Introduction


L. Frank Baum
Before he wrote his wildly popular The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum was a poultry breeder. He even published a monthly trade journal called The Poultry Record and a book about Hamburg chickens, but Baum’s first real success as a writer came with his book Mother Goose in Prose. In 1900, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was published and became an overnight hit. In fact, it remained the best-selling children’s book for two years after that, and because of popular demand, Baum ended up writing thirteen more Oz books. Baum also penned many other stories, poems, and scripts, but none of them could live up to the success or critical acclaim of his Oz series.

Essential Facts

  1. Baum was obsessed with the theater. His father actually built him one in 1880, but it burned down—ironically enough during a production of Baum’s play Matches.
  2. The popular book and subsequent Broadway musical Wicked are based on Baum’s Oz stories. The main character’s name, Elphaba, is based on Baum’s initials.
  3. Baum once wrote an article praising Sitting Bull, but later in the article he urged the annihilation of all remaining Native Americans.
  4. Baum once owned a store, Baum’s Bazaar, but he gave so much merchandise out on credit that the store went bankrupt.
  5. Baum worked with illustrator John R. Neill until Neill published The Oz Toy Book without permission.