In a message dated 97-10-17 13:13:11 EDT, you write: << Hmmm...I read the book many times, and I must have read it wrong, because I did not get a pessimistic message. I thought it was a wry, ironic and yes, pragmatic book: seeing people and situations as they are rather than glorified pap doesn't in my book :-) spell pessimism. A dose of reality tempers the American Dream and sundry quest initiatives (sometimes called Empire, sometimes personal voyages of self-discovery). >> I had been under the (mistaken?) impression that some of what went on it the Wizard of Oz was a satire on the Progressive Era and progessive politicians. Anyone else heard that? Anyone buy it? Katherine ---- Screen-L is sponsored by the Telecommunication & Film Dept., the University of Alabama.