"The book has a bright and joyous atmosphere and does not dwell upon killing and deeds of violence. Enough stirring adventure enters into it, however, to flavor it with zest ...It will indeed be strange if there be a normal child who will not enjoy the story." "An original departure in children's literature, in every way novel and unique. ... The text is charming and will prove interesting to both young and old. ..." - The New York Times, 1900. " 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' has become America's greatest and best-loved homegrown fairy tale. The first totally American fantasy for children, it is one of the most-read children's books." - Library of Congress. "The Oz books are far ahead of their time both scientifically and politically. They are full of inventions that would not appear on the market for most of the century, among them a robot man, an artificial heart and limbs, a television monitoring system, anti-gravity devices, and a computer-type news service." - Alison Lurie. "I have learned to regard fame as a will-o-the-wisp, which when caught, is not worth the possession; but to please a child is a sweet and lovely thing that warms one's heart and brings its own reward." - L. Frank Baum. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is an enchanting tale of adventure and self-discovery in a magical country. It is America's first and greatest fairy tale and is one of the most-read children's books. Its unforgettable characters and memorable adventures made it an instant classic, so much so that Baum wrote another thirteen books in the series. This is the first volume of a two-volume collection of all fourteen books and it will be a delight to any lover of the wonderful land of Oz. Features of this hardback edition: Contains the first seven books in the Oz series: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Marvelous Land of Oz, Ozma of Oz, Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz, The Road to Oz, The Emerald City of Oz, and The Patchwork Girl of Oz. The text is set in a well-spaced, crisp, large, modern 11-point font that children and grandparents will find easy to read. Each book contains the author's introduction. Frank Baum (1856-1919) was an American writer, best-known for The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. He wrote another thirteen books in the Oz series and over fifty-five novels. Baum wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz after failures as an actor, and proprietor of, successively a theater, a general store, a newspaper, and a trade magazine. Baum aimed to create an Americanized fairy tale in his Oz books, like Grimms' and Andersen's, but "in which the wonderment and joy are retained and the heartaches and nightmares are left out."