The Real Wizard of Oz: The Life and Times of L. Frank Baum

By Rebecca Loncraine

From the back of the book:

“The Real Wizard of Oz” is an imaginatively written work that stretches the genre of biography and enriches our understanding of modern fairy tales. … This is a colorful portrait of one man’s vivid and eccentric imagination and the world that shaped it.”

This is an absolutely marvelous book! Rebecca Loncraine explains to the reader how the world influences L. Frank Baum’s writing, beginning with a touch of history prior to his birth. She tells us how events at the turn of the 20^th century, such as war, inventions, beliefs, etc., play into all of Baum’s writing, including his other books.

Yes, although he is most famous for “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” and its 13 sequels, he also wrote many other books, some under pen names, and he was a journalist for several newspapers.

We learn about his family and how his belief in equal rights for women, especially the right to vote, has a profound effect on his writing.

I’ve always been a fan of Oz and this book only adds to my appreciation for this excellent writer and storyteller. I can only say “thank you” to Rebecca Loncraine for writing the “Real Wizard of Oz.”