While researching popular board games during the 1920s so I could mention something other than chess, bridge, and poker in the novel I’m currently writing, I found this marvelous photo of a Wizard of Oz game. Wish I had the real thing! I hope you can read some of the names and places that Dorothy passes through on her way to the Emerald City. Remember, this game precedes the famous 1939 movie that deals only with Munchkinland. It’s based on the series of Frank Baum’s books which, in their day, were as wildly popular (and vilified by far right wing Christians) as the Harry Potter series. The similarities between the two are astonishing: wizards, witches, odd creatures, magic wands, boarding schools for kids, etc. I recently re-read several of my very old Oz books, inherited from my grandparents (The Lost Princess of Oz and Tik-Tok of Oz) to see how they stood up to time. In a word, terribly. The prose is heavy and boring, and they would be a huge turnoff to kids today. Someone needs to re-work and re-publish them. (No thanks.)
Very interesting Mary. I find that about the writing in a few of the old classics I have read in the last few years. I don’t think they would have been nearly as popular if published today. I have worked with many vintage items including games and never saw this one. Thanks for posting.