Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts

Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts – 368 pages

ARC from Netgalley and Ballantine in exchange for an honest review

Book Blurb:

Maud Gage Baum, widow of the author of the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, met Judy Garland, the young actress playing the role of Dorothy on the set of The Wizard of Oz in 1939. At the time, Maud was seventy-eight and Judy was sixteen. In spite of their age difference, Maud immediately connected to Judy–especially when Maud heard her sing “Over the Rainbow,” a song whose yearning brought to mind the tough years in South Dakota when Maud and her husband struggled to make a living–until Frank Baum’s book became a national sensation. This wonderfully evocative two-stranded story recreates Maud’s youth as the rebellious daughter of a leading suffragette, and the prairie years of Maud and Frank’s early days when they lived among the people–especially young Dorothy–who would inspire Frank’s masterpiece. Woven into this past story is one set in 1939, describing the high-pressured days on The Wizard of Oz film set where Judy is being badgered by the director, producer, and her ambitious stage mother to lose weight, bind her breasts, and laugh, cry, and act terrified on command. As Maud had promised to protect the original Dorothy back in Aberdeen, she now takes on the job of protecting young Judy.

My Review: 4 stars

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Finding Dorothy was not only a joy to read, it was fascinating to learn that the famed book and movie, The Wizard of Oz, was based on the author’s real life and family. L. Frank Baum’s wife, Maud, was a character to be reckoned with. She was a feminist before her time with a creative spirit and fierce determination to see things through.

The author transported the reader through Maud’s entire life. From her childhood, to being one of a handful of women to attend college, to marrying for love, having children, becoming a widow and finally helping Judy Garland on the set. The settings in both Fayetteville, NY and Aberdeen, South Dakota were brought to life with great detail. Truly, this author has the ability to carry you right into these towns.

Some of the tidbits about the movie’s filming were surprising, alarming, as well as entirely misogynistic. The pills forced on Judy to keep her skinny was just one of the distressing moments on the set. Maud’s motherly affection towards Judy, her ‘get the job done right’ attitude and her love for her late husband were all qualities to admire in a woman, no matter what the time period.

Currently, we live in a time of accessibility and immediacy, which was a far cry from anything in Maud’s life. But Frank, he dreamed of the future and how anything is possible. They were a perfect match. This book would be a good discussion book; however, I do believe its appeal aims mostly to Wizard of Oz fans. I wish it was a good fifty pages shorter as I was slowly losing interest by the end. The author’s note answers all the questions about the true historical aspects versus the fictional imaginings in the book.

Quotes I liked:

And that is the magic of Oz – the magic is that it isn’t magic at all” 

– “Oh, Kansas isn’t the state of Kansas,” Maud said. “Kansas is just the place you’re stuck in, wherever that might be.” 

– “Their worlds were full of mystical connections and wild coincidences-beautiful twists of fate that unfolded to give one’s life a shape as graceful and parabolic as a perfectly plotted book.”