Sam Review's "Oz: The Complete Collection" - by L. Frank Baum

This was quite the endeavor.  But I managed to read 14 stories written in classic 1900s style in 7 months which I'm going to consider a feat.  I probably could have finished it if 5-6 but since I was trying to read through them back to back I had to take weeks off to give my brain a break from the old language and the children's themes.

I think the stories themselves are lovely, and I especially loved reading the Author's Notes where L. Frank Baum actually took ideas from his readers who wrote him letters.  It's not only a way to show how times were different then but it also just kind of makes your heart happy to think of some little boy or girl wanting a certain character written into a story, and low and behold they're written in.

I think for the time, and for the audience, these are great stories.  They're interesting and adventurous and realistic (considering the use of magic throughout).  I'm not typically one to read "adventure" or "fantasy" genres but I still enjoyed these stories.  I will admit reading through character descriptions did get tedious, but again, I was reading these stories back to back whereas when they were being produced they were only being published once every few years! (Crazy to think about that as well!)

September 12, 2017 – Started Reading

September 15, 2017 – 

page 107

 

 5.96%

September 22, 2017 – 

page 238

 

 13.25%

September 28, 2017 – 

page 350

 

 19.49%

October 8, 2017 – 

page 471

 

 26.22%

October 14, 2017 – 

page 585

 

 32.57%

October 25, 2017 – 

page 738

 

 41.09%

January 24, 2018 – 

page 899

 

 50.06%

January 30, 2018 – 

page 1038

 

 57.8%

February 1, 2018 – 

page 1167

 

 64.98%

February 9, 2018 – 

page 1305

 

 72.66%

February 16, 2018 – 

page 1436

 

 79.96%

March 9, 2018 – 

page 1561

 

 86.92%

March 12, 2018 – 

page 1671

 

 93.04%

April 10, 2018 – Finished Reading

For the sake of curiosity (and record) I'm going to type out the lists found at the back of the book showing the original 14 canon stories, and all of the successors, as well as the "related" works of literature, and the list of movies:

Original 14 Canon by L. Frank Buam
1.  The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)
2.  The Marvelous Land of Oz (1904)
3.  Ozma of Oz (1907)
4.  Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz (1908)
5.  The Road to Oz (1909)
6.  The Emerald City of Oz (1910)
7.  The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1913)
8.  Tik-Tok of Oz (1914)
9.  The Scarecrow of Oz (1915)
10.  Rinkitink in Oz (1916)
11.  The Lost Princess of Oz (1917)
12.  The Tin Woodman of Oz (1918)
13.  The Magic of Oz (1919)
14.  Glinda of Oz (1920)

Books by Ruth Plumly Thompson
15.  The Royal Book of Oz (1921)
16.  Kabumpo in Oz (1922)
17.  The Cowardly Lion of Oz (1923)
18.  Grampa in Oz (1924)
19.  The Lost King of Oz (1925)
20.  The Hungry Tiger of Oz (1926)
21.  The Gnome King of Oz (1927)
22.  The Giant Horse of Oz (1928)
23.  Jack Pumpkinhead of Oz (1929)
24.  The Yellow Knight of Oz (1930)
25.  Pirates in Oz (1931)
26.  The Purple Prince of Oz (1932)
27.  Ojo in Oz (1933)
28.  Speedy in Oz (1934)
29.  The Wishing Horse of Oz (1935)
30.  Captain Salt in Oz (1936)
31.  Handy Mandy in Oz (1937)
32.  The Silver Princess in oz (1938)
33.  Ozplaning with the Wizard of Oz (1939)

Books by John R. Neill
34.  The Wonder City of Oz (1940)
35.  The Scalawagons of Oz (1941)
36.  Lucky Bekcy in Oz (1942)

Books by Jack Snow
37.  The Magical Mimics in Oz (1946)
38.  The Shaggy Man of Oz (1949)

Books by Rachel Cosgrove Payes
39.  The Hidden Valley of Oz (1951)

Books by Eloise Jarvis McGraw and Lauren Lynn McGraw
40.  Merry Go Round in Oz (1963)

Books by Sherwood Smith
41.  The Emerald Wand of Oz (2005)
42.  Trouble Under Oz (2006)
43.  Sky Pirates of Oz (TBA)


Oz Related Works

By L. Frank Baum
The Magical Monarch of Mo (1900)
American Fairy Tales (1901)
Dot and Tot of Merryland (1901)
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus (1902)
Queer Visitors from the Marvelous Land of Oz (1904, newspaper comic)
The Woggle-Bug Book (1905)
Queen Zixi of Ix (1905)
John Dough and the Cherub (1906)
The Sea Fairies (1911)
Sky Island (1912)
Little Wizard Stories of Oz (1913, short stories)

