Tag Archives: l. frank baum

Thinking Theosophically

Posted on March 20, 2011 by

Madame Blavatsky’s Baboon: A History of the Mystics, Mediums, and Misfits Who Brought Spiritualism to America, by Peter Washington – This book examines the history of Theosophy, the spiritual movement founded by Helena Blavatsky. I said a bit about her … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Religion, Theosophy | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Oz on Strike

Posted on March 16, 2011 by

This tweet from Seth MacFarlane made me think of this scene from the 1910 Wizard of Oz, because I’m weird like that. Of course, neither of these are canonical as far as the Oz books are concerned, so that made … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Oz | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tonight There Is No Black or White

Posted on March 15, 2011 by

Shades of Grey: The Road to High Saffron, by Jasper Fforde – In some ways, the story resembles others about futuristic bureaucratic nightmare societies. It kind of reminded me of the movie Brazil, what with the plot involving the main … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Jasper Fforde, Oz | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Budweiser’s a Friend of the Wizard of Oz

Posted on March 8, 2011 by

The Wizard of Oz: Vintage Recordings from the 1903 Broadway Musical – Long before MGM got their hands on it, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz had already had a run as a successful musical, on stage rather than the screen. … Continue reading →

Posted in Albums, Characters, Music, Oz | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Hearts and Minds

Posted on February 15, 2011 by

Since Valentine’s Day just recently ended, I suppose it would be appropriate to talk about hearts. And since this is an Oz post, I’m sure the first subject to come to anyone’s mind would be the Tin Woodman, who sought … Continue reading →

Posted in Characters, Oz | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Before the Umbrella

Posted on February 1, 2011 by

Much of the plot of Speedy in Oz takes place on Umbrella Island, a land that flies through the air under the power of a magical umbrella. We’re told that this was not always the case, however. According to Waddy, … Continue reading →

Posted in Magic Items, Oz, Places | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Everything’s Coming Up Ojo

Posted on January 25, 2011 by

In The Patchwork Girl of Oz, L. Frank Baum introduces his fourth boy protagonist to the Oz series, Ojo the Unlucky. He’s not really a stereotypically boyish boy, but instead rather solemn and insecure, with a tendency to break out … Continue reading →

Posted in Characters, Oz | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Wishing and Hoping

Posted on January 20, 2011 by

One common theme in fairy tales is an item or character who grants wishes. Honestly, I find this idea to be problematic, because they’re so ill-defined. Can a wishing item or creature grant ANY wish, or do they have limits? … Continue reading →

Posted in Fairy Tales, Magic Items, Oz | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

I’m Not Ulysses

Posted on January 18, 2011 by

Having been a fan of Greek mythology since childhood, I had always meant to read the work of Homer, but I somehow never got around to it. I was given a copy of the Odyssey, translated by the late Robert … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Greek Mythology, Mythology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Making Life Out of Nothing at All

Posted on January 11, 2011 by

One thing for which Oz is known is its collection of magically animated beings. In that fairyland, anything from a scarecrow to a footstool to a painting can come to life, always with its own distinct personality. The first book … Continue reading →

Posted in Characters, Magic Items, Oz | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments