There's No Place Like Oz

Title: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Author: Frank L. Baum
Genre: Fiction
Quotation: “True courage is facing danger when you are afraid.”
Would recommend to: those who love adventure combined with a classic story. 

There’s nothing like watching “The Wizard of Oz” on a rainy Saturday curled up in bed…except maybe reading it.

I instantly fell in love with “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by Frank L. Baum when I read it (I’ve even given it as a gift to a couple of people). The movie terrified me as a child (flying monkeys! Who thought that was a good idea?) But the book — the book was just perfect.

I’m assuming most people have seen the movie, but not too many people have read the book. (Isn’t that how it normally goes?) And while they are very similar, there are also some huge differences, such as the color of Dorothy’s shoes. The biggest surprise change is the ending however. Now I’m not going to ruin it, but I will say she doesn’t get home just by waking up from a dream.

Originally, the book was written as commentary on the populist movement that was spreading through the nation between the late 1890s and early 1900s. It was the turn of the century and farmers and laborers alike formed the People’s Party that discussed issues involving land, railroads, money and more. Dorothy’s aunt and uncle own a farm to represent the People (farmers) and the Yellow Brick Road represents the debates going on about using gold or silver currency.

I really enjoyed reading about Oz because I understood the deeper meaning of the novel with all the footnotes included in my edition. I love love love history and reading about it in a fun format makes it all the more interesting to me.

I think if you’re a fan of the movie and would like to know more about Dorothy and what Oz really represents, you should definitely pick a copy up for yourself. It’s a short read packed with a great tale.

Happy reading,
Kimberly