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)

Amazingly Talented Narration

Anne Hathaway did an amazing job narrating this beloved story. My two sons and I enjoyed listening to this very much.

Great Story, AMAZING Reading!

I am probably one of the only children in America who never read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as a child. So, as an adult, I figured it was time to experience it now. The story is a good one--very different from the movie, but fantastic and fun and complex in so many interesting ways. But the real stunner here is Anne Hathaway's reading of the story. She does a phenomenal job of bringing the different characters to life, all of them with fanciful, beautiful, spirited voices. I absolutely loved listening to her read this lovely story. I think her reading does an amazing job of making a story that seems more fitted to young people really wonderful and exciting for readers (and listeners) of all ages. Highly recommended.

Excellent

Would you consider the audio edition of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz to be better than the print version?

Yes. Anne Hathaway does a great job with the narration. It makes the book even more fun.

What about Anne Hathaway’s performance did you like?

I loved the voices that she gave the characters. She also gave a lot of energy and enthusiasm to the overall narration. She seems to have love & affection for this book:-)

Any additional comments?

This is an excellent version of The Wizard of Oz. I purchased another audible version when my (now teenaged) kids were young and we could not finish it. This is a fun, imaginative book and Anne's reading enhances the story.

Great narration

I bought this audio edition for the reader and I was spot on! Hathaway does an excellent job. Some of her characterizations are a bit 21st century but that's okay by me.

IMHO, this is a wonderful parent/child listen.

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.

Classic

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

Classic book of course. However, Ann Hathaway (at least to me) sounded like Marge Simpson for some of the voices she used to portray the Scarecrow. I had a hard time getting past that. :(

What did you like best about this story?

The story itself. A bit different than the classic movie, more details.

How could the performance have been better?

Not all actors make good narrators.

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.

Classic Story Brought to New Life

Would you consider the audio edition of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz to be better than the print version?

The first book in L. Frank Baum's Oz series is a masterpiece, and Anne Hathaway's narration only makes it better. She doesn't just read the book - she performs the book. I could listen to this book over and over. I wish that she would narrate all of the books in the series.

literally favorite to listen to

perfect performance by ms hathaway. her individual voices for characters make it wonderful for all ages.

Great book!

I've seen Wizard of Oz a dozen times, but have never read the book. I decided to download it for my 4 and 5 year old boys to take a break from our Magic Treehouse audiobooks. All three of us loved it! Anne Hathaway is excellent as narrator and brings a lot of life to the story. The book is much more interesting than the original movie and I highly recommend it!