Other "Royal Historians"
Yankee in Oz - Ruth Plumly Thompson (1972)
The Enchanted Island of Oz - Ruth Plumly Thompson (1976)
The Forbidden Fountain of Oz - Eloise Jarvis McGraw & Lauren Lynn McGraw (1980)
The Wicked Witch of Oz - Rachel Cosgrove Payes (1993)
The Runaway in Oz - John R. Neill (1995)
Percy and the Shrinking Violet - Rachel Cosgrove Payes (1997)
Spots in Oz - Rachel Cosgrove Payes (1997)
The Rundelstone of Oz - Eloise Jarvis McGraw (2001)

Inspired by Oz:  The Wicked Years
Wicked:  The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (1995)
Son of a Witch (2005)
A Lion Among Men (2008)
Out of Oz (2011)


Oz on Flim

Film Adaptations
The Fairylogue and Radio-Plays (1908 multimedia presentation by L. Frank Baum)
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1910 15-minute film based on stage musical by Otis Turner)
His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz (1914 adaptation by Baum that became the basis for the book The Scarecrow of Oz)
The Wizard of Oz (1921 film project directed by Ray C Smallwood, but never completed
Wizard of Oz (1925 film, directed by Larry Semon in collaboration with Frank Joslyn Baum)
The Land of Oz (1932 film, sequel to the Wizard of Oz)
The Wizard of Oz (1933 animated short directed by Ted Eshbaugh)
The Wizard of Oz (1939 musical film by MGM, directed by Victor Fleming)
Journey Back to Oz (1974 animated film, unofficial sequel to the 1939 film)
FantasiaE3 (1966 Spanish film directed by Eloy de la Iglesia, one segment is loosely based on The Wizard of Oz)
Aysecik ve Sihirli CYceler RYyalar tlkesinde (1971 Turkish film, directed by Tun Basaran known to bootleggers as "The Turkish Wizard of Oz"
Once Upon a Time (1976 film, loosely based upon, and also pays homage to The Wizard of Oz)
Oz (1976 Austrailian rock musical film, also known as Oz D A Rock 'n' Roll Road Movie or 20th Century Oz)
The Wiz (1978 movie directed by Sidney Lumet, based on the Broadway musical of the same name)
Return to Oz (1985 film by Walt Disney Pictures, directed by Walter Murch)
The Muppets' World of Oz (2005)
Apocalypse Oz (2006, short film parody of The Wizard of Oz and Apocalypse Now)
Oz the Great and Powerful (2013 film by Walt Disney Pictures prequel to the 1939 film, directed by Sam Raimi)

Television Adaptations
The Land of Oz (1960 premier episode of The Shirley Temple Show, written by Frank Gabrielson and directed by William Corrigan.  William Asher produced)
Tales of the Wizard of Oz (1961 animated series of short episodes based on the Oz characters from the book)
Off to See the Wizard (1967 television anthology series which showcased then-recent MGM family films)
Return to Oz (1964 animated television special sequel-cum-remake of the 1939 film, based on the artistic renderings of the characters in the 1961 animated series)
Thanksgiving in the Land of Oz aka Dorothy in the Land of Oz (1980 animated television special)
A feature-length anime adaptation of the story was made by Toho in 1982 and was directed by Fumihiko Takayama, with music by Joe Hisaishi.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1986 anime adaptation of four of Baum's Oz books, consists of 52 episodes and follows the story of Dorothy and her adventures in Oz.  In 1987 HBO purchased rights to the series and dubbed/edited together key episodes of the series into a series of movies.)
The Wizard of Oz (1990-1991 an animated series based on the 1939 film, broadcast on ABC)
The Wonderful Galaxy of Oz (1990, anime series involving Dorothy and the gang traveling to the "Galaxy of Oz", dubbed for American Release as The Wonderful Galaxy of Oz)
Sugar & Spice:  The Wizard of Oz (1991 animated adaptation, part of the Funky Fables series by Saban Entertainment)
The Wizard of Oz (1995 adaptation made for British television set in the present day)
The Oz Kids (1996 animated series by Hyperion Pictures and Nelvana featuring children of the original characters)
Adventures in the Emerald City (1999-2000 animated series directed by Alexander Makarov, Ilya Maximov and Denis Chernov)
Lost in Oz (2002 television pilot by Tim Burton, never broadcast, it is a sequel to the 1939 film)
In the Futurama episode "Anthology of Interest II", a retelling of the story is shown as a dream of Leela's with the cast of the show)
Tin Man (2007 Sci-fi Channel miniseries by RHI Entertainment, portrays a future version of Oz, thereby making the miniseries both a sequel and a re-imagining)
W krainie czarnoksiezniki Oza - Polish Television adaptation of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and The Marvelous Land of Oz was only broadcast in Poland
Ozenders - A Children in Need (episode of EastEnders)
2006 Episode of the Disney Channel Original Series That's So Raven titled "Soup to Nuts", Raven sees herself in a parody of The Wizard of Oz
The Witches of Oz (2011 television miniseries directed by Leigh Scott, based on the novels The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Ozma of Oz, The Road to Oz, and The Magic of Oz by Baum)
In The Suite Life on Deck episode titled "Twister:  Part 2", Bailey has a dream based on The Wizard of Oz.
Tom and Jerry and the Wizard of Oz (2011 is a Tom and Jerry direct-to-video film)
Raising Hope "Bro-gurt" (2011)
Victorious (parody of The Wizard of Oz
Rugrats episode No Place Like Home
MADtv there are at least three parodies
Phineas and Ferb episode entitled "Wizard of Odd"

