If you love the Wizard of Oz as I do you will love this book! Imaginative in the writing it is interesting to think of what it was like to make the movie. It has also inspired me to read the original stories. Highly recommend!

This is such a beautiful book. It is in part a double biography (of both Lyman Frank Baum and his wife Maud Gage Baum) as well as a look backstage at the filming of one of the most iconic films of all time. And of course it's fiction, with a beginning, middle, and end to the story (it's surprising how many books don't have this essential aspect).

We learn early that Maud is the daughter of a suffragette who championed hard for women's rights and Maud was going to have every opportunity possible, including going to a boys high school and a prestigious college (Cornell) - which was certainly not common in the late 1800's. And like many college students, a new world opens up to her as she meets and interacts with people of different backgrounds. It is through connections at college that she meets "Frank" (Lyman Frank Baum) and her life changes forever.

In many ways, Maud puts her own suffragette convictions aside to stand beside Frank, performing on stage with him and his touring acting company. We see Frank not only through the eyes of a wife who is in love with her husband, but through the eyes of a smart, reasoned woman who doesn't necessarily get caught up in the act of doting on her husband.

Tragedy befalls the company and they lose everything, and it's off to the next adventure that Frank has in mind. And when disaster strikes, they are off again. We see that despite failure after failure for Frank's ventures, that Maud sees in him a quality of unapologetic positivity and ultimately a sacrifice of his own ideals in order to put his family first (with a little prodding from Maud).

But we also see an older Maud. A Maud who storms into the office Louis B. Mayer who is producing <em>The Wizard of Oz</em> film - her position, she informs us, is to ensure the magic of the books remains. And we see that same Maud, bolstering and protecting the fragile girl who is trying to find the Dorothy for the film, and we see the Maud giving all the right encouragement to the songwriters to help them find the necessary notes for a special rainbow song.

The writing is beautiful and lyrical which more than makes up for those instances where Maud maybe seems a little super-human and single-handedly saves the film.

And let's be honest ... a big part of the magic in this book is the magic of <em>The Wizard of Oz</em> itself.

Author Elizabeth Letts works in so many nods to the book series and the film, but she does so gently, letting the reader make the connection (and if you only know the film, you will miss some of these).

This is easily one of the best books I've read this year and I highly recommend it.

Looking for a good book? <em>Finding Dorothy</em> by Elizabeth Letts is a nearly perfect read.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Very interesting take on the woman behind the author of Oz. Part fictionalized biography, and part peek into the making of the film. While some may find it slow at times, this was a gentle, pleasant read.

An good historical novel on the Baum’s life story along with a lot of tidbits on the Wizard of Oz movie. Those interested in both will find this an enjoyable read.

Told from the perspective of Maud Baum, L Frank Baum's wife, the story moves between her life with Frank and the making of the movie. She is far more practical than he is but she loves his imagination and ability to create beautiful new worlds.

Finding Dorothy is a two part story revolving around Maud Baum, wife of L Frank Baum. The concept is that she promised her husband that she would watch over Dorothy so when MGM decides to make the Wizard of Oz Maud goes to the lot. The story is interspersed with the story of Maud and Frank during the years prior to the books.

The concept was interesting but I just did not find myself drawn to the story. When I was reading one story I wanted to go back to the other. I think that was more for the strong women's rights parts of the story and less because any of the characters were that compelling. I would be interested to know how much was true.

While there is no one specific person or reader I would recommend this too I can see the appeal. So if the synopsis interests you please pick it up, you will probably enjoy it.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC of this book.
The story of Maud Gage Baum, the wife of Frank Baum, the author of the Wizard of Oz.
What a great, compelling story starting with Maud's life as a child and your girl, continuing with her life as Frank's wife and then her time on the set of the movie. Historical fiction. that brought it all to life with great research and an authentic feel;.
Loved the book.

I liked this book for the most part. I particularly enjoyed the parts of the book that focused on Maud's childhood, college years, and life with Frank. I didn't care for the chapters that focused on the filming of the movie -- they were written well, but I just enjoyed Maud and Frank's story so much that I wanted the entire book to be about them.

I wanted so much more from this book, as I am a HUGE Baum fan and Garland fan. Just ok for what it is. Could have been richer in story, especially with the nostalgia of the 1932 film. Missed opportunity.

Historical fiction is hard for me at times, but this one was good! It kept my interest the entire time, and I loved how the story played out. Of course The Wizard of Oz was one of my favorite childhood movies, we watched it on TV each year, so that helped a lot. I loved the historical aspects of this, and learning more about Frank. This one was well done! Highly recommend.

When I was a child, watching The Wizard of Oz was a yearly family tradition. Armed with snacks, thanks to my father, we settled in to watch, be scared by those flying monkeys, see the world go from black and white to technicolor and hear Somewhere Over the Rainbow. But wait! Did L. Frank Baum write that song? No spoiler, he did not. So...how was this movie made? Who were the actors behind it and who were Mr. and Mrs. (Maud) Baum? You can find answers while reading this delightful historical novel.

