Tag Archives: through the looking-glass

How We Lost the Forest

Posted on June 16, 2022 by Nathan

I’d been thinking about the Lost Woods in the Zelda series, probably largely because Beth recently played A Link Between Worlds. Since it’s a handheld game, I wasn’t able to watch her play it, which is something I miss doing. … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, Cartoons, Characters, Chrono Trigger, Dragon Quest, Dreams, Final Fantasy, John R. Neill, Language, Lewis Carroll, Magic, Mario, Music, Names, Oz, Oz Authors, Places, Ruth Plumly Thompson, Television, Video Games, Zelda | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Angling for the Saxons

Posted on April 24, 2021 by Nathan

Marjorie Taylor Greene’s idea for an America First Caucus based on Anglo-Saxon values sounds kind of bizarre to those of us who don’t run in white supremacist circles. Like, why Anglo-Saxon in particular, and why would a group focusing on … Continue reading →

Posted in Arthurian Legend, Authors, British, Celtic, Colonization of America, England, Ethnicity, Etymology, History, J.R.R. Tolkien, Language, Lewis Carroll, Monarchy, Monsters, Mythology, Names, Norse, Politics, Prejudice, Roman Empire, United Kingdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

If Wishes Were Streetcars

Posted on September 23, 2020 by Nathan

The Wish Express, by Ruth Plumly Thompson – This could essentially be considered the author’s first book, although it wasn’t published in that form during her lifetime. Before she took over the Oz series from L. Frank Baum, she serialized … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Authors, Book Reviews, Fairy Tales, History, Humor, L. Frank Baum, Lewis Carroll, Oz, Oz Authors, Places, Politics, Ruth Plumly Thompson | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Literary History Drags On

Posted on November 5, 2019 by Nathan

I shared this article on the history of dragons in Western literature on Facebook, and there was a comment about how Oz wasn’t represented in it. It does, however, quote Ruth Berman, a long-time Oz fan; and I think she’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, Characters, Humor, J.R.R. Tolkien, John R. Neill, L. Frank Baum, Lewis Carroll, Monsters, Mythology, Oz, Oz Authors, Places, Ruth Plumly Thompson | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Playing with the Queen of Hearts

Posted on December 16, 2016 by Nathan

Heartless, by Marissa Meyer – The author of the Lunar Chronicles turns her attention to the work of Lewis Carroll, presenting the back story of the infamous Queen of Hearts. The book explains why the Mad Hatter and March Hare … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, Book Reviews, Fairy Tales, Lewis Carroll, Nursery Rhymes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Two (or More) Become One

Posted on June 17, 2015 by Nathan

One of the main complaints that fans of the Oz books seem to have about the MGM movie, aside from making Oz a dream, is that they combined two Good Witches into one character. Now, it makes a certain amount … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, Cartoons, Comics, L. Frank Baum, Lewis Carroll, Oz, Oz Authors | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Fairyland Explorers Revisited

Posted on June 16, 2015 by Nathan

I’ve seen the comparison and contrast of Lewis Carroll’s Alice to L. Frank Baum’s Dorothy Gale covered many times, on the Royal Blog of Oz, for instance. I believe Baum admitted to being inspired by Alice in creating his own … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, Characters, Jared Davis, L. Frank Baum, Lewis Carroll, Oz, Oz Authors, Ruth Plumly Thompson | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Off the Walrus

Posted on March 21, 2015 by Nathan

Snarked!, by Roger Langridge – When looking for information on the Popeye comics Langridge wrote, I saw some mentions of an earlier comic he both wrote and drew that I’d heard of before, which was sort of a re-imagining of … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, Comics, Humor, Lewis Carroll | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

It’s an Egg’s Life

Posted on February 5, 2015 by Nathan

Of all the strange and oddly named characters in nursery rhymes, one of the most famous has to be Humpty Dumpty, perhaps the first egg to receive a name. Versions of the poem date back to at least 1797, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, Beatrix Potter, Characters, Comics, Dennis Anfuso, Jasper Fforde, L. Frank Baum, Language, Lewis Carroll, Neil Gaiman, Nursery Crime, Nursery Rhymes, Oz, Oz Authors, Poetry, Robert Rankin | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Even in the Most Encroaching of Darkness, There Is Always, Always Oz

Posted on February 18, 2014 by Nathan

I’ve managed to get my hands on a few Oz books recently. In fact, I still have a few more to go. The ones of this batch that I’ve read so far are about as different in tone as possible, … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, Book Reviews, Characters, Jared Davis, Jeff Rester, L. Frank Baum, Lewis Carroll, Magic, Magic Items, Marcus Mebes, Oz, Oz Authors, Places, Ruth Plumly Thompson | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments