What do you think?
Rate this book
The Historian's Wizard of Oz: Reading L. Frank Baum's Classic as a Political and Monetary Allegory
"The Historian's Wizard of Oz" synthesizes four decades of scholarly interpretations of L. Frank Baum's classic children's novel as an allegory of the Gilded Age political economy and a comment on the gold standard. The heart of the book is an annotated version of "The Wizard of Oz" that highlights the possible political and monetary symbolism in the book by relating characters, settings, and incidents in it to the historical events and figures of the 1890s, the decade in which Baum wrote his story. Dighe simultaneously values the leading political interpretations of "Oz" as useful and creative teaching tools, and consolidates them in a sympathetic fashion; yet he rejects the commonly held, and by now well-debunked, view that those interpretations reflect Baum's likely motivations in writing the book. The result is a unique way for readers to acquaint themselves with a classic of children's literature that is a bit different and darker than the better-known film version.
Students of history and economics will find two great stories: the dramatic rise and fall of monetary populism and William Jennings Bryan and the original rendering of a childhood story that they know and love. This study draws on several worthy versions of the Oz-as-Populist-parable thesis, but it also separates the reading of Baum's book in this manner from Baum's original intentions. Despite an incongruence with Baum's intent, reading the story as a parable continues to provide a remarkable window into the historical events of the 1890s and, thus, constitutes a tremendous teaching tool for historians, economists, and political scientists. Dighe also includes a primer on gold, silver, and the American monetary system, as well as a brief history of the Populist movement.
1. Introduction: The Colors of Money --
2. "If I Only Had a Brain": A Primer on Gold, Silver, and the American Monetary System --
3. "Populism Will Put Them to Sleep": A Short History of the Populist Movement of the 1890s --
4. L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, with Annotations --
App. A. Another Fiat-Money Metaphor, from The Marvelous Land of Oz --
App. B. William Jennings Bryan's "Cross of Gold" Speech --
App. C. The Quantity Theory of Money.
Students of history and economics will find two great stories: the dramatic rise and fall of monetary populism and William Jennings Bryan and the original rendering of a childhood story that they know and love. This study draws on several worthy versions of the Oz-as-Populist-parable thesis, but it also separates the reading of Baum's book in this manner from Baum's original intentions. Despite an incongruence with Baum's intent, reading the story as a parable continues to provide a remarkable window into the historical events of the 1890s and, thus, constitutes a tremendous teaching tool for historians, economists, and political scientists. Dighe also includes a primer on gold, silver, and the American monetary system, as well as a brief history of the Populist movement.
1. Introduction: The Colors of Money --
2. "If I Only Had a Brain": A Primer on Gold, Silver, and the American Monetary System --
3. "Populism Will Put Them to Sleep": A Short History of the Populist Movement of the 1890s --
4. L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, with Annotations --
App. A. Another Fiat-Money Metaphor, from The Marvelous Land of Oz --
App. B. William Jennings Bryan's "Cross of Gold" Speech --
App. C. The Quantity Theory of Money.
149 pages, Paperback
First published June 21, 2002
5 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 7, 2020
Best concise analysis and explanation of late 19th Century agrarian populism I've read.
February 7, 2017
The first half of the book discusses the economic, social, and political climate of the late 19th century, focusing on the last decade, when the argument about whether silver or gold (or both) should be used to support or supplement the money supply in the United States. This it does very well. I just taught that unit a couple of months ago in my US History class, and I had completed a survey biography of McKinley right before the New Year, and many of the discussions and insights were aligned with what and how I taught the material in the classroom.
The second half of the book is Baum's classic, annotated with footnotes. This format was distracting to me, but I will admit it is probably a personal preference thing. I would much rather have had the annotations and notes embedded in the text of the short novel. It was a little "disturbing" in the flow of reading to search the footnotes, resulting in a very disjointed reading experience (once I realized it was breaking up my rhythm I approached it differently by just reading the entire chapter (they are all fairly short), going back to the relevant portion of the story to re-read it THEN checking out the footnotes. Your style of reading may and probably will be different than mine.
Having grown up knowing all I know about the Wizard of Oz just came from the movie. As any student of film knows, any movie based on a book has significant or maybe minor or trivial changes. Some of the changes between the book and the movie would not necessarily cause one to see some of the allegory in the way Baum may (?) have intended. Remember, the editor is interpreting Baum's work in this way; it doesn't mean that he is right in his analysis, it is simply "an" interpretation not "the" or "the only" or "the correct" interpretation. The editor does make some interesting insights, and some of his work is based on the analysis and interpretations of various other economists and political historians.
