Its author tells a good story, fascinating for some us, naive for the rest, but the story that shows, without ostentation and cheap morality how we can find these virtues. They lie inside us — always in the depths of our souls, and no one can truly give them us, if we don’t start believing we can get them.
And he teaches that there are people and situation that can ignite, even if by a substitute, the fire of brains, heart and courage. However — they can ignite ONLY , never truly GIVE them to us.
The book makes also a case about humbugs and posers, and says, that sometimes they can have some merit. Contrary to the traditional thinking, and somehow against the common sense — the merit of some humbugs is in promoting good and welfare. Of course only if good is the essence of their humbuggery, not the evil...
And the book says much more; how a pauper can truly become the leader, a coward — the headman, and how a strong desire to live a normal real life among close family and friends and the resignation from splendours is, at the end, rewarded ....
This author is Lyman Frank Baum. This book is The Wonderful Wizard of Oz published in 1900....
Some used to say that the book was politically motivated, and that its characters ridicule some political figures. I don’t buy such interpretations.
The story for our children and grandchildren but not a childish fairy tale at all....
It was my holiday reading this year...
Mirek,
ReplyDeleteWelcome back! This is a nice choice for summer reading. I watched the movie countless times as a child. It's good to know that the book itself holds up to grown-up scrutiny. Even without the political overtones, it sounds like a worthwhile read!
Diane
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI couldn't drop by for a long time as I've been obsessed with my wildlife blog,and I've missed much as I guessed. I only watched the cartoon " The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" as a kid on Tv, and never new the book was such an interesting read. Many thanks for this post!