Stage Adaptations
The first musical version of the book was produced by Baum and Denslow in 1902, The Woggle-Bug (1905 and The Tik-Tok Man of Oz (1913) both were panned as rehashes rather than sequels.
The Wizard of Oz (1942 musical using songs from the 1939 film)
Holiday on Ice (1959) included a condensed version of The Wizard of Oz
The Wiz (1975 musical exclusively featuring African American actors)
The Marvelous Land of Oz (1981 musical by Thomas W. Olson, Gary Briggle, and Richard Dworsky)
The Wizard of Oz (1987 - 1989 is an adaptation by John Kane for the Royal Shakespeare Company based on the novel and 1939 film)
The Wizard of A.I.D.S. (1987 adaptation of the Oz story which serves as an AIDS education tool)
The Wizard of Oz Live (1989-1990 is an arena touring production in celebration of the film's 50th anniversary)
The Wizard of Oz in Concert:  Dreams Come True (1995 concert performance of a Royal Shakespeare Company's adaption at Lincoln Center)
The Wizard on ice (1995-1999 produced by Kenneth Feld)
The Wizard of Oz on Tour (1998 touring production of the 1987 RSC version that originally played in the Madison Square Garden theatre in may 1997)
Wicked (2003 - Present Broadway and West End musical based on the book Wicked:  The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire)
Der Zauberer von Oz (2005 stage play)
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (2000 Musical)
Dothy et Le Magicien d'Oz (2009 musical spectacular)
The Wizard of Oz (2011 West End musical building on the 1939 film songs and script with new materiel by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber)
Oz - The Wonderful Wizard )2011 ballet by Italian choreographer Giorgio Madia)

Sam Reviews "Glinda of Oz" (Oz, #14)

The final book written by the original author, L. Frank Baum.  I feel like this was a pretty great closer.  It included a plethora of characters, and utilized all of the main and most powerful characters like Glinda, Ozma, and the Wizard.  The adventure was interesting and the conflict difficult to overcome, but all ended well as it should.  I also appreciate the fact that he left the story open ended, saying that the Land of Oz was so extensive that at the time of this book Ozma couldn't possibly be aware of all of the different people.  Which is why it makes sense other authors took this story onward into 29 more stories.  I'm not sure I'm in any rush to read further into this story, past L. Frank Baum's imagination, but I'm glad I did read these and had the experience of these truly classic style tales.

"If one were a fairy and knew the secret laws of nature and the mystic words and ceremonies that commanded those laws, then a simple wave of a silver wand would produce instantly all that men work hard and anxiously for through weary years.  And Dorothy wished in her kindly, innocent heart, that all men and women could be fairies with silver wands, and satisfy all their needs without so much work and worry, for then, she imagined, they would have all their working hours to be happy in."

"If everyone could wave a wand and have his wants fulfilled there would be little to wish for.  There would be no eager striving to obtain the difficult, for nothing would then be difficult, and the pleasure of earning something longed for, and only to be secured by hard work and careful thought, would be utterly lost.  There would be nothing to do you see, and no interest in life and in our fellow creatures.  That is all that makes life worth our while - to do good deeds and to help those less fortunate than ourselves."

"I'm glad I don't know everything, Dorothy, and that there still are things in both nature and in wit for me to marvel at."

"No dishes, to wash, Ozma!  I guess you'd make a lot of folks happy if you could teach 'em just that one trick."

"Everybody here is a dictator of something or other.  They're all office holders.  That's what keeps them contended.  But I'm the Supreme Dictator of all, and I'm elected once a year.  This is a democracy, you know, where the people are allowed to vote for their rulers.  A good many others would like to be Supreme Dictator, but as I made a low that I am always to count the votes myself, I am always elected."

