The Wonderful World of Oz: The Wizard of Oz / The Emerald City of Oz / Glinda of Oz

by L. Frank Baum, W.W. Denslow (Illustrator), Jack D. Zipes (Introduction)

This fully annotated volume collects three of Baum’s fourteen Oz novels in which he developed his utopian vision and which garnered an immense and loyal following. Also included is a selection of the original illustrations by W. W. Denslow and John R. Neill.

Genres: Classics, Fantasy, Fiction, Childrens, Literature, Adventure, Young Adult

389 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 1998

About the author

also wrote under the names:
* Edith van Dyne,
* Floyd Akers,
* Schuyler Staunton,
* John Estes Cooke,
* Suzanne Metcalf,
* Laura Bancroft,
* Louis F. Baum,
* Captain Hugh Fitzgerald

Lyman Frank Baum was an American author best known for his children's fantasy books, particularly The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, part of a series. In addition to the 14 Oz books, Baum penned 41 other novels (not including four lost, unpublished novels), 83 short stories, over 200 poems, and at least 42 scripts. He made numerous attempts to bring his works to the stage and screen; the 1939 adaptation of the first Oz book became a landmark of 20th-century cinema.
Born and raised in Chittenango, New York, Baum moved west after an unsuccessful stint as a theater producer and playwright. He and his wife opened a store in South Dakota and he edited and published a newspaper. They then moved to Chicago, where he worked as a newspaper reporter and published children's literature, coming out with the first Oz book in 1900. While continuing his writing, among his final projects he sought to establish a film studio focused on children's films in Los Angeles, California.
His works anticipated such later commonplaces as television, augmented reality, laptop computers (The Master Key), wireless telephones (Tik-Tok of Oz), women in high-risk and action-heavy occupations (Mary Louise in the Country), and the ubiquity of advertising on clothing (Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work).

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, first of all, let's look at the cover and drool, because it is a thing of beauty.

Now.

*unhappy groan*

Why?!

There are three 'books' in this edition -- the first, the sixth, and the fourteenth. The first one is The Wizard of Oz. I've never read this before, as it is not a classic where I live. I've seen the movie(s), however, and was familiar with the plot. I liked Baum's story good enough; it was lovely, entertaining and easy to read. 4/5 stars.

Then we have The Emerald City of Oz, the sixth book in the series. It's simple enough to not need to read the books in between this one and the first one. BUT, the story itself definitely lacks some of the magic. It's still entertaining, but somewhere in the middle, I started checking what page I was on and whether I was close to finishing it. It's still charming and just as lovely, maybe I would have loved it as a kid, but right now, it felt like something was missing. 3/5 stars.

And oh boy, then there's Glinda of Oz, aka the last book in the series. I did not like this one at all. I can't decide if it was too much or too little, but it was definitely too something. Not boring, not necessarily, but definitely annoying. To the point where I found myself skipping sentences.... paragraphs... entire pages. And it's a shame, because I would have been interested in Glinda, if only it was a different story, crafted/written in a different way. 1/5 stars.

[nadine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I MADE IT. took me nearly two months to read it but I'm finally done yehaaa. it's not that any of the stories were super boring or anything but I just had a hard time getting through all three "books" at once so I broke them up and read some every week or so. though I enjoyed the last one not as much as the other two I'm still satisfied with this little collection. the land of Oz is a wonderful, magical place I'd love to visit and all it's inhabitants are so special!
4/5 stars

[Merel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very nice read that brought back a lot of memories from watching the film when I was young. It was nice to read the sixth and last book of the series as well, but I liked them not as much as the first story. It is clear that even though Baum tried his best and wrote with a lot of love for the world he created, he could not maintain the quality of the first book. The introduction and explanatory notes written by Jack Zipes were a great addition to this work and gave a lot of interesting information that made me appreciate the works more than I would have done without the work of Zipes.

[Lois · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was never too fond of the movie adaptation, so it took a little motivation to read the book. Well, the motivation was Wicked, which I didn't think I'm doing justice if I didn't read the Wizard... So, I finally read the book. In 2 or 3 sittings, which is to say something for me, since I do read quite slowly and all, but I was quite surprised, positively at that, to find that the book was indeed much more than the movie. Of course, I did find the tone of the book a bit tedious, the plot too convenient and what not, but really, this is a good book. As this may be much to Baum's dismay, but I thought the book was full of morals and sweet, tender encouragements. Though sentimental, I was quite touched by the characters. Yes, even Oz himself.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

After recently seeing Wicked, I wanted to go back to the original story. I knew the slippers were initially silver and not ruby, but what other differences existed from the reinterpreted stories?

