The Wizard of Oz and Who He Was - Softcover

Martin Gardner; Russel B. Nye

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0870133667 ISBN 13: 9780870133664

Publisher: Michigan State University Press, 1994

Synopsis

When Russel B. Nye and Martin Gardner teamed up to bring out a new edition of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, theirs was the first critical analysis of L. Frank Baum American classic. The book opens with an essay by Nye, entitled "An Appreciation," which is an overview of Baum's creative and imaginative genius. Nye explores the reasons why earlier critics virtually ignored the Oz stories. Gardner, in his essay, "The Royal Historian of Oz," presents a brief biographical sketch, revealing little-known facts about this prolific writer. The volume also contains the complete, original text of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, along with many original illustrations by artist W. W. Denslow.

About this title

About the Authors

Martin Gardner is an American mathematics and science writer specializing in recreational mathematics, but with interests encompassing micromagic, stage magic, pseudoscience, literature (especially the writings of Lewis Carroll), philosophy, scientific skepticism, and religion. He wrote the 'Mathematical Games' column in Scientific American from 1956 to 1981, and he has published over 70 books.

Russel B. Nye, Professor Emeritus and historian of American culture and literature, won the 1945 Pulitzer Prize for biography. Nye taught English at the Michigan State University for 39 years and served 13 years as chairman of the English Department there. The Russel B. Nye Popular Culture Collection in the MSU Libraries includes over 150,000 items.

From the Back Cover

At a state library conference in 1957 the director of the Detroit Public Library system fueled a controversy heard across the nation. He voiced the sentiment that L. Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz stories had no value. At that time it became apparent that even the original work in this series of more than twenty-five titles (additional Oz books were penned by Ruth Plumly Thompson and Rachael R. Cosgrove after Baum's death) - especially popularized by its third film rendition (MGM 1939) - was not readily available in children's stacks in American libraries. Furthermore, numerous librarians rallied in support of the Detroit director's proclamation, calling the Oz books "poorly written", "unimaginative", "negativistic", and "unwholesome". This paperback edition of Michigan State University Press's highly-acclaimed The Wizard of Oz and Who He Was has something special for everyone, including a reprint of the 1900 edition of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz with original W. W. Denslow illustrations; an essay by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Russel B. Nye, which explores Lyman Frank Baum's unique approach to children's literature and the irony of critical neglect in light of its extraordinarily popular success; a biographical sketch of Baum written by Martin Gardner; a bibliography of Baum's many publications, arranged chronologically and including anonymous and pseudonymous citations; and a new introduction by Maurice Hungiville describing the national controversy surrounding the first publication of this text in 1957.

Edition details

• Publisher: Michigan State University Press
• Publication date: 1994
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0870133667
• ISBN 13: 9780870133664
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 224