"In such a dilemma, nothing is gained by haste.  Careful thought may aid us, and so many the course of events.  The unexpected is always likely to happen, and cheerful patience is better than reckless action."

"The Patchwork Girl was very intelligent, but so full of fun and mad pranks that a lot of more stupid folks thought she must be crazy."

"The voice of a swan is always harsh and unpleasant."

The final moral of the original canon stories is:
"It is always wise to do one's duty, however unpleasant that duty may seem to be."

Sam Reviews "The Magic of Oz" (Oz, #13)

I appreciated that this book had multiple story lines so as to keep the plot from getting dry.  However, there seemed to be some continuity errors.  In a previous book, I thought someone had taken away the Glass Cat's vanity so that she stopped repeatedly saying "I've got pink brains and you can seem 'em work!" - yet in this book that phrase is said often.  Also, near the end, Professor H.M. Wogglebug, T.E. is talking about his invention of the Square-Meal Tablets as if this is the first time we've heard of them, which it's not.  Also I felt like Ruggedo and Kiki were very easily conquered even though they were the main antagonist of the story.

"...he had a son named Kiki Aru who was not famous at all.  He was noted as being cross and disagreeable because he was not happy, and he was not happy because he wanted to go down the mountain and visit the big world below and his father would not let him.  No one paid any attention to Kiki Aru, because he didn't amount to anything, anyway."

"This is always the way with wicked people.  They cannot be trusted even by one another."

"They mix work and play so justly that both are delightful and satisfying and no one has any reason to complain."

Sam Reviews "The Tin Woodman of Oz" (Oz, #12)

I found this book pretty enjoyable.  The fact that the Tin Soldier and the Tin Woodman (and in a sense Chopfyt) having the same creation story was a bit repetitive, but overall the adventure was enjoyable and well paced.  I also appreciated that familiar characters were featured in this book.  I even now consider Polychrome to be a welcome addition to the stories even though I don't believe she was ever mentioned in any of the movies.

"'To wander from one's home is to encounter dangers and hardships, especially if one is made of meat and bone.  Had you no friends in that corner of the Gillikin Country?  Was it not homelike and comfortable?'
"'I had home and friends, your Honorable Strawness, but they were so quiet and happy and comfortable that I found them dismally stupid.  Nothing in that corner of Oz interested me, but I believed that in other parts of the country I would find stranger people and see new sights, and so I have set out upon my wandering journey.'"

"'To learn is simple.  Don't you ask questions?'
"'Yes; I ask as many questions as I dare; but some people refuse to answer questions.'
"That is not kind of them.  If one does not ask for information he seldom receives it; so I, for my part, make it a rule to answer any civil question that is asked me.'"

"'This Tin Man is going to marry a nice girl through kindness, and not because he loves her, and somehow that doesn't seem quite right.'
"'Even so, I am not sure it isn't best for the girl, for a loving husband is not always kind, while a kind husband is sure to make any girl content.'"

"I never have friends, because friends get too familiar and always forget to mind their business."

"Be contented with your fate, for discontent leads to unhappiness, and unhappiness, in any form, is the greatest evil that can befall you."

"It is best to meet bravely what cannot be avoided."

"I am resolved never to speak again without taking time to think carefully on what I am going to say, for I realize that speech without thought is dangerous."

"Dear me! What unhappy thoughts you have, to be sure.  This is proof that born brains cannot equal manufactured brains, for my brains dwell only on facts and never borrow trouble.  When there is occasion for my brains to think, they think, but I would be ashamed of my brains if they kept shooting out thoughts that were merely fears and imaginings, such as do no good, but are likely to do harm."

"I won't say he is a husband to be proud of, because he has a mixed nature and isn't always an agreeable companion.  There are times when I have to chide him gently, both with my tongue and with my broomstick.  But he is my husband, and I must make the best of him"

"I think I'll keep the husband I now have.  He is now trained to draw the water and carry in the wood and hoe the cabbages and weed the flower-beds and dust the furniture and perform many tasks of a like character.  A new husband would have to be scolded - and gently chided - until he learns my ways.  So I think it will be better to keep my Chopfyt."

Sam Reviews: "The Lost Princess of Oz" (Oz, #11)

Thankfully this story featured familiar characters.  This story was a nice classic adventure story.  It introduced a few characters but who ultimately made the adventure more interested and well rounded.  I hope the remaining stories are as well thought out as one.

"No thief, however skillful, can rob one of knowledge, and that is why knowledge is the best and safest treasure to acquire."

"Contentment with one's lot is true wisdom."

"I am so wise that sometimes my wisdom makes my head ache.  I know so much that often I have to forget part of it."

"Dangers don't hurt us. Only things that happen ever hurt anyone, and a danger is a thing that might happen and might not happen, and sometimes don't amount to shucks."

