Classics for Beginners discussion

Enjoy!

Oh! this is awesome, it`s been too long since I read this book, so I would join the group for the reread. Cant hardly wait!

I would like to read this with the group. How do we do this? By chapters or at our own pace? When do we start?

Anna wrote: "I would like to read this with the group. How do we do this? By chapters or at our own pace? When do we start?"
I never thought to ask. I read at my own pace.

I read the book earlier this year. I gave it the maximum stars. I guess everyone has seen the classic movie with Judy Garland. Was a good movie but a little different than the book.

It was a refreshing fairytale after reading the Grimm ones.

Karen wrote: "Weeeee're off to see the Wizard. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz!
See you all on the yellow brick road :>)"

:-)

Joseph (Millennium Man) wrote: "Anna wrote: "I would like to read this with the group. How do we do this? By chapters or at our own pace? When do we start?"
I never thought to ask. I read at my own pace. I read the book earlier..."

Thank you…I am ready to get started. I also watched the movie several times and ended up buying it a few years ago for my (now 9 years old)granddaughter. It is one of her favorites.

My sisters and I read this as well as several other books in the series when we were kids. I managed to find a decent used copy last week, which I will pass on to my niece when done. She's as voracious a reader as her aunt and parents.

I just started reading! I doubt it'll take too long to get through since it's so short and the writing isn't dense at all. Pretty excited to finally be reading the first book in the series.

I finished it quickly, it was a short read
I also was surprised how much different it was than the movie. I enjoyed it though.

This is a really fun read so far. I think I'll read the whole series after this. I only saw half of the movie as a kid, and that was a long time ago, so most of the book is a complete surprise to me. I think the scarecrow may be my favorite character so far.


On Chapter 11 - posted so I can talk about what I've read without giving away spoilers for anyone not there yet.

(view spoiler)[
I love how people in different parts of Oz dress in the same color and paint their houses the same. I wonder if we'll see a reason for that later, or if it's just an interesting way to break up Dorothy's adventures? I was really surprised to see Oz change forms when every one appeared before him. I've never seen the entire movie, so I'm not sure how it compares in that respect. I find it really funny that the scarecrow is the one that does the best thinking, and the tin man is the most compassionate, etc. I'm wondering if they'll get what they want in the end, or if they'll realize they don't need it? (hide spoiler)]

I just finished reading it a few minutes ago. I really enjoyed it. The most interesting aspect of the book for me was the Emerald City and the Wizard of Oz (details in spoiler tag below). It seems there's something deeper that will be explored in later books.

(view spoiler)[Emerald City - How everything looks green only once you wear the green spectacles. There's a bit of an idealism that seems to be portrayed in that (like rose-coloured glasses). Wizard of Oz - how he is just an average man and became great only because he was different and pretended to be more than he was. The fact that a lie becomes harder to reveal once you're in the thick of it, such that he was too afraid to even leave the premises. (hide spoiler)]

@Melissa: Not spoiler-ish for you but since your points were expressed in a spoiler tag I'll do that too. (view spoiler)[I also liked the fave colour segregation between the lands. Colour is such an important element to the book, I feel. It's really lovely how the attributes (kindness, courage and wisdom) are explored. I won't go into detail because it is slightly spoiler-y. You'll know it once you get near the end. ;) (hide spoiler)]

@ Cass I look forward to reading the rest of your comments once I finish. :)

@ Karen They were popular during his life. My book has an intro about him, and they were so popular that he kept writing them up till the end of his life. People ate it up.

I have so many lacunae in my culture and this was one of them. I am so glad this little book was nominated for this month. It finally gave me a golden opportunity to read it. I thoroughly enjoyed it and wished I could have been reading it to a child as a bedtime story, to share his or her wonder. It was also my first time reading a book on Kindle. I read it on my flight back from Florida. It's nice to have a fast read once in a while too. Nice break from Proust!

I really enjoyed reading your posts too.

Anna wrote: "I would like to read this with the group. How do we do this? By chapters or at our own pace? When do we start?"

I was wondering the same thing, but I gather that there is no reading schedule. It seems everyone reads it at their own pace and then posts their comments. I think it would be kind of neat to discuss a specific set of chapters (or some other division) from our monthly pick, but I guess anyone could do this simply by posting their thoughts several times a month as their reading progresses.

Anna, John, I agree with you that we should have a reading schedule so that we can share our reactions without fear of spoiling it for others. This book is so short that I don't think it matters too much but in the future I think it would be really nice to have a basic road map through the book.

I finally got to actually start the book today (those obligatory readings at school are loooooong). This book is so cute, I smiled at Toto´s ear peeping through the basement door =D
And I´ve totally forgot that the witch´s shoes were silver and not red :O

Oh I didn't realize it was a series.

I just got started.

By the way, somehow unrelated, a couple of months ago I saw "Wicked" on Broadway for the first time... It just blew me away! What a different take on the whole story... and beautiful music too!!!

Veljko wrote: "I just got started.

