I love the classic film and as a parent, had seen it some hundred plus times over the years, thanks mainly to a daughter who was obsessed with it at one point. I had read the first book when I was much younger, seeking more of the color and pageantry and spectacle of the movie and remember being vaguely disappointed. That's what happens when Hollywood magic fills your imagination. I saw this complete collection on Amazonr recently, read the great reader reviews of the edition, and frankly, the low price made it a no-brainer (lol) even for a non-scarecrow. I'm glad I did. The books are wonderful! The first one is a lot like the film, mainly in the first half, and all the essential elements and fascinating contradictions are all right there in the text itself: the scarecrow who wants brains but is the smartest one of all, the lion who thinks himself a coward but is in fact the bravest one, the tin man who has more heart than anyone of them, and Dorothy who makes everyplace home... Baum was the architect who laid out the brilliant blue print that wonderful casting and production turned into movie magic. I adore the film, it's one of the greatest ever made. But the books are superb and most importantly, there are 14 of them! The story is great, the adventures amazing. This is one of the greatest classics of all time. And this Kindle edition is excellent, with perfect editing and proofing and layout to make the experience a classic as well. They just don't write them like this anymore, do they?