"What everyone says must be true, otherwise what would be the use of their saying it?"

"They seemed happy and contented, though, and those who are contended have nothing to regret and nothing more to wish for."

"[It] is of importance only to you, so it is your business to worry over the loss, not ours.  If you love us, do not afflict your burdens on us; be unhappy all by yourself."

"In truth, no living creature can know much more than his fellows, for one may know one thing, and another know another thing, and so that wisdom is evenly scattered throughout the world."

"'If any of you is naughty, I'll send him to some boy or girl in America to play with.'
"This dreadful threat made all the toy bears look solemn."

Sam Reviews "Rinkitink in Oz" by L. Frank Baum (Oz, #10)

This wasn't a bad story as far as children's adventure stories go, but like the last story it's barely about Oz.  It's discouraging to be so close to the end of this 14 book collection only to have the stories to be hardly related to the Land of Oz and the familiar characters there. Admittedly, I probably would not have read this story were I not attempting to read all off the Oz books.  I can only hope that the remaining 4 books are more closely and clearly related to the true Land of Oz.

"Never question the truth of what you fail to understand, for the world is filled with wonders."

New vocabulary I learned with this book:

"Molly-coddle" - Verb; treat (someone) very indulgently or protectively.  Or noun; an effeminate or ineffectual man or boy; a milksop.

"Prig" - a self-righteously moralistic person who behaves as if superior to others.

"Those who do the least, often shout the loudest and so get the most glory.  Inga did so much that there is danger of his becoming more important than we are, and so we'd best say nothing about him."

"No magic can stand against a woman's cunning."

"Poor people are often obliged to take chances that rich ones are spared."

"I have noticed that some men become rich, and are scorned by some and robbed by others. Other men become famous, and are mocked at and derided by their fellows.  But the poor and humble man who lives unnoticed and unknown escapes all these troubles and is the only one who can appreciate the joy of living."

"This is the way to get ideas:  never to let adverse circumstances discourage you, but to believe there is a way out of every difficulty, which may be found by earnest thought."

"The beauty of life is its sudden changes. No one knows what is going to happen next, and so we are constantly being surprised and entertained.  The many ups and downs should not discourage us, for if we are down, we know that a change is coming and we will go up again; while those who are up are almost certain to go down."

Sam Reviews "The Scarecrow of Oz" by L. Frank Baum (Oz, #9)

"Seems to me ... as how the more we know, the more we find we don't know. ...  Those as knows the least have a habit of thinkin' they know all there is to know, while them as knows the most admits what a turr'ble big world this is.  It's the knowing ones that realize one lifetime ain't long enough to git more'n a few dips o' the oars of knowledge."

"It's a big world, Flipper, my son, and I've heard that in parts of it live queer two-legged creatures called Men, who war upon all other living things and would have little respect for even an Ork."

"Certainly I'm afraid, but if we intend to escape we can't stay on this shelf forever."

"'A young lady cannot decide whom she will love, or choose the most worthy.  Her heart alone decides for her, and whomsoever her heart selects, she must love, whether he amounts to much or not.'  Trot was a little puzzled by this speech, which seemed to her unreasonable; but she made no reply."

"I believe love and cats have nine lives."

Sam Reviews "Tik-Tok of Oz" by L. Frank Baum (Oz, #8)

This was a good story, and it moved at a good pace. I still feel like the stories without the original characters suffer a little bit, but this was probably one of my favorites that didn't star Dorothy, The Scarecrow, The Tin Man, or The Cowardly Lion.

Does the phrase "Old enough to make jelly" sound familiar to anyone?  I tried to Google it to see exactly what it means, but nothing came up except "How to make jelly"...

"The more Ann thought about the matter, the more she was convinced it would be easy to conquer the Land of Oz and set herself up as Ruler in Ozma's place, if she but had an Army to do it with.  Afterward she could go out into the world and conquer other lands, and then perhaps she could find a a way to the moon, and conquer that.  She had a warlike spirit and preferred trouble to idleness."

"Gentle people are always afraid of those that bluster."

The scene from The Rose Kingdom seems identical from another scene in another book of L. Frank Baum's but I'm blanking on which story.  But, I suppose, it's possible for the main characters to stumble into the same sub-kingdoms from time to time.

"I do [love you].  I dote on thee!  But no true man will neglect his duty for the sake of love."

I find it really interesting they after they go down the tube to the other side of the world, the Private Citizen is treated as the ruler or royalty and the Kings and Queens are treated as average

"One who is Master to himself is always a King, if only to himself."

"It is wise to disregard laws when they conflict with justice."

"'The Land of Oz is not a refuge for all mortals in distress...'
"'The Land of Oz isn't crowded.'"

