The Land of Oz: Decades before Dorothy. History has hurried along without anyone noticing. Take a peek behind the Emerald Curtain to see just what happened in Oz before Dorothy arrived. Magic and mayhem, dreams and defiance, secrets and sacrifice abound, defining this new age in the Land of Oz. DISCOVER THE HIDDEN SECRETS OF AN ENCHANTED WORLD Glinda's story begins in the North and takes her across the Land of Oz. She fights wicked witches, woos a wizard, and learns the unimaginable consequences of growing up in a magical land powered by human dreams. This informative guide provides maps, history, and--best of all--stories to explore the adventures of Glinda the Good from her formative years as a rebellious youth, to the wise woman who became the most powerful sorceress in the Land of Oz. Each story selection includes multiple chapters from the published Hidden History of Oz books, giving you unprecedented access to these fantastic adventures. Never-before-seen maps provide a glimpse of the larger world, and chronology takes you back to the beginning, when the faeries enchanted the land and crowned the first Queen of Oz. Explore the magic and mystery of this epic fantasy that builds the foundation for L. Frank Baum's classic story, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

In this epic prequel to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, journey with a young sorceress, Glinda, as she steps out of her sheltered life into a world of bitter enemies and loyal friends, unwanted destinies and impossible choices. Experience the heartache of opportunities lost, and the thrill of exciting new adventures. Enjoy the whimsy and wonder of growing up in the Land of Oz, where magic rules, and every freedom comes with a price. The Witch Queens Glinda is the daughter of the Ruby Sorceress, trapped in her so-called perfect life - stuck in a tower with books, locked away to protect her from the Wicked Witches until the fateful day when she will join her mother in the sorcerous arts. With her sixteenth birthday approaching, all Glinda wants is freedom - from her life, her parents, and all of their expectations. Today, at the Abracadabra Bazaar, she was expected to dress nice and play her part, but her red-haired rebellion ruined everything. Humiliated, she runs away and rejects all offers of help, leaving a huge opening in her life for the devious Wicked Witches to step in wreak havoc. Orphaned and alone, Glinda runs for her life, questioning the freedom she thought she wanted, but no place is safe from the reach of the Wicked Witches. Until one day a giant balloon from a far-off land drops through a magic hole in the sky and changes everything. Glinda befriends this young ventriloquist and finds courage from his stories of freedom and independence. Emboldened, Glinda stops running and faces the Witches and their armies. If she can win the day against impossible odds, Glinda (and the entire Land of Oz) will be safe. Journey with Glinda as she steps out of her sheltered life into a world of bitter enemies and loyal friends, unwanted destinies and impossible choices. Experience the heartache of opportunities lost, and the thrill of exciting new adventures. Enjoy the whimsy and wonder of growing up in a land where magic rules, and every freedom comes with a price. About the Hidden HistoryThe Celtic roots of Oz reach back more than one thousand years; a past full of Witches and warriors fighting to control the magic of the land. Oz is a land powered by human dreams, taking what is dreamed on earth to create magic. Now the destiny of this magical land rests in the hands of two dreamers - a sorceress and a wizard. If they can conquer fear and overcome their troubled past, they will find a love for the ages and a brighter future for Oz. If not, their shadows will blanket Oz in an everlasting nightmare.Whimsy and wonder, courage and adventure await in this prequel series to L. Frank Baum's classic novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The Hidden History of Oz, Book One: The Witch Queens is a fun-filled fantastic adventure for ages 10 and up. Guide for Parents included in Appendix of book. Also available here: http://hiddenhistoryofoz.wordpress.com/guide-for-parents/

The Land of Oz: Decades before Dorothy, generations without war have grown soft and weary. From the shadows, the witches scheme to divide the land and remake Oz in their own image. Magic and mayhem, dreams and defiance, secrets and sacrifice abound,defining this new age in the Land of Oz. THE WORLD WILL KNOW HER NAME, NO MATTER WHAT THE COST. Fifteen-year old Glinda is determined to live free from the shadow of her sorceress mother. Uncaring of the price it may demand, Glinda'srebellion against her mother's wishes unleashes the hidden fury of the wicked witches' secret scheme, and plunges the entire land into chaos. Amidst the turmoil, magical armies march across Oz, leaving devastation in their wake. Hope from the skies comes in the form of awizard almost as young as Glinda. He brings stories of freedom, and dreams that change the world around him. Without an army of her own, Glinda inspires common people to rise up against the monstrous armies. However, her inexperience puts everyone at risk. Will three spells, a few clever friends, and a wizard with unwavering faith in freedom be enough to overthrow the tyranny of the wicked witches? Let the battle for Oz begin.

The history of New Orleans is one of contrasts--heroes and villains, catastrophe and celebration, sinners and saints. In this New Orleans, a serial-killing axeman threatens to murder anyone not playing jazz. A fearless band of missionary nuns pushes to civilize the frontier. During World War II, Nazi U-boats lurk off the coast, while Denton Crocker's battle with local mosquitoes contributes to victory in the Pacific. From the streetcar strikers who lined the thoroughfares with IEDs to the unsung heroine of the Battle of New Orleans, Ryan Starrett and Josh Foreman offer a dose of history that would be hard to believe if it hadn't happened here. --Back cover.

