Elizabeth LettsFinding Dorothy: A Novel

A must read if you've ever seen and loved The Wizard of Oz! I was moved to tears to read of the story of Maud and Frank Baum. There isn't a whole lot of Judy Garland in the book, but that was OK, because the story of the Baums was absolutely beautiful, historical, and inspiring. Five enthusiastic stars!!

What an adventure! This book gives you the behind the scenes story that makes the Wizard of Oz so special. An enjoyable read.

The development of this storyline made reading it easy and engaging. Found myself stopping to research characters further; a sign of established genuine interest. It’s clear that the story was well researched and yet the style of writing is by no means dragged down in an over abundance of facts. I love using the Wizard of Oz as a teaching strategy in my classroom and the late 19th century is a preferred time period of focus for me. To be able to blend the two worlds was awesome.

I just finished reading this book for one of my book clubs. I wasn't thrilled with the selection, to be honest, when it was first announced. I've never been a huge fan of The Wizard Of Oz. I've seen the movie a couple of times, but never read the original book. Those darn flying monkeys creeped me out. But, as my husband pointed out, one of the points of a book club is to read books you might not otherwise have chosen. So read it, I did.It's honestly one of the best books I've read this year. Though a novel, it's grounded in a tremendous amount of research and historical fact. And it's not at all what I thought it would be when I started reading it.The book has two timelines: the 1930's when the movie was being made, and the 1880's-1890's basically telling the story behind the story, from the point of view of the author's wife Maud. There are very strong female characters, in the backdrop of the fight for women's rights, as Maud's mother was integral to the fight for women to have the right to vote. Maud grew up with Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton as frequent visitors in her home. Maud's great-neice was the first woman to serve as a US Senator from North Dakota. Maud herself was one of the first women ever admitted to Cornell University. Issues addressed in the story include lack of reliable birth control, abortion, addiction, the lack of autonomy women had and the need to "marry well." All these issues are woven into the story, painting a picture so clearly.I highly recommend this novel.

If I thought I loved the Wiard of Oz before I read this I was so wrong. I am overwhelmed by how much more I do now. What an inspiring experience!!

At times I felt that when this book went back to the 1800s there was just too much detail. However, I was most intrigued to understand how the life of Frank and Maude Baum was incorporated into the movie so I hung in there. I am grateful that I did as I truly enjoyed this novel.

First-Elizabeth Letts is just an incredible storyteller. This is the second book of read of hers and I intend to read everything she’s written.I came into this book as a fan of the film a Wizard of OzAfter finishing it, I am now a fan of its author L Frank Baum , his incredible wife, and the story behind the book and the film . I truly did not want this book to end.

The delivery was fine. The box was in perfect condition, so I'm thinking the book was dropped and the corner was damaged before it was packaged. Disappointed because I was giving this as a gift. I'll just keep it for myself. The corner was bent and the cover was ripped.

I liked the personality descriptions for the main character. The insight into Judy Garland made me curious, and made me rethink that star's journey.

Lovely read for those of us who love all things Oz. Really great example of historical fiction and it was wonderful to find out all the things in the story that were true.

I'm not particularly a fan of The Wizard of Oz film or the books, but I am a fan of the process of creating works of art. This novel captures perfectly the heyday of Hollywood and paints a wonderful picture of Baum himself. The undoubted star of the novel is Maud Gage (Baum), who supported her husband throughout his various careers. In short, I loved it.

Highly recommended.Thankyou Elizabeth for collating historical information and producing this, hard to put down, story of the family behind the Wizard of Oz.

So who doesn't know the story of The Wizard of Oz? It is a favourite for many and the movie has been watched over and over again. This story is a little different. It focuses on the life of L. Frank Baum (the author of the book The Wizard of Oz) and his wife Maud Gage Baum. There is a dual timeline in the book. The early life of Maud from 1871, and Hollywood from 1938.I enjoyed reading the book and getting a glimpse of behind the scenes of the movie production. It was a fun book to read and I would highly recommend it. I gave it a 4 out of 5 star rating. Read it and enjoy it.