By the way, somehow unrelated, a couple of months ago I saw "Wicked" on Broadway for the first time... It just blew me away! What a different take on the whole story... and be..."

I'm just starting myself. Haven't read this in probably 20 years.

Read the book Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. It'll give you yet another take on the The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Squire wrote: "Veljko wrote: "I just got started.

By the way, somehow unrelated, a couple of months ago I saw "Wicked" on Broadway for the first time... It just blew me away! What a different take on the whole ..."

I was able to watch the musical (Wicked) in 2009 for my music elective at school. It was phenomenal! I'm personally planning to read more Oz-related books after I've finished the entire Oz series. Starting with Wicked, probably.

Maybe since some of you are still reading it you could post your progress and any questions/thoughts you want to leave us as you read through?

I just finished this book and really enjoyed it. I've seen the Judy Garland Wizard of Oz film many times, I've also seen the stage show of Wicked and more recently watched the new Wizard of Oz film. I think that this first book in the Oz series includes a lot of those ideas and it was nice to see how the story started. I actually bought 2 book volumes of Oz that contain the first 7 or so stories and I'll be reading more from these over the coming months. I gave this book a rating of 4 stars, as I really enjoyed the writing style and how quickly the story moved along. I'm glad that I read it.

In the ibook I´m reading (in spanish of course), they keep refering to the scarecrow´s brain as "sesos", which in my country (Mexico) is like pate, the brains you eat, and I laugh cause sometimes it sounds like the scarecrow is obsessed with eating brains haha.

Love the tin man and the fact that he cries over steping on a bug, how cute! And the fact that the one without brain was the one who understood that he needed oil on his jaw.

Karel wrote: "In the ibook I´m reading (in spanish of course), they keep refering to the scarecrow´s brain as "sesos", which in my country (Mexico) is like pate, the brains you eat, and I laugh cause sometimes i..."

How funny indeed to use the word "sesos". I agree that the characters are charming and quite lovable.

Karel wrote: "they keep refering to the scarecrow´s brain as "sesos"

That is really funny!

Karel wrote: "In the ibook I´m reading (in spanish of course), they keep refering to the scarecrow´s brain as "sesos", which in my country (Mexico) is like pate, the brains you eat, and I laugh cause sometimes i..."

Is that the straw in his head? Or the brain he wants Oz to give him. Either way, it's funny.

They use brain (cerebro) as a sinonym of pate (sesos). So the scarecrow keep telling "If I've had pate" (Si tuviera sesos), and I keep thinking Well, he has strange whims! ;D
I guess the traslation is from spain and they must use a different word than "sesos" to refer to the eating brain. Anyway, yeah, is pretty funny :)

I'm halfway through the book and I'm brought back to all the political allegories that have been found in the book (the yellow brick road representing the gold standard leading to a green palace, representing the American dollar, that is being lorded over by a greedy and deluded politician; and silver, Dorothy's shoes, being more powerful than gold or the dollar, etc.) But these weren't brought up until 50 years after the book had been published and Baum left no indication that he intended anything other than what he claims it to be: a child's fairy tale with the scary parts take out (though there's a lot of violence in the book--just glossed over).

I look at it simply as a story of self-denial being overcome and how everybody has brains, a heart, courage, and a home. All we have to do is learn to recognize them in ourselves. A simple theme from a simpler time, but one that still has the power of truth behind it.

I think of how by helping Dorothy get home each character reaches their own goal and finds a place in the world.

Anyone's take on the next few books in the series?

Joseph (Millennium Man) wrote: "I think of how by helping Dorothy get home each character reaches their own goal and finds a place in the world.

Anyone's take on the next few books in the series?"

I have read them all at some time or another and my 9 year old is working her way through them. They are all good fun.

I think of the author looking like the wizard in the movie with Judy Garland.

Fairy tale logic:

So if a bear knocks on your door and asks to marry one of your daughters he will make a fantastic son in law. Just make sure you follow his advise and trust him. If you wait you'll find out he is an enchanted prince.

And if you make a promise even to a repulsive looking yellow dwarf god help you make sure you keep it.

Anyone reading the Andrew Lang collection of fairy tales?

I wondered where these old stories came from, so it was interesting seeing something more modern in the Wizard of Oz.

So your saying for example; if Edgar Allen Poe stories included a moral and were read to children we would not have a better world and better rounded adults?

lol

Joseph (Millennium Man) wrote: "So your saying for example; if Edgar Allen Poe stories included a moral and were read to children we would not have a better world and better rounded adults? lol"

My daughter ha read all the multicoloured fairy books by Lang. Too trite by far I find.

Squire wrote: "I'm halfway through the book and I'm brought back to all the political allegories that have been found in the book (the yellow brick road representing the gold standard leading to a green palace, r..."

I really like your analysis, Squire. I did not think of the political allegories at all while reading it; I saw more of the positive message encapsulated in the simple, time-honored theme.

