The Wizard of Oz and Who He Was [Paperback]

Martin Gardner (Author), Russel B. Nye (Author)

Book Description

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. 
 

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

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.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Michigan State University Press; Revised edition (December 31, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0870133667
• ISBN-13: 978-0870133664
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,558,500 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Good, Literary Version of a Classic, June 6, 2000

By 

Shawn Weil - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Wizard of Oz and Who He Was (Paperback)

This wonderful edition of the classic Oz tale is bothliterature and criticism in one volume. The entire story - unabridged- is here, with all of Denslows pictures (in black and white). It also includes two essays, one biographical and one critical, about Oz and it's creator, L.F.Baum.

The biographical essay by Martin Gardner is a good overview of Baum's "jack of all trades" life: chicken farmer, playwrite, traveling salesman, author. It includes many of the stories included in "To Please a Child," the wonderful biography of Baum that is long out of print.

The critical essay concerns the history of the Oz books as literature. Oz is considered by many both a Utopia and the first true American fairyland. Yet, critics of children literature rarely mention Baum along with other revered authors. Russel Nye captures perceptions of Oz over the first half century in a concise, but comprehensive manner.

My only criticism is that it was not changed from the first edition (published 1957) to the second (published 1994), other than a brief introduction. I would have like to have seen a review of how Oz has changed in the public consciousness in the past 43 years.

Enjoy this book, and enjoy the story at the end.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Its Always Hard to Beat the Original", June 17, 2008

By 

Russell A. Rohde MD "Owl" (West Covina, California USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Wizard of Oz & Who He Was. (Hardcover)

"The Wizard of Oz and Who He Was", Martin Gardner & Russel Nye/Editors, Michigan State Univ. Press, 1957 (2nd 1994). ISBN 0-87013-366-7, PC 208/141 (Oz); Intro. 6 pgs., Appreciation 18 pgs., Royal Historian 16 pgs., Notes 3 pgs., Bibliog. 8 pgs. 9 x 6".

A reprint of the original "(The Wonderful) Wizard of Oz" 1900 story by L. Frank Baum alongside some of Denslow's illustrations and, additionally, "Who He Was" with Hungiville's Introduction, (new edition), Russel Nye's "Appreciation" that distills the essence of Baum's bountiful literary writings and Gardner's succinct bibliography of Baum and his characters, etc.

So, if you wish to read the unblemished original "Wizard of Oz" and access many studied revelations about the author, the why and how of his characters, and an overview of the many neglected, overlooked or lesser Oz writings, essays, plays, or books, this is the fertile ground to explore. Not to be overlooked is the scandalous national controversy that arose in 1957 within the Detroit Public Library system denouncing Oz books as "poorly written" and "unwholesome" etc., a very serious matter at that time, we may find it humorous.

Readers will once again recall several ways to kill witches, cross rivers, cast magical spells and if you see "Wicked" on stage, it'll make the play even more memorial.