Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Way Back Wednesday - The Tin Woodman of Oz

The Tin Woodman of Oz by L. Frank Baum

The Tin Woodman of Oz is the twelfth Land of Oz book written by L. Frank Baum and was originally published on May 13, 1918. The Tin Woodman is unexpectedly reunited with his Munchkin sweetheart Nimmie Amee from the days when he was flesh and blood. This was a backstory from The Wizard of Oz.

The book was dedicated to the author's grandson Frank Alden Baum.

The Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow are reliving tales at the Tin Woodman's palace in the Winkie Country when a Gillikin boy named Woot wanders comes to see them. After he is fed and rested, Woot asks the Tin Woodman how he came to be made of tin. He relates how the Wicked Witch of the East enchanted his axe and caused him to chop his body parts off limb by limb, all because he was in love with her ward, Nimmie Amee. Each chopped limb was replaced by the tinsmith Ku-Klip with a counterpart made of tin.

The Tin Woodman is unexpectedly reunited with his sweetheart Nimmie Amee. He also meets a fellow tin man - Captain Fyter - as well as a Frankenstein monster-like creature - Chopfyt - who is made from the combined parts of both tin men.

The Tin Woodman of Oz also provides backstory for Oz itself; it was not always a fairyland, and became one by being enchanted by the Fairy Queen Lurline, who left a fairy behind to rule it. In Glinda of Oz Ozma says that she herself was that fairy, though in The Marvelous Land of Oz we are told of her restoration to a throne long held by her ancestors.

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