I'm glad the author finally explained that Toto can indeed talk, he just chooses not to.  After all these stories, having every animal talk except for Toto was an inconsistency that was bothering me to no end.

Sam Reviews "The Patchwork Girl of Oz" by L. Frank Baum (Oz, #7)

It took me a very ridiculously long time to make it through this story. I might just be burning myself out on Oz stories, but so much of this seemed "too good to be true" even for the magic land of Oz. But onward I will go into story 8 very soon.

"The more one knows, the luckier he is, for knowledge is the greatest gift in life."

"Horrid? Why, I'm thoroughly delightful.  I'm an Original, if you please, and therefore incomparable. Of all the comic, absurd, rare and amusing creatures the world contains, I must be the supreme freak. Who but poor Margolotte could have managed to invent such an unreasonable being as I?  But I'm glad -I'm awfully glad! - that I'm just what I am, and nothing else."

"No one can be unlucky who has the intelligence to direct his own actions."

"Don't bother my head by asking conundrums, I beg of you.  Just let me discover myself in my own way."

"It's classical music, and is considered the best and most puzzling ever manufactured.  You're supposed to like it, whether you do or not, and if you don't, the proper thing is to look as if you did.  Understand?"

"Please don't quarrel, this is a very important journey, and quarrelling makes me discouraged. To be brave, one must be cheerful, so I hope you will be as good-tempered as possible."

"Some are [dignified], and some are not, but I never criticize my friends. If they are really true friends, they may be anything they like, for all of me."

"We have wells, you know, but the're all well lighted, and a well lighted well cannot well be a dark well."

"He said we were lacking in understand, because we had only one leg to a person.  I can't see that legs have anything to do with understanding things."

Reading old books like this can be challenging, but the nuggets of information and just the insight into life back then can also be fascinating.  This particular story was written in 1913, and one of the characters, the Horners, decorate their houses with radium.  I Googled Radium and it is an element, but there's also a ton of information on Radium Girls which is a very interesting story about a very sad reality of life back then.  From what I understand consumers believed that the element was almost a life tonic, even though in large doses it was dangerous.  So it's interesting to think, did the author believe in the positive qualities of radium?  Or was this tidbit of people living among radium, calling it medicine, a kind of social commentary that perhaps we should consider the negative side of the element as well?

"We must turn over a new leaf and call you henceforth Ojo the Lucky.  Ever reason you have given [for being unlucky] is absurd.  But I have noticed that those who continually dread ill luck and fear it will overtake them, have no time to take advantage of any good fortune that comes their way.  Make up your mind to be Ojo the Lucky."

Sam Reviews "The Emerald City of Oz" by L. Frank Baum (Oz, #6)

"Then he remembered that it was no fun being angry unless he had someone to frighten and make miserable."

"The reason most people are bad is because they don't try to be good."

"People often do a good deed without hope of reward, but for an evil deed they always demand payment."

I find it funny that after Uncle Henry and Aunt Em get to Oz they are given separate bedrooms.  Suppose it has to do with the times.

"[The School Pills] are sugar-coated and are quickly and easily swallowed.  I believe the students would rather take the pills than study, and certainly the pills are a more effective method.  You see, until these School Pills were invented we wasted a lot of time in study that may now be better be employed in practicing athletics."

Apparently in Britain "Draft" is spelled "Draught" but still means "a current of air".

"[The Fuddles] are made in many small pieces, and whenever any stranger comes near them they have a habit of falling apart and scattering themselves around."

New Word Learned:  "Mete":  dispense or allot justice, a punishment, or harsh treatment.

The amount of puns in the Utensia chapter is boggling my mind!!

The city of Bunbury is very Wonderland-esque.  A city of bunnies, that dress sharply, and speak intelligently that are able to make people bigger or smaller to suit their city.

Charlotte Russe is a cake that the mold of the cake pan is lined with sponge fingers (Ladyfingers) and then filled with a custard. Sometimes cake or bread slices are used in place of the Ladyfingers. Charlotte Russe is served cold with whipped cream.

"Then they began talking to one another in long, deliberate speeches, where many words were used but little was said."

"I do not aspire to be very wise, for I noticed that the happiest people are those who do not let their brains oppress them."

"[My brains] never worry me.  There are many seeds of thought in my head but they do not sprout easily.  I am glad that it is so, for if I occupied my days in thinking I should have no time for anything else."

It's funny to imagine a world where airplanes were still an invention that people hadn't quite mastered yet.  Also amusing that the author thought to talk about new inventions affecting fairies and their countries and how the reason we don't see them is because they had the forethought to hide themselves forever.

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?

Sam Reviews "Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz" by L. Frank Baum (Oz, #4)

This story was sweet, though I still prefer the previous story more.  On to the next.