For the most part the Judy Garland film was very similar, but the changes made for the screen were superior to the original story. There was more cohesion for who the wicked witch was and why she was feared than in the book. I enjoyed the random encounters and realms of Oz but it didn’t really add to the plot and just tended to cause more questions than answer them. The quadlings being the most baffling peoples of the realm of oz. The golden cap and the winged monkeys was an interesting difference, but clearly inspired by genies of myth. I prefer the versions where the wicked witch created them.

Overall, I didn’t feel I gained anything new from the story that we’ve known in popular culture, but I appreciate that it has been a story retold and reinterpreted multiple times and that is why I am giving it 4 stars

[beatrice ౨ৎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you didn't notice, I'm having withdrawals from Wicked so I need to consume munchkin lore and any type of Wizard of Oz IP. But I just love how cozy this is and I regret not reading this when I was little, even in my native language.

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I actually enjoyed this way more than I thought I would.

[Poppy Parkes-Old · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute, lighthearted collection of whimsical stories. The first story was my favourite, charming and nice to sink into. However, it took a WHILE to finish as it had a lot of stuff packed into it.

[Ана Хелс · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ще почна невероятно скандално – има нещо ужасно противно в тази книжка, нещо смущаващо, нещо криво, нещо което не съм сигурна какво е , но не ми се иска да го прочете някой ден детето ми. Ще си кажете веднага – Боже мой, що?? Как така не се притеснявам от педофилската абсентно – опиумна фантазия на Луис Карол, ами се цупя начумерено през най-великата американска история в любимия цвят на капитала – зелено? Някъде четох изказване на самия автор, казващо нещо от рода, че според него на добрите герои трябва да им се случват само добри неща, без драми, затова очаквах някак си съвсем положителен и по детски коректен текст, без насилие, кръв и убийства, а то Оз ми наприлича на слашър хорърче от един момент нататък. И май не само според мен, гледайки разни актуални сериали по книжките, ако и да са от би-типа.

Замислете се – Тенекиения човек се самоосакатява до степен, в която местния тенекеджия го превръша в архаична форма на Робокоп; след срещата с Оз Плашилото добива вида на Пинхед с всичките игли и карфици стърчащи от топката кал в главата му, за която в последствие зашиват короната на цар; имаме сцени с обезглавена в полет дива котка, удушени поединично ято врани, полета с убиващи макове, натрошени живи порцеланковци, смазана изсушена вещица и още един куп уиърд неща, изникващи под път и над път. Да не говорим за качествата на героите , които практически отсъстват и отстъпват на малодушие, страхливост, първична жестокост и склонност към нервни кризи. Същият ужас следва и в Страната на Оз , където имаме – забележете – откровен трансджендърен момент, подчертан анти феминистичен уклон, да не кажа женоомраза, възхваляване на тесногръдието, ограничеността, мързела и грубостта в лицето на новата ни стара команда от нарочени добри, и още, и още, и още…

Ще си кажете , че туй зимно слънце съвсем ми е разместило чарковете в русата главица в лошия смисъл на думата, но – прочетете Оз с очите на възрастен, обръгнал откъм хоръри читател, и ще имате не един момент на почесване там де не ви сърби и постоянен процес на учудване тип Това имаше ли го едно време, като го четох като малък/ малка ? Или го е имало и сме били отвратителни малки жадни за смърт чудовища, или сме гледали само някоя и друга безобидна анимация по книгата, но не сме и помирисвали самия текст в нецензуриран вариант. Аз не съм дори близо до каквато и да е форма на моралист, но Баум ми скри шапката , и ако едно време Конъли ме влюби в себе си с неговата Книга на изгубените неща, то Лиман успя необяснимо лесно да ме отврати . Повредена или смаяна, резултатът е един – Оз не е моето любимо място от детството .

От същия между другото е и Отвличането на Дядо Коледа, на чиято корица около добрия старец са се набримчили една сюрия демони изпълзели от деветте кръга на Ада, та имайте го предвид – човекът си е сик енд туистед . В което няма нищо лошо, просто да сте подготвени.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read March 2013
This book contains three Oz stories.
The first one being: The Wizard of Oz (the original first Oz story.)
The second: The Emerald City of Oz (the sixth Oz story)
And the third: Glinda of Oz (the last and fourteenth Oz story.)