Karen wrote: "In the copy I own, printed in 1978, the introduction is written by Ray Bolger with an epigraph that might be enlightening as to why Baum came to write the Oz books:

"The time has come for a serie..."

THank you for posting this. It is interesting to see how it was received over the years. I must say that what stays with me is the general feeling of love, kindness and mutual support.

"The time has come for a series of newer 'wondertales' in which the stereotyped genie, dwarf and fairy are eliminated, together with all the horrible and bloodcurdling incidents devised by their authors to point a fearsome moral to each tale." Chicago, April 1900-L. Frank Baum

The Grimm ones are criticized for being grim. If you think about it, to live as a peasant In Their Time the world must have been a very dangerous place. Adults would want to warn their children.

I don't think anybody is claiming Baum isn't frightening, but it goes back to "a simpler theme for a simpler time." In 1900, the public didn't have all the worries that the public has today, so presenting something in a lighter style could reduce the "scary" aspect of it. It wasn't until 1964 that anyone thought to analyze TWWoO in terms of the current culture. (view spoiler)[(there was also the complaint by certain fundamentalist groups about the church that the cowardly lion nonchalantly destroys in the China Country is an attack on religion) (hide spoiler)] While such analysis is indeed intriguing, the author's original intent must be kept in mind to provide perspective. When we analyze history solely through our modern perspective, we lose sight not only of who we are, but also from whence we came and where we might go.

I am about 25% through the kindle version of 'Wonderful Wizard of Oz and I am quite enjoying it. I always wondered how the tin man came to be, which is a little funny and sad.

I have seen the movie version of this book countless times. I saw the stage version of 'Wicked' and throughly enjoyed it. I have the book 'Wicked' to read at some point.

I've just finished this reread. This is a really cute.book full with amazing characters and with friendship and solidarity. Dorothy is a strange heroine, whom always keep saying "Im just a little girl" and changes the fate of them.all.
I 've just seen the film OZ, which is the story before.this book,.so I was surprised finding out that Glinda has red hair.hehe.
BTW that people who can launch their heads will give me nigthmares (sorry for the misspelled words, I dont have a translator in my cel)

This one's been on my pile for a while. I hope to join you all, since I know I don't get to participate in the reads very often.

I have just finished reading 'Wonderful Wizard Of Oz' come to think of it, what was so wonderful about him he was a bit of a con artist if you ask me! Surely Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man and the Lion and Toto are quite wonderful. I really enjoyed the story and a tear did nearly escape my eyes but I controlled it, after all I am a grown woman. I think the big spider was scary for me.

May we conclude that even though (view spoiler)[ the Wizard passed off a bunch of crap to the characters in place of what they were looking for it did have the desired effect in giving the Lion courage, the Tin Man a heart and the Scarecrow a brain? (hide spoiler)]

No, because (view spoiler)[he didn't give them brains, a heart, and courage; he gave them symbolic tokens that finally convinced the trio in recognizing what they had all along. (hide spoiler)]

Finished last night! Well, I'm surprised to say that the story is not at all how I remembered it. xD

I just finished the audiobook. Audible was giving it away for a promotion for their new Audible-to-Kindle features. I would imagine they still are. It is read by Anne Hathaway, and her performance is phenomenal. It is by far the best audiobook performance I've ever heard. The diversity of the characters' voices is very impressive, and it is amazing how she can maintain all the different voices throughout the dialogues. She really brings the story to life. Her reading is very goofy, and she provides a lot of laugh out loud moments. Definitely worth a listen.

In my book the author notes that he received letters from the children that read the Wonderful Wizard Of Oz asking him to write more stories about Dorothy, the Scarecrow, The Lion and the Tin Man.

I read this book recently, and I personally found it a little too repetitive in structure for my taste. I wonder if part of that could come from the influence of older fairy tales, most of which have some sort of repetitive aspect. I would have probably loved it as a kid, but I never read it then, and I only saw the movie once. I decided to give the next book in the series a try, and I really enjoyed that one, and I am looking forward to starting the third soon. I think part of my annoyance came from the fact that Dorthy had to have everything explained as she was an outsider to Oz, and that she just accepted a lot without any real thought. The second book, written from an insider perspective, made a lot more sense to me and was more enjoyable. I understand why the first book was like that, I just found it a little tiring.

On another note, has anyone read the Cracked.com article about Glinda the good witch?

Finished it this morning. I have never read the book but saw the movie numerous time. I enjoyed it. Yes, the book was better than movie....

I LOVE this book! I absolutely love Dorothy's adventures. I am now at the part with the poppy fields! :) I saw the movie back when I was younger and I didn't think much of it. I liked it but when I saw oz the great and powerful I fell in love with the story! Even if it is so different! :)

I coincidentally just finished The Wonderful Wizard of Oz today before joining this group!
I'm surprised that I never read it when I was younger - I've always been in love with the 1939 production of 'The Wizard of Oz' and this book had big shoes to fill.
I loved that it told a different story to the one that I knew so well. I ended up giving the book three stars as I thought the story lagged a little in parts.