The Historian's Wizard of Oz: Reading L. Frank Baum's Classic as a Political and Monetary Allegory (Paperback)

~ Ranjit S. Dighe (Author) "Few novels have ever permeated American popular culture as thoroughly as has L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz..." (more)
Key Phrases: monetary populists, monetary populism, monetary allegory, Tin Woodman, Emerald City, Winged Monkeys (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Ranjit Dighe's new book will be of immense interest to scholars seeking to understand Baum and his classic, and to teachers who wish to use Baum's story as a platform for discussing one of the crucial periods in American political and economic history. Although written in a straightforward and engaging style, the book is based on an impressive understanding of the primary and secondary sources. Professor Dighe has chosen judiciously among conflicting interpretations, developed new interpretations of his own, and dealt sensitively with the thorny issue of Baum's intentions. The Historian's Wizard of Oz will be the definitive work for a long time to come.”–Hugh Rockoff Professor of Economics Rutgers University

“Readers will benefit mightily from the expertise this historical-minded economist brings to bear on the famous children's tale. It is with great pleasure and confidence therefore that I recommend The Historian's Wizard of Oz.”–Gene Clanton author Congressional Populism and the Crisis of the 1890s (1998), Populism: The Humane Preference in America (1991), and Kansas Populism: Ideas and Men (1969)

“With this book, Ranjit Dighe combines the economist's knowledge of monetary matters with the historian's sensibilities of the past to help us understand the context of America's classic children's story. His annotations are clear and concise, fair and balanced. Put simply, this is the best commentary we have on L. Frank Baum's Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”–David Parker History Department Kennesaw State University

“...a comprehensive treatment of the relationship between The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and the political events in America just before the turn of the century....In one volume, Dighe assembles varied source material to help the reader see the real (and imagined) links between Oz and Populism. The Historian's Wizard of Oz is a welcome addition to the literature about Baum and politics.”–Michael Gessel Editor-in-Chief The Baum Bugle

Book Description

Integrates an enjoyable children's novel with an informative account of the political and economic history of the 1890s.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Praeger; annotated edition edition (June 21, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0275974197
• ISBN-13: 978-0275974190
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #227,739 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Classroom Source, August 13, 2006

By	Charles Z (Queens, N.Y.) - See all my reviews

Ranjit S. Dighe's coverage of Baum's Wizard of Oz as an allegory is well designed as a teaching source for Populism.
I found his chapter on the historical background of this period very helpful in understanding this complicated period. More importantly, the chapter that includes the original story with annotations that identify the symbolism is exactly what a researcher is looking for. References to Littlefield's interpretation and Bryan's "Cross of Gold" speech makes this book a complete source for introducing this parable to history or economic students.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Political and Financial Allegory in Baum's Classic., December 20, 2008

By	Scripture Studier (WI,USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

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This book is offered as a teaching tool on the history and economic issues of the 1890's.

Mr.Dighe chronicles the interpretations of "The Wizard of Oz" as imagery of politics and money by various writers starting with Henry Littlefield in 1964.

The author cautions that there are subtle differences between the movie and Mr. Baum's book. The color of Dorothy's shoes is one example.

Mr. Baum's political leanings are a relevant topic of this book. They are basically an unknown. Mr. Dighe suggests that Mr. Baum probably didn't intentionally write "The Wizard of Oz" as political/economic allegory. But the book fills that role surprisingly well!

The first chapter explains money and national finances in easy terms. Some of the subjects in that vein are; the gold standard, gold reserve, and fiat money. They are all efficiently defined.

The story of "The Wizard of Oz" is printed in this book accompanied by numerous footnotes that are educational and interesting. Those footnotes detail some of the interpretations from authors like Henry Littlefield, Hugh Rockoff, and Ranjit Dighe himself among others.

These interpretations are speculative, but some of them are glaringly obvious. The green in Oz's temple for the color of money is one.

He includes William Jennings Bryan's speech at the end of the book. I have mixed feelings on Mr. Bryan. While he advocated the federal income tax(I don't care for that)he has his spot in history that was well-earned by his presidential campaigns and eloquent speeches.

This book addresses a fascinating topic. The question of whether L.Frank Baum intended for his book to serve as an allegory for the politics of the 1890's is one that each reader will have to answer for themselves.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good background information, May 3, 2008

By	S. Garrigan "Study to show yourself approved" (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Great background on a subject that escapes most history textbooks. The author takes a "middle ground" and asserts that Baum is not really taking an active stance on the Gold/Silver standard, but merely using analogies from the political climate at the times. The theory makes sense, but a deep reading of the Wizard of Oz then seems to take on merely academic curiosity.

5 stars for the background of the story, but less 1 star for the seemingly academic (pointless??) analysis of this nice story as it relates to the Gold/Siver standard.

Of course, other writers have completely divergent opinions on Baum and his writings, so I would also get some books by those authors to even out the analysis a bit.