Since prehistory, the bluffs of Natchez have called to the bold, the cruel and the quietly determined. The diverse opportunists who heeded that call have left behind more than three hundred years of colorful and tragic stories. The Natchez Indians, who inhabited the bluffs at the time of European contact, made a calculated but ultimately catastrophic decision to massacre the French who had settled nearby. William Johnson, a Black man who occupied a tenuous position between two worlds, found wealth and status in antebellum Natchez. In the wake of Union occupation, thousands of the formerly enslaved became the city's protective garrison. Join authors Ryan Starrett and Josh Foreman and rediscover the people who toiled and bled to make Natchez one of the most unique and interesting cities in America.

The history of Jackson is filled with gripping tales of horrors and heroism. Join Ryan Starrett and Josh Foreman as they reveal the hidden past of the City with Soul. A recording company founded in the mid-1960s with the expectation of competing with New Orleans and Memphis was a national success, outlasting its better-funded rivals. Known as the Devil's Backbone, the Natchez Trace is the graveyard for countless travelers slain by the road's numerous serial killers, brigands and land pirates. Yet one mass grave stands above the others: the Boyd Mounds, which hold the remains of thirty-one Choctaws. Although legend has it that the father of Jackson, Louis LeFleur, was a Canadian trapper famous in high society for his dancing, the truth is even stranger.

Beyond the grand facades and trappings of the Main Line cream-and-crystal crowd are hidden tales and scintillating stories. Author Mark Dixon's collection of articles from Main Line Today explores the region's offbeat and oft-forgotten history. With a keen eye and a touch of humor, Dixon delves into the Welsh origins of nearly unpronounceable towns and the journey of the Sound of Music's Trapp family to Merion. From anecdotes of the socialite who divorced her husband when he had the gall to survive the sinking of the Titanic to the Wayne native who turned from the convent to a career as an internationally renowned opera star, Dixon brings to light the lost pages of Main Line history.

"How do words get coined? That question is explored in Ralph Keyes's latest book, The Hidden History of Coined Words. Based on meticulous research, Keyes has determined that successful neologisms are as likely to be created by chance as by intention. A remarkable number of new words were coined whimsically, he's discovered, to taunt, even to prank. Knickers resulted from a hoax, big bang from an insult. Wisecracking produced software, crowdsource, and blog. More than a few neologisms weren't even coined intentionally: they resulted from happy accidents such as typos, mistranslations, and misheard words like bigly and buttonhole, or from an unintended coinage such as Isaac Asimov's robotics. Many of the word coiners Keyes writes about come from unlikely quarters. Neologizers (a Thomas Jefferson coinage) include not just learned scholars and literary lions but cartoonists, columnists, children's authors, and children as well. Wimp, Keyes tells us, originated with an early 20th century book series on The Wymps, goop from a series about The Goops, and nerd from a book by Dr. Seuss. Competing claims to have coined terms like gonzo, mojo, and booty call are assessed, as is epic battles fought between new word partisans, and those who think we have enough words already. A concluding chapter offers pointers on how to coin a word of one's own. Written in a reader-friendly manner, The Hidden History of Coined Words will appeal not just to word lovers but history buffs, trivia contesters, and anyone at all who is interested in a well-informed good read"--

Discover the little known facts about some of the world’s greatest historical icons with Full Picture. We all know what was written in the history books. There are some stories we’ve heard a hundred times—but often our understanding of these events and people is narrow. Have you ever wondered about the lesser known details that influenced major events and figures behind-the-scenes? This hilarious compendium of fascinating facts and dizzying what-ifs will delight and shock history buffs and trivia lovers alike. From Abraham Lincoln’s wrestling champ background to the day Napoleon was attacked by a horde of hungry rabbits, this book will give you a new perspective. Including: - Walt Disney gave his housekeeper Disney stock every year on her birthday and Christmas. By the time she retired, she was a multi-millionaire. - Charlie Chaplin entered a lookalike contest as a joke…and got 20th place. - Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company, convinced Thomas Edison’s son to collect Edison’s last breath in a test tube. It is on display at The Henry Ford Museum in Detroit. - Before Galileo Galilei was buried, three of his fingers and a tooth were removed from his body by his admirers. The body parts are on display at the Museo Galileo in Florence, Italy. From ancient civilization to modern times, history is full of mysterious and downright bizarre circumstances. With these crazy and compelling facts, Full Picture will change your view of history.

Memorable children's narratives immerse readers in imaginary worlds that bring them into the story. Some of these places have been constructed in the real world--like Pinocchio's Tuscany or Anne of Green Gables' Prince Edward Island--where visitors relive their favorite childhood tales. Theme parks like Walt Disney World and Harry Potter World use technology to engineer enchanting environments that reconnect visitors with beloved fictional settings and characters in new ways. This collection of new essays explores the imagined places we loved as kids, with a focus on the meaning of setting and its power to shape the way we view the world.