The Best Books Club: The Woman Behind the Wizard

A cackling evil witch … a flying house and flying monkeys … the Yellow Brick Road … ruby slippers … a young girl on an epic journey accompanied by her dog and a scarecrow, tin man and lion …

That list most likely took you back to your childhood, to the rising anticipation in the days leading up to the once-a-year television broadcast of “The Wizard of Oz” and to sitting in front of the television, mesmerized as the story unfolded yet again on the screen.

Many — maybe even most — of us raised on the film never realized Dorothy, the wizard, Toto, et al., were actually famous long before the film’s debut on Aug. 25, 1939. American children were first introduced to Oz with the 1900 publication of L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” the best-selling children’s book for two years after its release. Thirteen more books followed, the last published a year after Baum’s death in 1919. Each of the 14 books were wildly popular with children and adults alike.

In the historical novel “Finding Dorothy” (Ballantine Books, 2019), author Elizabeth Letts weaves together two distinct narratives — the backstory of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” and that of its well-known film adaptation — as seen through the eyes of Maud Gage Baum, wife of L. Frank Baum, actor, playwright, businessman and author.

The book opens in 1939 Hollywood, just after Maud learns MGM is filming an adaption of her late-husband’s beloved book. As the only living person who knows the book’s secrets, she is focused on ensuring the writers and producers stay true to its spirit. She eventually wins permission from Louis B. Mayer himself to observe filming over the course of several months. It is those visits — her observations and interactions with Judy Garland and other actors, as well as screenwriters and film crew — that make up one of the novel’s narratives.

While those glimpses into the making of the film are interesting, it is the story of Maud’s life, beginning when she was 10 years old, that comprises the bulk of the novel. Author Letts shares an intensively-researched but fictional account of Maud’s childhood and upbringing as the daughter of famed activist and suffragette Matilda Joslyn Gage through her experience as one of only a few female students at Cornell University in the 1880s and ultimately to her 37-year marriage to Frank (as he was known) Baum.

It is in that storyline the reader discovers the origins of the magic that is found in Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” and, in turn, in MGM’s “The Wizard of Oz.”

Fans of “The Wizard of Oz” will enjoy Elizabeth Lett’s “Finding Dorothy” and find it intriguing. No doubt it will inspire more than a few to prepare a bowl of popcorn, turn on their television and leave the cares of the world behind as they once again visit the magical world of Oz.

__Want to join in the conversation?__

I’ll see you on “The Best Years” Facebook Page, in “The Best Books Club” Facebook group on Tuesday, May 3, at 4:30 p.m. to discuss “Finding Dorothy.” I hope to see you there! Just a few of the ideas we’ll be discussing:

What are your favorite memories of watching “The Wizard of Oz” on television?

Author Elizabeth Letts chose to tell the story behind “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” and the filming of “The Wizard of Oz” from the perspective of Maud Baum. If you could hear the story from another character’s (or characters’) perspective(s), who would you choose and why?

Now that you’ve read “Finding Dorothy,” who do you think inspired L. Frank Baum’s Dorothy in the original book series?

Frank and Maud were the epitome of the old saying “opposites attract;” Frank was, of course, a dreamer, while Maud was more pragmatic. What do you feel was most responsible for the fact this marriage of such opposites not only survived but actually thrived? If Frank and Maud were a couple today, do you think their relationship would have been different?

Do you think the title fits the book? Why/why not?

__Coming Up__

Our selection for June is a novel that spent 45 weeks at the top of bestsellers’ lists. Referred to as “funny, clever and compelling,” “brilliant” and “suspenseful, funny and poignant” by readers, “The Thursday Murder Club: A Novel” by Richard Osman is a delightful cozy mystery with four extremely interesting amateur detectives, all residents of a retirement community who enjoy meeting every Thursday to solve cold cases. Then, when a murder very close to home captures the sleuths’ attention, the intrigue begins.

I’ll be posting thoughts and questions about this novel throughout the month of May on “The Best Years” Facebook page before talking about it in “The Best Books Club” Facebook group on Tuesday, June 7, at 4:30 p.m. I hope you’ll post your thoughts and questions about the book there, too, and join us for the Facebook Live discussion. See you soon.

Patti Miinch, a resident of Cape Girardeau, is an author, mother (and mother-in-law) of two, grandmother of three and retired educator; while she has many loves, spending time with her family, sports, travel and reading top the list.