The Wizard of Oz has captured the imagination of the public since publication of L. Frank Baum's first book of the series in 1900. Oz has shaped the way we read children's literature, view motion pictures and experience musicals. Oz has captured the scholarly imagination as well. The seventeen essays in this book address numerous questions of the boundaries between literature, film, and stage--and these have become essential to Oz scholarship. Together the essays explore the ways in which Oz tells us much about ourselves, our society, and our journeys.

When L. Frank Baum wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, he created an American myth that has endured the test of time. Echoes of Dorothy and her friends are everywhere: popular television shows often have an Oz episode, novelists borrow character types and echo familiar scenes, and every media--from Broadway to The Muppets--has some variation or continuation of Baum's work. This collection of essays follows Baum's archetypal characters as they've changed over time in order to examine what those changes mean in relation to Oz, American culture and basic human truths. Essays also serve as a bridge between academia and fandom, with contributors representing a cross-section of Oz scholarship from backgrounds including The International Wizard of Oz Club and the Children's Literature Association.

"The Wizard is a lovable humbug, an artful salesman who gives his customers something to believe in, even if the thing is known to be pretend. Playing a role, he presents Dorothy's friends with talismans of brains, heart and courage and takes pride in showing them how he accomplished his illusions. Why do Dorothy's friends put their faith in the Wizard's abilities to grant their requests even after he has shown them that he has only been putting on a show? Perhaps his virtuoso performances inspire their own, and ours too. His humbug guides the philosophy of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and the theatrical style of the first Oz musical, the extravaganza of 1902, with implications for "American" performance and participation"--

Reality Outside the Square with Adremolin, the Last Wizard of Oz explores the making of the universe in a new and relatively real way—one that is different to the one that we have been using for at least the last two thousand years. The dimensions used in theories to explain the universe with are modelled confusingly in two ways. On the outside of matter, we have modelled the dimensions with ten singular space dimensions and one singular time dimension. On the inside of matter, the same dimensions combine and are rolled up, forming the space-time reality that is now called the eleven-dimensional multiverse. Yet this way of understanding reality has led to the wrong conclusions, and therefore we have been searching for way too long in the wrong direction and so missed out in a logical way to understand reality. Now author Adremolin seeks to describe reality with two none-dimensional, inversely directed singulars. One singular is called “no matter,” and is like yin, and the other singular is called “dark matter,” and is similar to yang. This way of describing reality solves all the confusing problems we have encountered here on earth in the description of reality for the last several millennia.

In the century and a half since Darwin's Origin of Species, there has been an ongoing--and often vociferously argued--conversation about our species' place in creation and its relationship to a Creator. A growing number of academic professionals see no conflict between Darwin's view of life and the Christian faith. Dubbed "theistic evolution," this brand of Christianity holds that God has used processes like Darwinian evolution to achieve his creation. But is that true? Can Darwin's mechanism of natural selection acting on chance mutations be reconciled with God's intentionality in producing particular outcomes? Does humanity represent the apex of his creation, or just an erasable and ephemeral signpost along a path still being revealed? Does theistic evolution permit God to intervene supernaturally in the workings of his creation? Can we as humans be made in the image of God if we are just one of the millions of products of evolution? Can we salvage concepts like freewill, meaning, purpose, or an eternal soul within theistic evolution? In this book, Wayne Rossiter assess theistic evolution, and whether or not it is consistent with Christianity and secular science. His conclusion is that it bears little resemblance to classical Christianity, and promotes a century-old understanding of evolutionary theory. Theistic evolution renders God a passive player in creation, so far removed and undetectable that he resembles a mere shadow of the Creator described in Christianity.

Dorothy Gale’s trip from Kansas to the Emerald City—in print, on screen, and on stage—has enchanted audiences around the world for more than a century. But what is her magical adventure really about? And can studying such classic tales help today’s writers improve their craft? In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum: A Story Grid Masterworks Analysis Guide, Shawn Coyne answers these questions and more. In Oz, Coyne finds a pitch-perfect illustration of the Heroic Journey 2.0, his revolutionary take on Joseph Campbell’s monomyth. Coyne exposes the essential ingredients that define the book’s life-or-death Action Story, coming-of-age Worldview Story, and transcendent Heroic Journey. Writers who take up the challenge and put the Heroic Journey 2.0 to work will craft stories that resonate across time and cultures and provide the emotional catharsis their readers crave. By the end of Baum’s book, Dorothy has survived a worldview-shattering moment and committed to go on, creating new meaning in her life. Your journey as a storyteller begins with the same commitment to make meaning in the world, and this Guide will set you on the right path.

