Book Talk: Friends of Dorothy

The Library at Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center present a book talk with Dee Michel, author of Friends of Dorothy: Why Gay Boys and Gay Men Love the Wizard of Oz on October 24th, 2019 at 6pm. A book signing and dessert reception will follow.

About the Book: No it's not just Judy! Gay men love not only the MGM film but other stories set in Oz—the original books, more recent books with Oz themes and settings, and stage and screen productions like The Wiz. In Friends of Dorothy, based on interviews with more than one hundred gay Oz fans, Dee Michel explains the enduring appeal of Oz for gay men and boys. Interviewees include Gregory Maguire (Wicked), Robert Sabuda (the pop-up Wizard of Oz), and William Mann (Kate: The Woman Who Was Hepburn). The book also tackles the long-taboo topic of gay boys, examining their feelings about escaping to Oz, the characters they identify with, and the psychological and spiritual uses they make of stories set in Oz. The many voices in Friends of Dorothy, along with extensive research and analysis, provide a richly layered look at the allure of Oz, with insights into gay culture, gay psychology, and gay folklore.