The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

By: L. Frank Baum

Narrated by: Anne Hathaway

Length: 3 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Nominee, Solo Narration - Female, 2013

One of the best-known stories in American culture, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has stirred the imagination of young and old alike for over 100 years. Academy Award-winning actress Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married, Alice in Wonderland, The Dark Knight Rises) lends her voice to this uniquely American fairy tale.

Follow the adventures of young Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto as they get swept away into the magical land of Oz , where they encounter characters and places you may remember from the movie - and several more that never made it to the big screen - on an unforgettable journey to the Emerald City.

“It’s such a wonderful book and I was so happy to be a part of bringing it to life”, Ms. Hathaway said. “There are a lot of great voices in it. The more fun you have with it, the sillier and the more free you get with it, the better it is because it’s a story that can handle it. It’s amazing to be able to discover something new about something you feel you know so well.”

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Public Domain (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Anne Hathaway is nothing short of masterful in her narration of Baum’s beloved classic.... As narrator, she is lithe yet precise; her voice sounds lilting or emphatic, as the story details require. In character, she is spectacular. Each character is filled with personality - a light-voiced Witch of the North; a brusque soldier at Oz’s palace; a monotone, robot-like Oz; and a usually cheerful and genuine Dorothy. The variety enriches the listening experience. Yes, one may know the story well, but Hathaway makes this recording a definitive one.” (AudioFile)

Story is different from the movie.

Where does The Wonderful Wizard of Oz rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

In the top 10 percent.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The scarecrow because of the way Anne Hathaway portrayed his voice.

What about Anne Hathaway’s performance did you like?

The variation in the different characters and it sounded like she was having fun recording it.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No.

Eloquent Narrator

I extremely enjoyed listening to Anne Hathaway read The Wizard of Oz. She has a wonderful interpretation of this story and is very animated. She gives each character a unique voice and so gives the story life. She paints a lovely picture and created empathy with all of the characters and their plights. It is a very charming children's story that even adults and teens will enjoy with smiles and laughter.

Anne Hathaway, Please narrate more books?!?!!!

Where does The Wonderful Wizard of Oz rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's toward the top of the list. Maybe #2 or #3. The story is wonderful, of course. But Anne Hathaway's narration? AMAZING! Take this story to a completely different level.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz?

I can't decide. Every time a new character comes onto the scene. The discussions with the Queen Field Mouse was enchanting. And every time something exciting happens.... (because I can't really narrow down just one.)

Have you listened to any of Anne Hathaway’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, I have not. But I intend on doing so immediately!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Anne Hathaway as Dorothy.

Any additional comments?

I'll definitely be listening to this again! It kept me smiling, enchanted and happy through tremendously horrible traffic.

A classic in every sense

Sometimes you need to return to the source to remember just how good it was in the beginning. L. Frank Baum's delightful tale is still wonderful and not too different from the musical movie of the Thirty's that is now the familiar version.
People are so accustomed to the Judy Garland version that we forget the original story. The biggest shock is a reminder that the ruby slippers were silver.
Anne Hathaway was absolutely superb in this reading. She acts all the characters with her flexible voice and they are clear and distinct. Additionally she does the characters in a way that will appeal to children and old children alike. I hope to hear a lot of reading from her in the future. She is a super talent.
The combination of story and performance gives this a "10" rating on almost any rating system.

Perfect

Would you listen to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz again? Why?

Excellent performence from Anne. She makes all the characters come to life. Worth the money

Great Narration

What made the experience of listening to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz the most enjoyable?

I really enjoyed Anne Hathaway's narration- she did a great job with all the different voices.

What about Anne Hathaway???s performance did you like?

Her varied voices- I was impressed at how well she did them!

Any additional comments?

I had read this book a while ago and it was enjoyable to listen to it and hear the story again!

Like the movie better

Anne Hathaway is a good actress, but I didn't care for her reading of this book. Or maybe it was the book itself. Either way I really liked the movie so much better. I had a hard time liking anything about this book.

A wonderful step back into a great story.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I recommend this book as a chance to get to know this story better.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz?

The magic of the story is great enough without the glitz that hollywood added.

What does Anne Hathaway bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I forget that even the smallest change in voice adds to the experience. I enjoyed her rendering much more that I first thought I would.

Wonderful so skillfully narrated

A wonderful story narrated in a very vivid and sweet manner. You can picture the whole story and convey all the feelings listening to Miss Hathaway

Wizard of Oz

Where does The Wonderful Wizard of Oz rank among all the audiobooks you???ve listened to so far?

One of the best - Not disappointed at all in the reading of one of my childhood favorites.
You will see the imagery in your mind as you lose yourself in this wonderful tale.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The straw man, For a character seemingly missing a brain he kept coming up with ways of keeping the group on track.

What about Anne Hathaway???s performance did you like?

She was able to believably put you inside Dorothy's thoughts, fears and hopes,

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Better - brought back my childhood with good memories

Any additional comments?

Highly recommend it for children or adults.