Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth LettsDescription
Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts tells the story of Maud Baum, daughter of suffragist Matilda Gage and wife of L. Frank Baum, author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Maud is a force to be reckoned with—even as a child, she won the neighborhood boys’ coveted marbles, climbed trees, and wore her brother’s hand-me-down britches to keep her from being slowed down by skirts. She was not the typical girl growing up in the 1860s, as she learned once she started college and found herself particularly irritated by the teasing of the boys and the double standards for female students.
While a student, she met Frank, an actor and proprietor of a theater company. She is taken by his whimsy and imagination. Her mother warned her whole life that a woman’s choice of husband dictates the rest of her life, so Maud is cautious with him at first.
Being told alongside the narrative about Maud and her life with Frank is the tale of Maud’s efforts to represent Frank in the making the film version of The Wizard of Oz. The movie was one of the first technicolor movies and made Judy Garland’s career. It was also made after Frank had died, and Maud had promised him that she would look after his vision. To that end, she persistently visited the movie studio until she forced her way onto set and into meeting the cast and crew of the movie, including a teenaged Judy. Maud soon learns that no one is looking out for the young star and Hollywood is far from a safe place for girls.
While a student, she met Frank, an actor and proprietor of a theater company. She is taken by his whimsy and imagination. Her mother warned her whole life that a woman’s choice of husband dictates the rest of her life, so Maud is cautious with him at first.
Being told alongside the narrative about Maud and her life with Frank is the tale of Maud’s efforts to represent Frank in the making the film version of The Wizard of Oz. The movie was one of the first technicolor movies and made Judy Garland’s career. It was also made after Frank had died, and Maud had promised him that she would look after his vision. To that end, she persistently visited the movie studio until she forced her way onto set and into meeting the cast and crew of the movie, including a teenaged Judy. Maud soon learns that no one is looking out for the young star and Hollywood is far from a safe place for girls.
Would I teach this book?
Finding Dorothy was a book club pick, and it generated a lot of conversation. Maud is a strong character and she comes across on the page as vibrant and forward thinking. There are plenty of Easter eggs about where different ideas from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz originated.
The book could be taught as an interesting study of research and fictionalized accounts of real life people. It could lend itself to a potentially lively conversation about the creative liberties taken and the line between historical fiction and creative nonfiction. To that end, it would potentially be a good place to begin that conversation. However, we have read other novels in book club which do similar work and are better written.
Finding Dorothy has the added appeal of giving an impression of a young and vulnerable Judy Garland. Maud is notable for being the wife of a famous author. Without these connections, the book would not be nearly as interesting.
View all my reviews
The book could be taught as an interesting study of research and fictionalized accounts of real life people. It could lend itself to a potentially lively conversation about the creative liberties taken and the line between historical fiction and creative nonfiction. To that end, it would potentially be a good place to begin that conversation. However, we have read other novels in book club which do similar work and are better written.
Finding Dorothy has the added appeal of giving an impression of a young and vulnerable Judy Garland. Maud is notable for being the wife of a famous author. Without these connections, the book would not be nearly as interesting.
View all my reviews
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