Literature of Kansas
Discover the rich literary heritage of the Sunflower State with our curated list of Kansas books. From L. Frank Baum’s classic *The Wonderful Wizard of Oz* to Truman Capote’s gripping true-crime masterpiece *In Cold Blood*, explore iconic stories and authors that define Kansas literature.
Book
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
by L. Frank Baum
One of the true classics of American literature, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has stirred the imagination of young and old alike for over four generations. Originally published in 1900, it was the first truly American fairy tale, as Baum crafted a wonderful out of such familiar items as a cornfield scarecrow, a mechanical woodman, and a humbug wizard who used old-fashioned hokum to express that universal theme, "There's no place like home." Follow the adventures of young Dorothy Gale and her dog, Toto, as their Kansas house is swept away by a cyclone and they find themselves in a strange land called Oz. Here she meets the Munchkins and joins the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion on an unforgettable journey to the Emerald City, where lives the all-powered Wizard of Oz. This lavishly produced facsimile of the rare first edition contains all 24 of W. W. Denslow's original color plates, the colorful pictorial binding, and the 130 two-color illustrations that help make The Wonderful Wizard of Oz so special and enduring.
Book
In Cold Blood
by Truman Capote
Recounts the slaying of the Clutter family of Kansas, and the capture, trial and execution of their murderers.
