L. Frank Baum
L. Frank Baum (1856-1919). Born on May 15, 1856 in Chittenango, NY, to oil magnate Benjamin Ward Baum. He was the seventh of nine children. His mother was a women’s rights activist. He was privately tutored at home. Over the years, he did a variety of things, including writing for New York Farmer and Dairyman, opening an opera house in which he acted and toured with his own repertory company, and trying his hand at various employments, including the family oil business and owning a general store. However, he was never very successful at these various employments; it was only after he had moved back to Chicago, and failed again in sales, that he finally discovered his true talent lay in writing.
Inspired early in life to create likable characters in order to teach character and values to children, rather than using scary creatures, he once wrote it was worthy to write to please children, and that so doing brings its own reward . . . better than that of fame.
In 1882, he married Maud Gage, and they had four children. His first novel was Mother Goose in Prose (1897). In the last chapter, he introduces a girl named Dorothy who lives on a farm. He next produced Father Goose: His Book, which was immensely popular, selling 175,000 copies. He then composed the work he is most noted for, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, published at his own expense. During his lifetime, he wrote over 60 books and a few plays. He had a frail heart for most of his life and he died on May 6, 1919. His famous Oz series include:
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
- The Marvelous Land of Oz
- Ozma of Oz
- Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz
- The Road to Oz
- Tik-Tok of Oz
- The Emerald City of Oz
- The Patchwork Girl of Oz
- Glinda of Oz
- The Scarecrow of Oz
- The Lost Princess of Oz
- The Magic of Oz
- The Tin Woodman of Oz
- The Visitors from Oz
- Rinkitink in Oz
Other works include:
- A play, “Mary Louise”
- The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus
- The Enchanted Island of Yew
- Sea Fairies
- Sky Island
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