I think it's really sweet that Frank Baum writes letters to his child readers at the beginning of each of his books.  It definitely goes to show how times have changed, and how an author could so much easier be influenced by their readers during the time where few things were truly mass produced.

"'We had a lot of earthquakes.  Didn't you feel the ground shake?'
"'Yes; but we're used to such things in California, they don't scare us much.'"

"We can't help ourselves no, you know, and I've always been told it's foolish to borrow trouble."

"No one can love a person he's afraid of."

Since there are no horses in Oz, it seems odd that they would call a sawhorse a sawhorse, since it's called that based on it looking somewhat like a horse.

"Whenever an appeal is made to law sorrow is almost certain to follow."

Sam Reviews "Ozma of Oz" by L. Frank Baum (Oz, #3)

Genuinely I think I like this story best, even more than the original story that inspired the movie.  The puzzle they had to solve (the main conflict) was so interesting and entertaining and reminded me of modern day escape rooms.  I also feel this story was more cohesive and easier to move through, especially compared to the 2nd book in the collection.

If Uncle Henry was so sick, why would a long boat ride to Australia seem like a good idea?

"If one is going to talk, it's best to talk correctly."

"'It's strange' said the girl, reflectively; 'but as I'm not a hen I can't be 'spected to understand that.'"

"'Bill!  Why, that's a boy's name.'
"'What difference does that make?'
"'You're a lady hen, aren't you?'
"'Of course.  But when I was first hatched out no one could tell whether I was going to be a hen or a rooster; so the little boy at the farm where I was born called me Bill, and made a pet of me because I was the only yellow chicken in the whole brood.  When I grew up, and he found that I didn't crow and fight, as all the roosters do, he did not think to change my name, and every creature in the barn-yard, as well as the people in the house, knew me as 'Bill.' so Bill I've always been called, and Bill is my name.'"

"We are safe from the Wheelers until we starve to death, anyhow; and before that time comes a good many things can happen."

"Mr. Smith was an artist, as well as an inventor, and he painted a picture of a river which was so natural that, as he was reaching across it to paint some flowers on the opposite bank, he fell into the water and was drowned."

"Mister Tinker made a ladder so tall that he could rest the end of it against the moon, while he stood on the highest rung and picked the little stars to set in the points of the king's crown.  But when he got to the moon Mister Tinker found it such a lovely place that he decided to live there."

"'Are you of royal blood?'
"'Better than thay, ma'am, I came from Kansas.'"

"I wish you could, indeed, free my aunt and her ten royal children. For if they were restored to their proper forms and station they could rule the Kingdom of Ev themselves, and that would save me a lot of worry and trouble. At present there are at least ten minutes every day that I must devote to affairs of state, and I would like to be able to spend my whole time in admiring my beautiful heads."

"He sold [his family] to the powerful Nome King in exchange for a long life, and afterward destroyed the life by jumping into the sea."

"You can hardly imagine the size of my appetite. It seems to fill my whole body, from the end of my throat to the tip of my tail. I am very sure the appetite doesn't fit me, and is too large for the size of my body."

"'I've married a man who owns nine cows,' said Jinjur to Ozma, 'and now I am happy and contented and willing to lead a quiet life and mind my own business.'
"'Where is your husband?' asked Ozma.
"'He is in the house, nursing a black eye,' replied Jinjur, calmly.  'The foolish man would insist upon milking the red cow when I wanted him to milk the white one; but he will know better next time, I am sure.'"

"...the young men who attend the college are no worse off than they were before.  You see, in this country are a number of youths who do not like to work, and the college is an excellent place for them."

Sam Reviews "The Marvelous Land of Oz" by L. Frank Baum (Oz, #2)

"By the time Tip had picked himself up and cleared the dust from his throat so he could say 'Whoa!' there was no further need of saying it, for the horse was long since out of sight.  So he did the only sensible thing he could do.  He sat down and took a great rest, and afterward began walking along the road."

"You seem harmless, Folks do not smile so delightfully when they mean mischief."

Thought it was kind of cool that the General of the Revolt Army is a girl, but then the author wrote that she wanted the emeralds used in the emerald city of decoration to be used for jewelry instead so it almost seems like a slight insult to girls.

New word/term learned:  Quoits (koits, kwoits, kwaits) is a traditional gamewhich involves the throwing of metal, rope or rubber rings over a set distance, usually to land over or near a spike (sometimes called a hob, mott or pin). The sport of quoits encompasses several distinct variations.

I guess the Tin [Wood]man's name is Nick Chopper.

"Do not dampen today's sun with the showers of tomorrow."

"Tailors having, like cats, nine lives, as you probably know."