There is familiarity as favorite characters are met on the set of the movie. Maud worked hard to have a presence there and to be true to the author's intentions for the work. She also gets to know Judy Garland and comes to understand her history, emotions and pressures.

Behind and around this, the novel tells the story of Maud and Frank. I learned so much! For example, Maud's mother was a committed suffragette and Aunt Susan (B. Anthony) was well known to the family. I also read about Maud's experience as one of the early female students at Cornell. Meeting Frank, getting married, Franks' biography, struggling...all of this is present in this book.

Finding Dorothy is an excellent historical novel. Follow the road to it!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e galley in exchange for an honest review.

I love all things Oz and Judy Garland so was thrilled to see this one appear. Always fascinated to read the story behind the story, this book fulfills that and then some. I will watch The Wizard of Oz a bit differently now.
L. Frank Baum was a dreamer which is very apparent when you consider the imaginative world of Oz. His wife, Maud, was the levelheaded, backbone of the family. Upon learning that his book was going to be made into a movie, she went about to see that it was done right. A feminist before her time, Maud was a force to be reckoned with.
Elizabeth Letts faithfully researched material for this book and it's evident. This is one that I'll re-read just because and I love it when a book has that kind of impact.
I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I love everything Wizard of Oz. When this book became available on netgalley, I was thrilled . What a wonderful piece of historical fiction. The book is about Maud and L Frank Baum and the story will make you glad you are along for the ride. I was hooked from the very first word. Thank you netgalley for the arc, the opinion is my own.

The Wizard of Oz is one of those timeless classics, and I think every young girl has dreamed of being Judy Garland with those magic slippers. For all those reasons, I was so intrigued with Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts.

In this wonderfully researched novel, we are provided a look into the lives of Frank and Maud Baum, how their lives together formed the classic novel and the inspiration behind some of those memorable characters. I also particularly enjoyed the sections with interactions set during the movie filming between Mrs. Baum and Judy Garland. The descriptions of the movie set were so vivid that I could visualize each scene.

I was not familiar with the backstory of the Baums and found their history very engaging. It was interesting to learn more about women's suffrage and life in the Dakotas as well.

This was a four star read for me that I would recommend to historical fiction fans or anyone who grew up on the Wizard of Oz. I received this book courtesy of Ballantine Books Random House Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

We all know the story of Dorothy following the yellow brick road to find home. We’ve all seen the movie since childhood, and watched as she fights the wicked witch to earn the right to finally go home. (If you haven’t seen the movie – where have you been??). But do you know the story behind the story? Do you know what prompted L. Frank Baum to write about Dorothy and Toto and all her fairytale friends? That is where the historical fiction novel, Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts steps in.

As L. Frank Baum’s widow arrives at MGM to oversee the making of the 1939 classic “The Wizard of Oz”, we begin to see how important it is to her to make sure the story is done correctly. And she also brings with her the backstory of the writing of this children’s classic. Elizabeth Letts weaves a wonderful story within a story of the life of L. Frank Baum and his wife, Maud, and all their struggles through the early years until his success as a writer. On the movie set, Maud feels protective of the young actress, Judy Garland, who plays Dorothy and watches over her. She also feels protective of the character too, wanting the studio to portray Dorothy exactly as she is in the books. In-between her visits to the set, we see flashbacks of Maud’s youth through her marriage to Baum and beyond.

I can’t tell you how much I loved this story. It gave depth to character who I’d loved as a child and an adult and gave even more meaning to the story. The author states that she put as much truth in the story as she could find, and you can see the work she’s put into it. It’s an amazing historical fiction novel that I am sure you will enjoy.

What a wonderful work of historical fiction, taking an author and series I don't know much about and turning it into a wonderful book. Maud Gage is raised in Fayetteville, New York by a very strong willed mother. Matilda Gage was a contemporary of Susan B. Anthony and worked just as hard, if not harder, for women's rights. I found these early chapters so interesting, and how Maud goes off to college only to abandon it all for love. Yet, her mother has to admire the way she stands up for what she believes in. I've not read the Oz books. At first I didn't think the alternating stories--the second during the filming of Wizard of Oz, where Maud befriends Judy Garland as necessary. But I came to really liking the entire package--the bits and pieces of Frank and Maud's background and how they dovetail into what I know of the Oz story from the movie was so intriguing. From their years in pre-statehood South Dakota to the White City of Chicago, al of the settings and parts of their lives were so well done. From the late 1800's to 1939, a lot changed in the world and it was eerie to see how Frank's imagination took root.

“Just because you can see a rainbow doesn’t mean you know how to get to the other side.” ― Elizabeth Letts, Finding Dorothy

Twenty years after the death of the "original Wizard", Frank Baum, his seventy-seven year-old widow, Maud, headed to Hollywood. It's 1938. MGM is making a movie based on Frank's very popular book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. She's ready to step onto the yellow brick to help Dorothy on her journey.