I loved the first story and would definitely give it 5/5 stars!

I really liked the second story as well, but – especially in the beginning- I was a bit confused about what had happened. I hadn’t read the second to fifth Oz stories so when the second story I read was the sixth that was written (am I still making sense?) I felt like I had missed some things. It wasn’t a big problem, but I think it might have been better to read the Oz stories in the right order. I would give it 4/5 stars.

I did like the third story, but I don’t think it was as good as the other two in this book. There was only one chapter that I really loved, the others I just liked. Like I did with the second story in this book, I felt like I missed some things that had been in books two to five & seven to thirteen. Maybe I would have liked this more if I had read those. 3/5 stars for this one.


I know it has nothing to do with how good this book is, but I do need to mention how much I love this cover! I was only planning to buy the original first story, but when I saw this cover I just had to have this edition. Having to extra stories was definitely a bonus, but not the reason why I went for this one.

[Moony · Rating 4 out of 5]

This edition gathers 3 stories set in the Land of Oz (the 1st, 6th, and 14th stories). And honestly, had it been only the 1st one 'The Wizard of Oz', I would have given it 5 stars. I really loved that one, its magic, its absurdity, even its unexpected violence at times in the middle of such a lovely setting (it is, in fact, a fairy tale). I got very attached to the characters and I enjoyed finally reading the tale I had heard so much about. 'The Wizard of Oz' is truly one of those pillar stories that is referenced in countless pieces of media.
But the next two stories were honestly boring to me. The explanatory notes helped me situate new characters and happenings that had happened in stories in between that I hadn't read... but still, I found them tedious and very repetitive despite the writing style being still as enchanting and wonderful as in the beginning.
I most likely will not read all the other stories and will only keep 'The Wizard of Oz' quite preciously in my heart. The explanatory notes in this edition prove that there is a lot more to study in those stories than just a pretty fairy tale, that there is much to discover and learn from the way Baum has constructed the Land of Oz and I could see a lot of fascinating political and sociological aspects as I read, but still, I am not personally interested in going deeper into it than having a pleasant read.

[Elin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Oz-books were great. It was obvious that they were written for children, but they were really well made. It was also obvious that Baum took a lot of inspiration from Alice in Wonderland. There are only two things that bother me. In the first book, The Wizard of Oz, the Tin Woodman wants a heart so that he can remember how to love the girl he used to love before he was made of tin. But when he gets his heart he doesn't go back to the girl (he also assumes that the girl is still waiting for him), but instead he becomes the Emperor of the Winkies and builds a castle in the West. Dafuq? The other thing is that in the second book, The Emerald City of Oz, Dorothy is travelling around Oz and meeting a lot of interesting people. One of them are the Cuttenclip people. They are all paper dolls. One of the people in Dororthy's company asks what the paper doll people does when it's raining and they answer that the witch Glinda the Good cast a spell so that it doesn't rain in their country. Two paragraphs later Baum claims that it's always nice weather in Oz. So how would anyone in Oz know what rain is?

[Liz Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

ALL DONE BITCHES

this was three books in one! and i needed to read the wizard of oz and the cover was gorg so i bought it. i did not think about how it is a kids book and nothing crazy would happen and i wouldn’t be as motivated to read it but whatever. i’m very glad i did.

i love l frank baum’s writing and it’s simplicity and hidden lessons. the wizard of oz was by far my favorite and then the emerald city of oz and then glinda of oz. but the best part of the whole book was the introduction to glinda of oz 😭 i just love how much baum cared about all of the fans of his books and it makes me want to cry.

overall, would recommend reading the wizard of oz but not if you’re looking for something exciting

[Alenka of Bohemia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is not commonly known in my country and so I have only read it for the first time now when I am over thirty. It definitely has its charm, especially the first volume, which holds some beautiful truths one wishes to teach the children (or adults). The Emerald City of Oz and Glinda of Oz are both mostly just a flight of fancy with no actual conflict. In fact, the danger to any of the characters is so nonexistent it begs the question of "why should I care". Not bad, but perhaps I would have loved it more if I was 5, not 33. Mea culpa.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zipes provides an intro and endnotes, with an analysis of Baum's utopian vision as essentially an anti-exploitative sharing economy. A good poke in the eye to critics who find the Oz stories "anti-feminist," and draws solid connections between Baum's plot points and the Germanic folktale tradition, but a bit too credulous of theories like that gold-standard thing.