At any rate, I can recommend this "Historian's Oz" for any student or lay person interested in US History that is especially interested in the economic forces behind history's journey (those of you that know me know that I see historical events as results of economic forces). So I enjoyed this book more than, say, the "average" reader would have. BUT, if you want a "jumping-off point" to dive into late 19th century economic history, this is a good place to start.
The second half of the book is Baum's classic, annotated with footnotes. This format was distracting to me, but I will admit it is probably a personal preference thing. I would much rather have had the annotations and notes embedded in the text of the short novel. It was a little "disturbing" in the flow of reading to search the footnotes, resulting in a very disjointed reading experience (once I realized it was breaking up my rhythm I approached it differently by just reading the entire chapter (they are all fairly short), going back to the relevant portion of the story to re-read it THEN checking out the footnotes. Your style of reading may and probably will be different than mine.
Having grown up knowing all I know about the Wizard of Oz just came from the movie. As any student of film knows, any movie based on a book has significant or maybe minor or trivial changes. Some of the changes between the book and the movie would not necessarily cause one to see some of the allegory in the way Baum may (?) have intended. Remember, the editor is interpreting Baum's work in this way; it doesn't mean that he is right in his analysis, it is simply "an" interpretation not "the" or "the only" or "the correct" interpretation. The editor does make some interesting insights, and some of his work is based on the analysis and interpretations of various other economists and political historians.
At any rate, I can recommend this "Historian's Oz" for any student or lay person interested in US History that is especially interested in the economic forces behind history's journey (those of you that know me know that I see historical events as results of economic forces). So I enjoyed this book more than, say, the "average" reader would have. BUT, if you want a "jumping-off point" to dive into late 19th century economic history, this is a good place to start.
December 5, 2025
My APUSH teacher would say the wizard of oz was a metaphor for populism and not give any context so I I’ve been wanting to learn more. (I was also prompted by Wicked trying to throw in new political symbolism)
I really enjoyed the annotated version of the original book that pinpointed specific instances of symbolism. However, I found the section about monetary history (that did not mention the wizard of oz at all) really hard to get through but i understand the author was trying to provide context and is an economist. Unfortunately, I just do not understand money.
I really enjoyed the annotated version of the original book that pinpointed specific instances of symbolism. However, I found the section about monetary history (that did not mention the wizard of oz at all) really hard to get through but i understand the author was trying to provide context and is an economist. Unfortunately, I just do not understand money.
Read
September 8, 2022*school read* hated the book.
November 20, 2016
Oz for ounce?
Emerald City for green fiat money?
Silver slippers, yellow brick road, and even the tin man's new ax, symbols of bimetallism?
Yes, that and much more here, and some of it is quite credible!
If you are a Baum fan, you ought to give these ideas some consideration.
This is structurally one of the more unusual books I have read. Ranjit Dinghe has in this book brought under one cover some essays on economics and the history of monetary policy in the US, the actual Wizard of Oz text unabridged, William Jennings Bryan's Cross of God speech, a "photo essay" connecting political cartoons of Frank Baum's day with the content of the novel, and a few other tidbits related to the subject of Oz as history. The book is an attempt to synthesize what has already been written by Henry Littlefield, Hugh Rockoff, and others, along with some original observations and conclusions of the author, and in addition place in the hands of students and educators the primary documents they might want for a meaningful discussion of economic metaphor in the novel.
Dinghe carefully qualifies all his assertions about the work as possible allegory or interpretation, but it is hard to imagine that the gold-silver-greenback allusions in the work are all by chance.
A discussion of the New Critical idea of the "intentional fallacy" might be valuable here, as well as perhaps at least a nod to psychoanalytical criticism as well. Just because we cannot prove that Baum was intentionally writing a money allegory does not mean that he didn't produce one. The disclaimer that Baum included at the beginning of the novel doesn't really preclude allegory; rather, it indicates Baum's well-known aversion to violent, dark content for children's books. He could however certainly produce a sunshiny work for children while simultaneously including an allegory for adults. And knowing his wit it wouldn't surprise me in the least. One thing is for sure: consciously or unconsciously Baum was influenced by the political motifs and symbols of his time, and they are evident in his literature.
I am interested in a work that would analyze the politics of the whole Baum canon. I would love to hear recommendations in this area.
Emerald City for green fiat money?
Silver slippers, yellow brick road, and even the tin man's new ax, symbols of bimetallism?
Yes, that and much more here, and some of it is quite credible!
If you are a Baum fan, you ought to give these ideas some consideration.
This is structurally one of the more unusual books I have read. Ranjit Dinghe has in this book brought under one cover some essays on economics and the history of monetary policy in the US, the actual Wizard of Oz text unabridged, William Jennings Bryan's Cross of God speech, a "photo essay" connecting political cartoons of Frank Baum's day with the content of the novel, and a few other tidbits related to the subject of Oz as history. The book is an attempt to synthesize what has already been written by Henry Littlefield, Hugh Rockoff, and others, along with some original observations and conclusions of the author, and in addition place in the hands of students and educators the primary documents they might want for a meaningful discussion of economic metaphor in the novel.
