Original Manuscript
The printed text of the book features one significant change from Baum's manuscript. In the manuscript, Red Reera first appears as a skeleton, its bones wired together, with glowing red eyes in the sockets of its skull. The printed text makes Red Reera first appear as a gray ape in an apron and lace cap — a comical sight rather than a frightening and disturbing specter. The change was most likely made by Baum at the suggestion of his editors. Other changes in the manuscript, made by an unknown editor at Reilly & Lee, are relatively trivial, and do not always improve the text.
It is also suggested that Mr. Baum died (May 6, 1919) before this book was finished. Another suggestion is that a daughter of his finished this book which still would suggest the editing mentioned in the previous paragraph and subsequent publishing in 1920.
The submerged city of the Skeezers in this book may have been suggested to Baum by the semi-submerged Temple of Isis at Philae in Egypt, which the Baums had seen on their trip to Europe and Egypt in the first six months of 1906.
Read more about this topic: Glinda Of Oz
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