Was (novel) facts for kids
First edition
|
|
| Author | Geoff Ryman |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Thomi Wroblewski |
| Country | UK |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Harper Collins |
|
Publication date
|
01 May 1992 |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
| Pages | 352 pp (hardcover edition) & 368 pp (paperback edition) |
| ISBN | 978-0-00-223931-8 (hardcover edition) |
| OCLC | 26301503 |
Was (or Was... in the UK edition) is a WFA nominated 1992 novel by Canadian author Geoff Ryman, focusing on themes of L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and the 1939 musical film version, ranging across time and space from 1860s Kansas to late 1980s California.
Was is an adult parallel to the magical Land of Oz that never existed as a real place. The novel explores the tragic but very moving life of "Dorothy Gael" in 1800s Kansas, whose traumatic experiences with Aunt Emily and Uncle Henry after her mother's death leads her to create an imaginary and idealized world in her mind based on some of her real-life experiences as a way of coping with her bleak reality.
The book goes into depth about the importance of a healthy, stable childhood, and explores the life of Judy Garland as she plays Dorothy Gale in the 1939 movie. The novel tells the stories of the characters and how they are connected to one another without realizing it.
Plot summary
The novel is separated into three parts, "Winter Kitchen", "Summer Kitchen", and "Oz Circle". The primary focus is on Jonathan, a gay actor with AIDS who goes on a pilgrimage of sorts to Manhattan, Kansas, and on the "real" (in the novel) Dorothy.
Other characters include Baum, who makes an appearance as a substitute teacher in Kansas. Millie, a makeup girl on the set of the original film version film narrates an encounter with Judy Garland.
Awards and nominations
- Finalist for the World Fantasy Award, 1993
- Shortlisted for the Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel, 1993
- Inducted into the Gaylactic Spectrum Awards Hall of Fame, 2002
Musical adaptation
A musical production of the book, sponsored by the American Musical Theatre Project, premiered at the Ethel M. Barber Theatre at Northwestern University in October 2005. It was directed by Tina Landau, with libretto and lyrics by Barry Kleinbort, and music by Joseph Thalken. An earlier version of the musical appeared at the Human Race Theatre in Dayton, Ohio.
See also
In Spanish: Was (novela) para niños