Dinghe carefully qualifies all his assertions about the work as possible allegory or interpretation, but it is hard to imagine that the gold-silver-greenback allusions in the work are all by chance.
A discussion of the New Critical idea of the "intentional fallacy" might be valuable here, as well as perhaps at least a nod to psychoanalytical criticism as well. Just because we cannot prove that Baum was intentionally writing a money allegory does not mean that he didn't produce one. The disclaimer that Baum included at the beginning of the novel doesn't really preclude allegory; rather, it indicates Baum's well-known aversion to violent, dark content for children's books. He could however certainly produce a sunshiny work for children while simultaneously including an allegory for adults. And knowing his wit it wouldn't surprise me in the least. One thing is for sure: consciously or unconsciously Baum was influenced by the political motifs and symbols of his time, and they are evident in his literature.
I am interested in a work that would analyze the politics of the whole Baum canon. I would love to hear recommendations in this area.
April 1, 2014
Three and a half stars. An annotated edition of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" forms the core of this book along with a fourteen-page photo and cartoon essay. Very interesting to read the full story after seeing the 1939 film so many times and before seeing it again a couple of weeks.
Among the annotations, Baum went to the 1893 Columbia Exposition, the world's fair known as the White City, so-called because of the whitewash used on the major buildings. Baum and his collaborator illustrator, William Wallace Denslow, drew inspiration from the fair, which informed their creation of Oz, The Emerald City. The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
Three chapters and three appendices left me gasping for air. Way too much economic theory while trying too hard to link colors and characters to political or monetary happenings of the 1880s. The editor did a fine job, I suppose, of synthesizing the threads of allegory. Sometimes a story is just a story. L. Frank Baum was influenced by The Brothers Grimm, among storytellers.
"The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" was written solely to pleasure children of today.It aspires to being a modernized fairy tale, in which the wonderment and joy are retained and the heartaches and nightmares are left out." — L Frank Baum, Chicago, April 1900 (He wrote the story while living around North and Milwaukee avenues in Chicago.)
We're off to see the Wizard, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. … In mid-April, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra will play the score while the 1939 film plays on a gigantic screen with the original vocals in tact. http://www.mso.org/tickets/detail?per.... … I bought this book a year ago, when the MSO announced its 2013-14 season. …
Among the annotations, Baum went to the 1893 Columbia Exposition, the world's fair known as the White City, so-called because of the whitewash used on the major buildings. Baum and his collaborator illustrator, William Wallace Denslow, drew inspiration from the fair, which informed their creation of Oz, The Emerald City. The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
Three chapters and three appendices left me gasping for air. Way too much economic theory while trying too hard to link colors and characters to political or monetary happenings of the 1880s. The editor did a fine job, I suppose, of synthesizing the threads of allegory. Sometimes a story is just a story. L. Frank Baum was influenced by The Brothers Grimm, among storytellers.
"The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" was written solely to pleasure children of today.It aspires to being a modernized fairy tale, in which the wonderment and joy are retained and the heartaches and nightmares are left out." — L Frank Baum, Chicago, April 1900 (He wrote the story while living around North and Milwaukee avenues in Chicago.)
We're off to see the Wizard, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. … In mid-April, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra will play the score while the 1939 film plays on a gigantic screen with the original vocals in tact. http://www.mso.org/tickets/detail?per.... … I bought this book a year ago, when the MSO announced its 2013-14 season. …
October 16, 2016
The word "comer" is mentioned in the book 14 times and I would understand it to be a misspelling of
the word "corner". The author mentions that Baum did misspell but I have yet to come up with an explanation. This a good place to learn about the politics and money systems in place at the time of Baum's Oz. One chapter is the complete book by Baum and having watched the movie as a child and also recently the original story is much better.
the word "corner". The author mentions that Baum did misspell but I have yet to come up with an explanation. This a good place to learn about the politics and money systems in place at the time of Baum's Oz. One chapter is the complete book by Baum and having watched the movie as a child and also recently the original story is much better.
April 19, 2009
Read this for my econ paper ... probably isn't leisure reading at all, but I really liked it. There apparently is a lot of symbolism with the Wizard of Oz and the Panic of 1873/Free Silver Movement so that basically everything and every character in the story has a historical parallel (yellow brick road symbolic of the gold standard leading the Emerald City / Washington DC). Pretty cool.
April 10, 2015
An amazing and enlightening book
My view of the wizard of oz will never be the same!
My view of the wizard of oz will never be the same!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews