeed!

I had never read the book until about a year ago...there is such a difference between it and the movie...the books is ten times better(but ain't that how it goes?).

The Wizard of Oz, much like every other faerie tale, has enchanted children and adults for such a long time that one does not often think of the country it originated from. The Wizard of Oz is an American faerie tale, written in the 1900's at a time when writers were trying to assert a new American style a writing, something that would be separate and distinguished from their British and...more

The Wizard of Oz, much like every other faerie tale, has enchanted children and adults for such a long time that one does not often think of the country it originated from. The Wizard of Oz is an American faerie tale, written in the 1900's at a time when writers were trying to assert a new American style a writing, something that would be separate and distinguished from their British and European counterparts. When prompted to think of other great faerie tales, stories like Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, or Sleeping Beauty are a few that come to mind. However the difference here is that they are of European origin. I can't think of other American faerie tales that have a comparable level of fantastical events, explaining why it is such a popular and celebrated piece of American literature. European faerie tales are called fables, meaning they have an embedded moral lesson. Baum's preface insists that in his story “the stereotyped genie, dwarf, and fairy are eliminated, together with all the horrible and blood-curling incidents devised by their authors to point a fearsome moral to each tale,” (pg 6) which is far from the truth. The characters in his story are dwarfs, talking animals, and witches, among other subjects which he has animated and given life, and many encounters are particularly gory. Baum says, “Modern education includes morality; therefore the modern child seeks only entertainment in its wonder-tales and gladly dispenses with all disagreeable incident.” (pg 6) However, if the story was just for the pure entertainment of children all the strange elements that exist would be eliminated and it would not be a faerie tale anymore.   hide

Not a children's book at all but a populist response to the conservative movement and a cry to add the Silver Standard to the Gold Standard. Dorothy's shoes were originally silver.....