The Wizard of Oz has captured the imagination of the public since publication of the first of L. Frank Baum's books in 1900. Oz has shaped the way we read children's literature, view motion pictures, experience musicals, and watch in wonder as the boundaries between literature, film, and stage are crossed. Oz has captured the scholarly imagination as well. The seventeen essays in this book address these questions, which have become essential to Oz scholarship. Topics covered include literary criticism and Oz, and the roles of philosophy and social critique in the series. Together these essays explore the ways in which Oz tells us much about ourselves, our society, and our journeys.