Read this book and find your very own yellow brick road to enlightenment! Have you ever felt short of direction or personal power, been out of a job or out of love? Then take solace. In The Wizdom of Oz, old professor Theo takes a bunch of his best-loved students on a journey through this brightly-lit and colourful place, the mythical planet of Oz, where the hearts and minds of its inhabitants and its visitors is more visible than they are in the half-light, or the humdrum of ordinary existence on planet Earth. He shows them what this place, or this state of mind, really has to offer anyone ready to follow their hearts and light up their lives. The original Wizard of Oz was written over a century ago but its hidden messages are as pertinent now as ever. This entertaining book can be read in less than an hour but it can help you for the rest of your life.

This book is not your average Oz story. It certainly captures the whimsical style of L. Frank Baum and faithfully retains his main characters, however, while the author introduces many new characters he also weaves into the story a most interesting but perhaps controversial philosophy. We feel that Baum might have said some of these things in his time had he dared. (After all, he was a Theosophist), but because of the times he lived in he had to bring his beliefs through in a very subtle way. Having said that, we do think that the spiritual lessons given by this author, although much more obvious in their intent, could be very helpful to a young person just beginning to formulate his or her values. In fact, we venture to say that if children everywhere were to adopt just a few these principles, they would find themselves, as adults, in a vastly improved world, one that would be relatively free of violence (both in the media, and in reality), and perhaps more importantly, free of intolerance. A world where a new sense of honesty would exist -- not only in individual citizens, but in corporate America, and in politics. (An Oz-like reality on earth?) The story itself takes place prior to Dorothy's moving to Oz permanently. Still back in Kansas our heroine is reminiscing on Oz when she begins to feel faint. She is caught up in a terrible vortex not unlike the original twister that first transported her to Oz when she suddenly finds back once more in that magical kingdom. Upon being reunited with her charming old friends the Cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow, and the Tin Woodman, Dorothy soon learns of yet another Wicked Witch, the Wicked Witch of the Deep South, who spends a good deal of her time in a fascinating place called Negativethoughtland where cruel or evil thoughts take on tangible physical form. The Fabulous Four embark on a quest to stop the evil Witch from filling Oz with these repugnant forms and to bring back the beauty and happiness that we all associate with Baum's delightful fairyland. Along the way, we are treated to encounters with various new residents of Oz such as the Fuzzy Yellow Woggle Bugs, not to mention several strange creatures with names like Ticklemonsters, Girrephalumps, and Octapong.... During the journey there is a beautiful sojourn with a community of American Indians, as well as a meeting of the minds with members of a unique club consisting entirely of United States presidents. (Topics covered range from George Washington’s economic system to the importance of education, and of treating one another with respect and dignity.) During the good natured bantering between themselves some of the presidents provide interesting historical information on their lives. Another chapter is devoted to an important meeting with UFO people who represent an extremely advanced civilization. They make some remarkable revelations and speak with great wisdom, but since the dialogue is extensive, younger children could safely skip most of this without losing any of the story.) Following is a brief quotation from this segment to give you some idea of its content: "...You see, beloved friends, it is much easier for you to doubt your abilities, your powers, than it is to try to realize the potentials that lie within you. Accept your challenges of today. Cope with them and be not concerned for the future ... Each of you has tasks before you that you will perform and, if you will allow yourself to flow with the tide, you shall find that these things will come to you in proper sequence. There is a constant flow of energy around your planet. The entire cosmos is energy. We, too, are energy. Swim in it! Feel yourself as a pulsating, living part of the universal energy; feel yourself to be in tune with this energy - to be flowing along with it, in harmony with it. If you become disturbed or distressed, you have stepped out of the flow. If you go against your conscience, you will go against the flow and be pu

This is a story of a young boy and his sisters who lost their father serving his country. The boy's mother turns to alcohol and is involved in a terrible accident. He runs away to prevent being placed in a foster home. He survives by his wits on a beach. He begins to learn karate as he endures hunger and cold. One day, he discovers his mother is alive. Returning home, the boy learns they lost their home. His family left, thinking Mike was dead. Mike has to make a decision that will challenge him to step of the way to be with his family in another state. Mike begins his journey as an innocent young man. That will change. He will meet many people on this journey. Some will be mean and cruel. Others will raise his spirit and inspire him with caring love. He learns many skills in order to survive this adventure. Surviving was key to his success. He will learn to noodle to catch fish, forge his own tools, deal with people, endure extreme weather that plague him on his trek, make fire different ways, and purify foul water to drink. Many events will test his courage and will to fight back against wild beasts in the forest and the city. An encounter with a giant alligator biting a boat in half after being kidnapped. Then, fighting a bear to save a friend's life. Escaping from a haunted house, hurricane, being horse whipped, to a bar fight with bikers, and much, much more before he reaches his destination. One enemy will bring about the greatest change he will ever know.