mary412's review
4.0
Didn't have much interest in reading this until I read the last chapters about the 1939 film, the movie that has been seen by more people than any other. Now I'm intrigued. Update: Very interesting book-group discussion at Chicago's University Club.
lazygal's review
3.0
Interesting, but slightly disappointing look at the life of L. Frank Baum. Interesting because we do learn a lot about how Baum's life of success and failure turned around with the publication of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and how his experiences were transformed in the book (example? the yellow brick road was likely inspired by the yellow brick road leading to the Peekskill Military Academy). I knew even less about his wife, Maud Gage, and her really impressive mother, Mathilda Josyln Gage, a feminist who should be as well known as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
The disappointing part was the writing, which often devolved into "we assume...", "it's likely that...", "he might have..." statements. The Oz era was also glossed over as we rushed from publication of the first book to Baum's death. For those of us who read more than just the Wizard, where his inspirations for places like Ev and characters like Jinjur came from would also be interesting. The importance of chickens is mentioned, but not Billina?
The disappointing part was the writing, which often devolved into "we assume...", "it's likely that...", "he might have..." statements. The Oz era was also glossed over as we rushed from publication of the first book to Baum's death. For those of us who read more than just the Wizard, where his inspirations for places like Ev and characters like Jinjur came from would also be interesting. The importance of chickens is mentioned, but not Billina?
alissabar's review
3.0
This was an interesting look into L. Frank Baum's life. I learned so much about him. I had no idea that the author of one of America's most beloved stories had had so much failure in his life. He showed dedication to his responsibilities and perseverance in trying to find the right occupation for him. Thank goodness he finally found his passion. The author also spent a lot of time giving background on the woman's suffrage movement and Baum's mother-in-law, Mathilda Gage, who had a huge presence in that movement, along with Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, which unfortunately has been long forgotten.
lkeipp's review
3.0
I'm confused - is this a biography of L. Frank Baum or Matilda Gage?
I'm sadly stuck on page 101, slogging through - when normally I'm a rather fast reader - because the author has decided to continually switch back and forth between the history of Mr. Baum and his mother in law, Matilda Gage.
While the author is a very good writer, he has fallen into the problem all history writers and educators do - when we're asked the time, we give the history of clocks first. The book is just crammed full - over crammed - with history that is secondary to the the main history he is trying to tell.
And while it is very very clear that his mother in law was a major influence for a lot of the characters, thoughts and plot lines in his series, we've lost Mr. Baum's story - it's been subsumed into the story of Mrs. Gage.
We're also getting a great deal of Joseph Campbell -and while his own work is seminal, it is overwhelming the story line.
I'd love to read a history of Mrs. Gage by this writer, but right now, I was trying to read a history of L. Frank Baum and how he came up with his books - and I seem to have lost Mr. Baum in the process.
I'll finish reading this book, and see if my review changes, but for now - it's a great start to the history of Matilda Gage and all she achieved, but the book wasn't supposed to be about her.
I'm sadly stuck on page 101, slogging through - when normally I'm a rather fast reader - because the author has decided to continually switch back and forth between the history of Mr. Baum and his mother in law, Matilda Gage.
While the author is a very good writer, he has fallen into the problem all history writers and educators do - when we're asked the time, we give the history of clocks first. The book is just crammed full - over crammed - with history that is secondary to the the main history he is trying to tell.
And while it is very very clear that his mother in law was a major influence for a lot of the characters, thoughts and plot lines in his series, we've lost Mr. Baum's story - it's been subsumed into the story of Mrs. Gage.
We're also getting a great deal of Joseph Campbell -and while his own work is seminal, it is overwhelming the story line.
I'd love to read a history of Mrs. Gage by this writer, but right now, I was trying to read a history of L. Frank Baum and how he came up with his books - and I seem to have lost Mr. Baum in the process.
I'll finish reading this book, and see if my review changes, but for now - it's a great start to the history of Matilda Gage and all she achieved, but the book wasn't supposed to be about her.
panxa's review
3.0
Biography with a splash of literary analysis. It's good to know that Baum would have been as grossed out by Dorothy's last speech as I am.
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