Almost ready!
In order to save audiobooks to your Wish List you must be signed in to your account.
Log in Create accountLimited-time offer
Get two free audiobooks when you make the switch!
Now’s a great time to shop indie. When you start a new membership supporting local bookstores with promo code SWITCH, we’ll give you two bonus audiobook credits at sign-up.
Make the switchGift audiobook credit bundles
You pick the number of credits, your recipient picks the audiobooks, and your local bookstore is supported by your purchase.
Start giftingThe Real Wizard of Oz
This audiobook uses AI narration.
We’re taking steps to make sure AI narration is transparent.
Learn moreSummary
A captivating biography of the eccentric author, filmmaker, and innovator, L. Frank Baum
Enchanting generations of fans, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, first published in 1900, was written by a man whose life was nearly as adventurous as his heroine Dorothy’s legendary trip. Ambitious and always drawn to the unconventional, L. Frank Baum was not just the author of more than sixty books; he was at the forefront of moving picture technology and championed women’s rights. A unique celebration of Baum’s life, The Real Wizard of Oz explores the eventful times in which Baum lived (1856-1919), which influenced nearly every aspect of the Oz tales — from the Civil War to Hollywood (which was emerging as a mecca for creative hopefuls) to the gulf between America’s heartland, with its tornado alleys and its cities teeming with “Tin Man” factory workers.
Baum, who died in 1919, two decades before MGM re-created his vision in eye-popping Technicolor, was a remarkable entrepreneur. He also developed the story for Broadway and created The Oz Film Manufacturing Company, convinced that he had found the perfect medium for children’s stories — an audacious idea that made him a laughingstock among film distributors. Capturing the origins of an enterprise that continues to reach lucrative new heights — most recently with the smash success of Wicked — this audio book is a lively tour of a fascinating era and its most intriguing storyteller.