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Editor reviews
Anne Hathaway is nothing short of masterful in her narration of Baum’s beloved classic. As she guides listeners through the world of munchkins, winkies, and quadlings; witches; and the humbug Oz, Hathaway’s impressive vocal repertoire shines. 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.
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.”
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)
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What members say
Average customer ratings
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- Julia Brown
- 30-11-14
Brilliant narration
Any additional comments?
Anne Hathaway does a great job of bringing this story to life. She uses different voices to depict the characters and I looked forward to my next instalment each day. The story is good, and there are some variations from the film which is interesting. I will definitely be looking for other books read by Anne Hathaway. My only complaint is I wish it was longer!!!
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Manfred
- Herten, Netherlands
- 23-12-12
Wonderful
I guess everybody knows the story about Dorothy and Toto. If not from the movie with Ms. Garland then from reading the story by L. Frank Baum. But hearing it being narrated by Anne Hathaway is another dimension. I loved how she changes her voice to portrait the different characters. The story came to life again for me. I never read the sequels to the book, but this has prompted me to start doing so. I recommend this audiobook to anyone who loves a good story. Being Dutch I also recommend this audiobook to other Dutch people who love to read and hear stories in English.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Eleni Charalambous
- London
- 10-10-17
Delightful!
How many voices can Anne Hathaway do? She’s such a joy as a narrator, she brings the story to life in a bright, fun way. The story is magical, strange and touching. It’s a true fairytale.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ron
- 21-12-15
a true classic read by a classy lady
i remember that as a child, TWOO was one of the first books i read cover to cover. it was a rainy Saturday, and i curled in the corner of my parents 70s orange sofa. much later i had a crush on Anne Hathaway. so this performance is the best of all worlds. pure joy.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Paul
- 07-04-13
Good reading of a classic
This is very well read by Anne Hathaway, engaging for the children who listened with wrapt attention. It is a familiar tale to most British children, although some of the scenes are quite frightening for young ones (much as the film is). The story is more elaborate than the film, and has an extended coda.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Lisa
- Belfast, United Kingdom
- 23-12-12
The great world of Oz
Always been very found of the Wizard of Oz collection and must say this audible version is very good. Anne Hathaway gives life to this world and characters and her reading is very good.
I enjoyed this a great version for kids to listen to!
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Annie Linfitt
- 27-06-19
Anne Hathaway is sublime.
The movie was right to cut off where it did. Annes voice gives it life.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Benjamin Aaron Carl Hill
- Beijing, China
- 14-05-19
Great Book.
I highly recommend this book and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- BethP
- UK
- 05-05-19
A lovely performance of a classic story.
Anne Hathaway reads this well with a great variety of voices and accents. it's a complicated story but she held our attention well.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 12-03-19
Best narration of a book I've heard
This was one of the first audio books I downloaded and have to say it really is the best I've heard after downloading lots more since. It really is something special, it's a shame Anne Hathaway hasn't done many more kids classics, oh and the kid couldn't stop listening to it too lol
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- WhosYourChubby
- 29-08-16
Just wonderful.
Would you listen to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz again? Why?
Yes, there was so much that was in this book that is not in the movie that I found interesting. I also loved Ann reading it. She was great. For any Wicked fans out there, you will find things in this book that are in the play.
What other book might you compare The Wonderful Wizard of Oz to and why?
I don't know as I never read books like this but now I think I may give more like it a try.
What about Anne Hathaway’s performance did you like?
Loved it! She really made the book jump out and take form in ones head.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I was shocked at the violence in the book. Lots of chopping off of head. That may bother some children.
Any additional comments?
I want to read all of the books in this series and learn all about Oz and what happens in it and to Dorthy and her friends. Makes me feel like a kid again...maybe for the first time.
17 of 17 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 16-08-16
just wonderful!
Loved the book, and LOVED Anne Hathaway reading it!! A good listen for good fun.
16 of 16 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Jenni Beesley
- 21-08-16
Very Different from the movie
Love this way better than the movie. My 11 year old son and 9 year old daughter were riveted on our road trip. Even hubby said he liked it better than the movie. Anne Hathaway deserves a major award for her ability to beautifully tell the story and fittingly change the voice of each character. Thank you Anne!!
13 of 13 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 30-08-16
Narration was phenomenal!
I liked that the way Anne Hathaway created voices for each character, in a way that felt like each one was voiced by a different person. Out of all the audio books I've listened to, she was the best performer so far! As for the story, I'd recommend it for the younger ones that haven't seen the movie yet. The younger ones would also enjoy Anne Hathaway's performance immensely! The older ones or the non-fans of Anne Hathaway might not appreciate her performance.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Justin
- 01-08-16
Anne Hathaway = Amazing!!!
Where does The Wonderful Wizard of Oz rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Because of the narrating, this audiobook ranks #1 for me. She did such an amazing job. Never thought I would enjoy listening to this story this much.
Who was your favorite character and why?
The Scarecrow. For one, the voice she uses for him makes me smile each time I hear it. For two, my favorite line in the story, "Yes brains are important, but you can't be happy without a heart." ****I'm paraphrasing of course.
Which character – as performed by Anne Hathaway – was your favorite?
As stated above, the Scarecrow. The field mice are such a close second though.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes very much so. I want to share this experience with my children and everyone I know. So enjoyable.
Any additional comments?
If I had one wish to make, it'd be to hear more from Anne Hathaway. The different voices she uses make the experience so great.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Justin Scott Frase
- 26-06-16
Wonderful narrator!
My 4 and 5 year old girls were enchanted by Anne Hathaway's delightful narration of this classic. They have tried listening to this story narrated by others and none were able to hold their attention like this one. They were captivated to the very end!
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- yhs
- 01-09-16
the movie is a classic, but only for the music
what an incredible story! and the performance by the narrator was incredible. after listening to this book, it is going on my list of read out loud bedtime stories for my four children.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Shayne
- 31-08-16
... I enjoyed it.
I listened to this out of curiosity. I read an article about bimetallism monetary policy; that mentioned the Wizard of Oz having a related theme in it. It was also interesting to hear the differences between the original story and the movie story. I don't think; the narration could have been better without a full cast of voice actors. I enjoyed it.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 28-06-16
Amazingly Talented Narration
Anne Hathaway did an amazing job narrating this beloved story. My two sons and I enjoyed listening to this very much.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jim "The Impatient"
- 11-02-14
Fantastic
AS a kid, the first thing I looked forward to after Christmas was The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It was always aired in Feb., which was sweeps month. I did not know that, I just knew it was sometime after Christmas. It was a great musical and this is a great book. They differ some and are the same a lot. The musical gave the Wicked Witch of the West a huge part that she did not have in the book. It was interesting to see the differences and easy to see why certain changes were made. The book is more violent, with some head chopping going on, but not enough to make the whole book not worth reading. It was published in 1900 and was the best selling children's book for two years.
Baum has an excellent imagination and I loved the ceramic people, which was not in the movie. There are lessons on courage, intelligence, tenderness, confidence and ambition, which children and adults of today can learn much.
Hathaway has taken a real beating by some reviewers. I did not always agree with her interpretations of the characters, (Valley girls did not exist when this was written) but I thought she brought life to the book. She kept it interesting. I much prefer a narrator that spices up the reading, as a reader who just mouths the words. Baum himself changed the book and characters in order to get it on Broadway. If he was alive today, I do not believe he would have a problem with his story being updated.
I also liked the book Wicked, which gives you the witches side of the story.
71 of 80 people found this review helpful