"Everything in life is unusual until you get accustomed to it."

"Still, it is a Joke.  And a Joke derived from a play upon words is considered among educated people to be eminently proper. ...  To pronounce a joke that allows both meanings of a certain word, proves the joker a person of culture and refinement, who has, moreover, a thorough command of the language."

Very clever of the travelers to ask a mouse to walk ahead of them so the Mombi's tricks could be detected.

"'I'm glad you have decided to come back and restore order, for doing housework and minding the children is wearing out the strength of every man in the Emerald City.'
"'Hm!' said the Scarecrow, thoughtfully.  'If it is such hard work as you say, how did the women manager is so easily?'
"'I really do not know' replied the man, with a deep sigh.  'Perhaps the women are made of cast-iron.'"

"Why, when it comes to law, I have nothing to say, for laws were never meant to be understood, and it is foolish to make the attempt."

"That proves you are unusual and I am convinced that the only people worthy of consideration in this world are the unusual ones. For the common folks are like leaves of a tree, and live and die unnoticed."

"I am only remarkable because I can't help it."

New word learned:  Lorgnette:  a pair of glasses or opera glasses held in front of a person's eyes by a long handle at one side.

"The Wonderful Wizard was never so wonderful as Queen Ozma, for he claimed to do many things he could not do; whereas our new Queen does many things no one would ever expect her to accomplish."

"I am [the richest man in all the world] but not on account of my money.  For I consider brains far superior to money, in every way.  You may have noticed that if one has money without brains, he cannot use it to advantage; but if one has brains without money, they will enable him to live comfortably to the end of his days."

"At the same time, you must acknowledge that a good heart is a thing that brains can not create, and that money can not buy. Perhaps, after all, it is I [the Tin Woodman] who am the richest man in all the world."

"You are both rich, my friends, and your riches are the only riches worth having - the riches of content!"

Sam Reviews "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by L. Frank Baum (Oz, #1)

Turns out the movie followed pretty closely to the movie. And I believe the creatures they left out were simply creatures it would have been hard to create when the movie was made. Clearly written for a younger demographic, the story was easy to get through and relatively short.

Quoted from the Introduction:
"Yet the old-time fairy tale, having served for generations, may now be classed as "historical" in the children's library; for the time has come for a series of newer "wonder tales" in which the stereotyped genie, dwarf and fairy are eliminated, together with all the horrible and bloodcurdling incident devised by their authors to point a fearsome moral to each tale. Modern education includes morality; therefore the modern child seeks only entertainment in its wonder-tales and gladly dispenses with all disagreeable incident. Having this thought in mind, the story of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" was written solely to pleasure children of today. It aspires to being a modernized fairy tale, in which the wonderment and joy are retained and the heart-aches and nightmares are left out."  -L. Frank Baum. Chicago, April, 1900.

Learned a new word:  Garret; a top-floor or attic room, especially a small dismal one (traditionally inhabited by an artist).

"When Dorothy, who was an orphan, first came to her, Aunt Em had been so startled by the child's laughter that she would scream and press her hand upon her heart whenever Dorothy's merry voice reached her ears; and she still looked at the little girl with wonder that she could find anything to laugh at."

"...only witches and sorceresses wear white."  --  Never heard that part of the myth / story before.

"Blue is the color of the Munchkins, and white is the witch color; so we know you are a friendly witch."  --  Dorothy's iconic blue and white gingham dress.

Crazy to me that in the storybook, the Tinman was originally a man but became a Tin Woodman because he kept chopping off pieces of himself and a magical person turned him into tin.

"I shall take the heart, for brains do not make one happy, and happiness is the best thing in the world."

Learned a new definition of a word:  Truck; basically anything on wheels that can be used to carry or haul heavy objects.

When they got to the city and were told they had to put on locked spectacles that only one man had the keys to, I don't know if I'd be comfortable with that.  Sure seems like a fast way to get burned.

"The witch did not bleed where she was bitten, for she was so wicked, that the blood in her had dried up many years before."

"My people have worn green glasses on their eyes so long that most of them think it really is an Emerald City, and it certainly is a beautiful place, abounding in jewels and precious metals, and every good thing that is needed to make one happy.  I have been good to the people, and they like me; but ever since this Palace was built, I have shut myself up and would not see any of them."

"I'm really a very good man, but I'm a very bad Wizard."

"Experience is the only thing that brings knowledge."

"The True courage is in facing danger when you are afraid."

"'I am going to Oz to get my brains at last.  When I return I shall be as other men are.'
"'I have always liked you as you were,' said Dorothy simply."

I don't remember the Wizard leaving the Scarecrow in charge of the Emerald City.

"'Am I really wonderful?'
"'You are unusual.'"