Tag Archives: david perry

Fact Within Fiction

It’s a strange thing to me that a world presented in a work of fiction can be basically just like ours, except without that work, and often related ones, existing in it, even if it’s very popular in the real … Continue reading

Posted in Characters, Comics, Eloise Jarvis McGraw, Humor, Jack Snow, John R. Neill, L. Frank Baum, Magic, Melody Grandy, Oz, Oz Authors, Rachel Cosgrove Payes, Ruth Plumly Thompson | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Companimals

Animal companions are a recurring theme in the Oz books, starting with Dorothy’s dog Toto. Kids reading the books were likely used to pets, so it makes sense. Since animals talk in Oz, however, some animal characters are more equal … Continue reading

Posted in Animals, Characters, L. Frank Baum, Oz, Oz Authors, Places, Rachel Cosgrove Payes, Relationships, Ruth Plumly Thompson | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Princes Proving Their Prowess, Whatever That Means

Since the main theme of this year’s OzCon International was Rinkitink in Oz, with Captain Salt and Ozmapolitan sidelining, it’s not too surprising that the subject of boy protagonists in the Oz books would come up. And yes, there are … Continue reading

Posted in Characters, Dick Martin, Eloise Jarvis McGraw, Fairy Tales, Families, L. Frank Baum, Magic, Magic Items, Oz, Oz Authors, Places, Ruth Plumly Thompson | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

You Will Be Assimilated

It’s become a cliché in the Oz series that the magical land is full of insular themed communities where the inhabitants either want to turn visitors into beings like them, or sometimes just keep them as slaves. In Ruth Plumly … Continue reading

Posted in Dick Martin, Eloise Jarvis McGraw, John R. Neill, L. Frank Baum, Magic Items, Oz, Oz Authors, Places, Ruth Plumly Thompson, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Before the Umbrella

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

Peter vs. Speedy

Most of the young Americans who journeyed to Oz in L. Frank Baum’s books were girls, with Button-Bright being the major exception. In Ruth Plumly Thompson’s books, however, more American boys made their way into Oz. The first such was … Continue reading

Posted in Characters, Oz | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Going Nowhere

I’m not sure where the joke of making Nowhere a physical place and/or Nobody a person originated. I guess there was a variety on that sort of joke in the Odyssey, when Odysseus told Polyphemus his name was Nobody. Sir … Continue reading

Posted in Characters, Oz, Places | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments