Lahri Bond wrote this review.
To celebrate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of L. Frank Baum’s masterpiece The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, University Press of Kansas has released a special “Kansas Centennial Edition”of the book.
For those whose only trip to the wonderful land of Oz has been by the annual Thanksgiving weekend TV showing of the 1939 Warner Studios/MGM movie, you owe it to yourself (and your kids) to read the original book that started it all. The characters are considerably more alive, and Baum’s thinly veiled metaphors about the decline of American farms and the industrialization of the country at the turn of the 20th century are as powerful reading for adults as the story’s fantasy elements are for kids.
The question for those of you already familiar with this time-honored book, or even for those who are avid collectors of Oz-related material (I know of a house in New Hampshire that has a yellow brick pathway and boasts one of the world’s largest collections of Oz books, toys, dolls, memorabilia and just plain junk) is, what’s special about this edition?
First off, University Press of Kansas has produced a handsome hardcover volume, much in the style of the classic illustrated books that graced shelves from the turn of the century to the early fifties. The type is of a comfortable size for younger children, as well as us adults whose vision is not what it used to be. Equally as important; the book feels the way a good book should in the hand. It has weight and character to it and it sits comfortably open in the lap. It is, thankfully, not just a block of paper, the way most books are today.
The illustrations are by Michael McCurdy, whose previous work has included “The Sailors’s Alphabet”and “The Bone Man: A Native American Modoc Tale.” McCurdy works in the challenging medium of scratchboard, which oftentimes evokes the style of wood engravings (which he also does). The drawings are finely crafted, with a close attention to the detail of Baum’s text, rather than relying on the more familiar imagery and characterizations from the movie. Still, will they make you forget the definitive drawings of past Oz illustrators W.W. Denslow, John R. Neil, or even the recent staggeringly powerful renditions by Barry Moser? Probably not.
Often McCurdy’s Dorothy looks completely oblivious to her surroundings or predicaments. While this is occasionally true in the text, it is not an overwhelming part of her character’s makeup. Even when she disposes of the Wicked Witch of the West (an illustration unfortunately placed 10 pages before it actually happens, thus spoiling the fun for first time readers), Dorothy’s expression is one of “ho, hum, another day at the office.” Most of the time she looks rather cross or stoic; a shame, really, for the emotional tone of his dominantly dark scratchboard technique is perfect for the book.
The other main feature of this edition of the book should be the foreword by the distinguished science fiction writer (and native Midwesterner) Ray Bradbury. In his short (five-page) introduction Bradbury chooses to meditate on the differences between the characters of Dorothy and Alice (of Wonderland fame). This seems to be a fairly futile exercise. Though both books are the products of late nineteenth century authors, it’s a bit like comparing one’s children to come up with a favorite, especially because, at their cores, the two books are vastly different. Bradbury lets us know early on which is his favorite (big surprise), arguing that Baum’s is a more human tale. I would have much preferred Bradbury to wax eloquently on the subtle images of this book, or tantalize us with the possible futures of the denizens of Oz after Baum clicked his heels three times and left this mortal coil. Even a dry history of the books and subsequent interpretations in film, theater and popular fiction would have been preferable to this pointless essay on who’s better. (Likewise, I abhor comparisons between Tolkien and Lewis, Yeats and Keats, or Star Trek and Star Wars).
Bottom line? If you are a collector of things Oz, this book will be a welcome edition. If you are generally curious, go to your local library or bookstore and sit down with the many editions of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and figure out which one “feels” the best. It’s an entirely personal decision, and you may even find that this edition is the one you like the most. Whichever version you choose, be prepared to go on a magical journey through L. Frank Baum’s timeless landscape with characters who will forever cast an enchanted, emerald colored view on your life.
(University Press of Kansas 1999)
