Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Sam Reviews "The Road to Oz" by L. Frank Baum (Oz, #5)

"I've learned from long experience that every road leads somewhere, or there wouldn't be any road; so it's likely that if we travel long enough, my dear, we will come to some place or another in the end."

"Be contented with your lot, whatever it may be, if you are wise."

"[The shaggy man] had refused to give up his shaggy clothes for new ones, because if he did that he would no longer be the shaggy man, he said, and he might have to get acquainted with himself all over again."

"To become civilized means to dress as elaborately and prettily as possible, and to make a show of your clothes so your neighbors will envy you."

The Musicker's name is Allegro da Capo.  Allegro means "fast" and da Capo means "from the beginning", which explains why his breaths repeat the same tune every time.

For once Dorothy and her friends didn't invite a character they met on their journey to join them, poor Musicker.

There's been few characters that sound creepy based on their descriptions, but the Scoodlers definitely sound demonic.  Two fronts, one all white with clown make up, one all black with weasel eyes, and they present themselves in big groups.

Funny it took til book five for the author to mention rainbows at all, and Dorothy says "there are things that would suit me better than dancing on rainbows."

"The only way to do a thing
"Is do it when you can,
"And do it cheerfully, and sing
"And work and think and plan.
"The only really unhappy one
"Is he who dares to shirk;
"The only really happy one
"Is he who cares to work."

"Rent" can mean a large tear in a piece of fabric.

An "Alderman" is an elected official of a municipal court.

Why on earth can Toto not talk when anything else brought from Oz can?

"If we used money to buy things with, instead of love and kindness and the desire to please one another, then we should be no better than the rest of the world.  Fortunately, money is not known in the Land of Oz at all.  We have no rich, and no poor; for what one wishes the others all try to give him, in order to make him happy, and no one in all Oz cares to have more than he can use."

First book ever I think to mention characters using the bathroom or "to make such toilets as they could."

"You could love the Tin Woodman because he had a fine nature, kindly and simple ...  Tok-tok was popular with the people of Oz because he was so trustworthy, reliable and true; he was sure to do exactly what he was wound up to do, at all times and in all circumstances."

"Perhaps it is better to be a machine that does its duty than a flesh-and-blood person who will not, for a dead truth is better than a live falsehood."

"'But I thought nobody ever died in Oz,' [Dorothy] said.
"'Nor do they, although if one is bad, he may be condemned and killed by the good citizens.'"

"'I think you are brighter than you used to be, Jack.' said the Tin Woodman.  'Your last head was a stupid one.'
"'The seeds in this one are better,' was [Jack's] reply."

The idea of a bear skin rug coming to life is pretty messed up.

"'You have some queer friends, Dorothy,' she said.
"'The queerness doesn't matter so long as they're friends,' was the answer."

"It isn't what we are, buy what folks think we are, that counts in this world."

Where / how did Santa get wrapped up in Oz?

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