[Jeanne McDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

While there were numerous inconsistencies throughout the Oz books, one can not overlook the brilliance behind the construction of Oz as a world. These stories hold a sentimental place in my heart, reflecting on a time of innocence. These are most definitely stories I would share with my child.

[Jess the Shelf-Declared Bibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out my reviews on the main versions of each book.

[Gray Turner-Uttley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Wizard of Oz is such a classic and a book I hold really close as a nostalgic childhood memory from reading / watching it with my dad. So re reading it was an absolute joy.

My ⭐️⭐️⭐️ is purely because of the way these stories have been published together. I think because the stories are so far apart being book 1, 6 and 14 it made it hard to follow who all the characters were sometimes and have any connection towards them.

I really enjoyed the second book within this which I guess is incidentally book six because I loved Return to Oz as a kid (and still do). It features many of the characters like Jack and Tik Tock that I remember really fondly so it was nice to get them back in a different context and explore the Nome King more.

By the time it got to the third book which is in actuality the 14th in The Wizard of Oz books I lost track of some of the characters and didn’t feel the continuity at that point jumping forward so many books. Being honest I wasn’t loving the focus on Glida and Ozma too really.

Still really enjoyed the experience of reading these though and would definitely love to read more with the characters from Return to Oz :)

[Teresa Mayfield-Meyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only read The Wizard of Oz and I’m disappointed! It’s not a bad story or poorly written and the main character is a girl. What’s not to like? I guess it was spoiled for me by the movie which I’ve seen so many times and seemed so magical when I was a kid. But I’m also disappointed in other things now. Like how Wicked has almost no connection to this book. Maybe it does to other Oz books? Maybe I’ll read Glinda of Oz, but I sort of don’t want to because the stories aren’t working with each other and that bothers me.

I can see how this story could spawn so many others and that’s a good thing, but I can also see how lazy it is to take a character from someone else’s world and turn them into something you want instead of what the story wanted and that also bothers me.

Oz doesn’t feel real anymore.

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only read the first of three stories collected within this volume. The classic. I was bored at first, extra bored. Pretty much the same stuff we saw in the movie a thousand times. As I kept reading I saw a little more darkness, and a bunch of stuff the movie either left out or PG'd into oblivion and that changed everything for me. All the side quests they took out gave the story much more depth and character. So a few things might have been decapitated meh!! Overall the stuff we missed in the movie was the oddest and most enjoyable. I'm glad I didn't let the boredom at the beginning get the best of me. There's more to this story than you might know.

[Nicki Hinkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I mistakenly presumed this book would basically mimic the movie we all know and love. I was wrong. In the best of ways! This book enhanced my visions of Kansas, munchkinland & Oz. What powerful imagery is recounted! I loved every minute of the audiobook, including the narrators energy.

I have a secret for you: Dorothy’s slippers were NOT ruby!! But no spoilers, you’ll have to read the book to find out what color they were in Mr. Baum’s version.

[Joe Finn · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Wizard of Oz was a great read - on its own, 4/5 stars.

The other two books included in this edition, Emerald City of Oz and Glinda of Oz, were not the same standard of storytelling. 1 or 2/5. These two books also seem like an odd choice to include together, since they are not the next two books in the series after the Wizard of Oz.

[RYO · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn’t enjoy as much as I would have liked. It felt like it just went on and on, and I read because I didn’t want to leave it unfinished on my shelf.
Some ideas in the story were wonderful and fun, but they were told rather boringly.
I guess in this case, the movie was better.

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Things I learned
1. The Wizard of Oz (book 1) is pretty violent. I would omit a few things if I were reading this to a kid
2. I have 13 other books to read in this series now
3. I didn’t read The Emerald City of Oz (book 4) and Glinda of Oz (book 14) because why would I skip ahead?

[Brandie ♡]

I just read the first story - the Wizard of Oz but not the second or third because it bugs me that they are out of order 😂 But this was such a nice way to start the year.. very familiar story but the original is different than the movie so that was cool!

[Izzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked all 3 books in this book. However the last 2 books were not as good as the 1st one they were just alright. The 1st one is good

[Rozemarijn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never expected it to be way to think about utopia. And it aged wonderfully!

Full review to come.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5✨

[Halle · Rating 5 out of 5]

my go-to book and love how this came together as a collection

[Tyler Fenwick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only read The Wizard of Oz, but this edition has two other short stories that I don’t feel like I need to read.