History Creator / LFrankBaum

** Baum even [[ExaggeratedTrope exaggerates]] this trope, because the ''Literature/LandOfOz'' series is known for its SurpriseCreepy, with a fair amount of FamilyUnfriendlyViolence and NightmareFuel for a little kid's series. Many readers have also noticed some oddities about how Oz is presented (often due to ValuesDissonance), such as how [[BanOnMagic no one but the two regents are allowed to use magic]] or how the former Wizard of Oz is [[DesignatedHero treated as a "good man" despite all his previous misdeeds]]. It's essentially a dictatorship, [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans but it's a ''benevolent'' one, so few citizens are unsatisfied]]. Still, these UnfortunateImplications are enough to make writers brainstorm. So the ''Literature/LandOfOz'' books are reinterpreted as more [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical political than intended]]. As a result, Oz and its characters routinely get referenced in dark, political manners and many adaptations politicize the setting. Glinda the Good Witch and the Wizard of Oz are especially prone to getting reinterpreted as more [[AdaptationalVillainy amoral than intended]]. The Emerald City will also be turned into a StepfordSuburbia that looks pretty and shiny but hides darker secrets underneath. To resume, Creator/LFrankBaum unintendedly created a whole literary genre, that is a Sub-trope to FracturedFairytale called DystopianOz.

* TogetherInDeath: This seemed to be Baum's last thought before he passed away, saying he and his wife could finally cross the Shifting Sands. She would however later become the executor of his estate and basically the go-to source for information on Oz and Frank, as well as the person who selected Ruth Plumly Thompson to write more Oz books, and only join him 40 years later where they share the same gravestone.

Lyman (long for "L.") Frank Baum (May 15, 1856 – May 6, 1919) was an American author, best known for ''Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz''--a work so popular that, in fact, he was chained to the series and wrote Oz book after Oz book while longing to write ''anything'' else. He wrote the second ''Oz'' book to capitalize on the success of the stage version of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', and although he didn't plan to turn it into a series, he was talked into writing four more books by the publisher. After trying to end the series at six books and move onto a new fantasy adventure series starring his characters Trot and Cap'n Bill, some bad theater investments and poor book sales necessitated his return to the ''Oz'' series after only a three year absence, which he would be stuck writing for the rest of his life. That the series was in no way pre-planned helps explain what a ContinuitySnarl the ''Oz'' books are, as well as the fact that he often juggled various side projects while rushing out yearly ''Oz'' books, such as theater productions (arguably his true passion over writing) and later, silent films for his short-lived film studio. Baum also wrote many novels for adult audiences under various pen names; in total he wrote close to 80 books in his lifetime, and only 15 were Oz books (counting a short story collection). Even in death he was not able to escape Oz, as in a state of tenuous after a stroke and a short coma, he awoke one last time to tell his wife "Now we can cross the Shifting Sands."

Lyman (long for "L.") Frank Baum (May 15, 1856 – May 6, 1919) was an American author, best known for ''Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz''--a work so popular that, in fact, he was chained to the series and wrote Oz book after Oz book while longing to write ''anything'' else. He wrote the second ''Oz'' book to capitalize on the success of the stage version of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', and although he didn't plan to turn it into a series, he was talked into writing four more books by the publisher. After trying to end the series at six books and move onto a new fantasy adventure series starring his characters Trot and Cap'n Bill, some bad theater investments and poor book sales necessitated his return to the ''Oz'' series after only a three year absence, which he would be stuck writing for the rest of his life. That the series was in no way pre-planned helps explain what a ContinuitySnarl the ''Oz'' books are, as well as the fact that he often juggled various side projects while rushing out yearly ''Oz'' books, such as theater productions (arguably his true passion over writing) and later, silent films for his short-lived film studio. Baum also wrote many novels for adult audiences under various pen names; in total he wrote close to 80 books in his lifetime, and only 15 were Oz books (counting a short story collection).

Lyman (long for "L.") Frank Baum (May 15, 1856 – May 6, 1919) was an American author, best known for ''Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz''--a work so popular that, in fact, he was chained to the series and wrote Oz book after Oz book while longing to write ''anything'' else. He wrote the second ''Oz'' book to capitalize on the success of the stage version of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', and although he didn't plan to turn it into a series, he was talked into writing four more books by the publisher. After trying to end the series at six books and move onto a new fantasy adventure series starring his characters Trot and Cap'n Bill, some bad theater investments and poor book sales necessitated his return to the ''Oz'' series after only a three year absence, which he would be stuck writing for the rest of his life. That the series was in no way pre-planned helps explain what a ContinuitySnarl the ''Oz'' books are, as well as the fact that he often juggled various side projects while rushing out yearly ''Oz'' books, such as theater productions (arguably his true passion over writing) and later, silent films for his short-lived film studio. Baum also wrote many novels for adult audiences under various pen names.

* NightmareFuelStationAttendant: He wrote the Oz books partly because he thought traditional FairyTales were too scary (and definitely had a point there).[[note]]The other reason was that he felt American children needed a fantasy world distinct from and unconnected to classical European fairytales.[[/note]] But when your first book has a character who was enchanted to hack himself to pieces with an axe, becoming a {{Steampunk}} {{Cyborg}}; the second book has a protagonist forced to live her life as the wrong gender; and the third book has a vain princess and her hall of interchangeable heads, then you kinda missed the point about not loading your work with Nightmare Fuel.
** Baum even [[ExaggeratedTrope exaggerates]] this trope, because the [[Literature/LandOfOz ''Land of Oz'']] series is known for its SurpriseCreepy, with a fair amount of FamilyUnfriendlyViolence and NightmareFuel for a little kid's series. Many readers have also noticed some oddities about how Oz is presented (often due to ValuesDissonance), such as how [[BanOnMagic no one but the two regents are allowed to use magic]] or how the former Wizard of Oz is [[DesignatedHero treated as a "good man" despite all his previous misdeeds]]. It's essentially a dictatorship, [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans but it's a ''benevolent'' one, so few citizens are unsatisfied]]. Still, these UnfortunateImplications are enough to make writers brainstorm. So the ''Literature/LandOfOz'' books are reinterpreted as more [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical political than intended]]. As a result, Oz and its characters routinely get referenced in dark, political manners and many adaptations politicize the setting. Glinda the Good Witch and the Wizard of Oz are especially prone to getting reinterpreted as more [[AdaptationalVillainy amoral than intended]]. The Emerald City will also be turned into a StepfordSuburbia that looks pretty and shiny but hides darker secrets underneath. To resume, Creator/LFrankBaum unintendedly created a whole literary genre, that is a Sub-trope to FracturedFairytale called DystopianOz.

* ''Liteature/TheMagicalMonarchOfMo''