Frank, himself, had seen the potential of bringing Oz to life in film but he feared, without his oversight, the intended message would be lost. Someone must protect Dorothy! Frank turned to the love of his life, Maud Gage Baum, to stand in his stead.

The engaging historical novel parallels narratives alternating between the Maud's time in Hollywood and her life story beginning in Fayetteville, NY when she is ten years-old. Tucked nicely in each narratives are clues to the magic of Frank's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and the source of Maud's strength of character and inimitable spirit.

Much like our present day civil rights advocate, Tarana Burke and the Me, Too Movement, Maud was surrounded by strong willed 19th-century women's suffragists. Her mother, Matilda Joslyn Gage and her "Aunt" Susan B. Anthony famous still today. She watched by the sidelines as her mother, a modern day Sisyphus pushed the large rock of gender discrimination up the steep hill toward equality.

Matilda was determined that Maud would get a world class education and was elated when she was accepted as one of the first women at Cornell University. Maud soon found that university life and studies were more her mother's aspirations than her own. When she met her roommate's cousin, Frank Baum, she knew where her destiny lay. She had met her soulmate.

Life was tough in the Baum household. Frank was a fabulous father, a dreamer, an actor, and a playwright. He lived with one foot in the real world and the other in his vivid imagination. A quick wit and a kind heart don't go a long way to support a growing family. Maud was the backbone of the family and stood by her man through thick and thin as they moved from town to town following Frank's latest vision.

Their destinies changed when Frank sat down and drew upon a lifetime of memories and wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The popularity of that first book led to many others and the family finances and security improved greatly.

Back in 1938 Hollywood, Maud knew the secrets of Frank's books and our author has interjected some of them in the novel. Read carefully and you will spot some of them yourself.

It is true that Maud met Judy Garland and was on set during the filming. The author has chosen to expose the ugly underbelly of Hollywood and the tragic impact it had on Judy Garland's personal life. It is doubtful that Maud had as much contact with Judy as the novel describes but it is engaging to think that Maud in some way did try to protect the innocence of a young actress.

“Magic isn't things materializing out of nowhere, Magic is when a lot of people all believe in the same thing at the same time, and somehow we all escape ourselves a little bit and we meet up somewhere, and just for a moment, we taste the sublime”
― Elizabeth Letts, Finding Dorothy

Finding Dorothy draws together Maud's story from all perspectives and makes a fascinating read. Recommended reading.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

<em>Thank you to NetGalley and the publishing house for providing an advanced copy for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own! </em>

Once in a blue moon I run across a book that I think I could put in just about anyone's hands and they would love it. The book this year is, FOR SURE, <a href="https://amzn.to/2UQad3l" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Finding Dorothy</em></a>. I did musical theatre for years and one of my favorites is <em>The Wizard of Oz. </em>That said, I didn't know a lot about the history of the book it was based upon or the behind-the-scenes events that had happened during the filming of the movie. I think that is why this book was such a treat because of the meticulous research by Letts to create this story.

The book shares the true story of Maud &amp; Frank Baum. Frank wrote the story of Oz, but the journey to success was a long one. His wife, far ahead of her time as a feminist, leaves behind her education to marry this magical man and start a life together. Their life is what shapes the story of Oz and it is incredibly beautiful.

Later in life, Maud learns that M-G-M is adapting her late husband’s masterpiece for the screen. Somehow this seventy-seven-year-old firecracker finds a way to make it into the studio for the filming, something she really feels tasked to do. It is of the utmost importance that Frank's story is held in the same spirit that it was written. As Maud hears Judy Garland rehearsing, she recognizes the yearning that was her own yearnings as a girl. This yearning is why Maud decides she must protect Dorothy at all costs, just like she did so many years ago.

I can assure you that this book will be in my top ten of 2019. It is magical and is recommended, in particular, for fans of <em>The Greatest Showman</em>. I couldn't put it down and now see the story of Oz in such a different way than I did before.

Do you believe in magic? I think you just might after reading this book. The story The Wizard of Oz is a mystical childhood story that takes us on a journey only our imaginations could understand. Reading the story behind the story is equally as enchanting and magical. Elizabeth Letts writes a beautiful story that pulls you in and takes you on that mystical journey just the way The Wizard of Oz does. She artfully mixes fact and fiction to bring Dorothy completely to life. I really enjoyed the alternating time frames between past and present when the movie was being produced. When Frank wrote the book, he told Maud it was all in there, every last bit. Going back and forth between the time frames allows the reader to understand what all of that was and why Maud is so fiercely protective of Dorothy.

The author's extensive research and her passion for this well loved story shines through in this book. If you loved The Wizard of Oz then you will love this book. If you are ready to go on a nostalgic journey through childhood then you will love this book. It's magical, charming, enchanting, fascinating, mystical, original, adventurous, emotional, nostalgic, comforting and just a flat out well written book you will want to get your hands on!!!!! This is not my first Elizabeth Letts book and I cannot recommend her books enough. She knocks them all out of the park. Five well deserved stars!!!!!

My thanks to Elizabeth Letts, Random House/Ballantine Books and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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.