Glinda’s Great Book of Records first appears in L. Frank Baum’s sixth book, The Emerald City of Oz. The book is presented in such a way as to make Glinda the Good omniscient (sort of). The Great Book of Records is no ordinary book. As soon as something happens anywhere in the world, it appears on its pages, allowing Glinda to stay informed of all events, big and small.
“Everything in the world” is an awful lot. It reminds me of the children’s book, “Everything in the Whole Wide World Museum. In that book, Grover spends page after page walking through large rooms packed with all sorts of amazing things, but he knows he hasn’t seen everything. The book ends with Grover walking through an exit door and out into the world where he actually can see everything in the whole wide world. Silly, but it makes a point: You can never know or see or read or hear everything. Even Glinda can’t do that.
The book seems omniscient, yet that omniscience is selective. It doesn’t reveal everything. In my book, The Lost Wizard of Oz, Glinda is forced to make a deal with the malevolent Mombi, one of the more hateful creatures Mr. Baum ever created. Before making the deal, Glinda warns her that the book can be dangerous. It plays tricks, abbreviates stories, and omits key facts.
But Mombi is determined to have a look. Eventually, Glinda agrees to let the wicked old hag look at the book for one hour, without interference. In return, Mombi gives Glinda a small bottle. What is in the bottle? All Glinda knows for sure is that it will help her find the missing Wizard of Oz.
The Allure of Omniscience
Mombi desires to read the Great Book of Records because she thinks it will give her great power and knowledge. You will recall Satan’s words to Eve in the Garden of Eden: “For God knows that when you eat of (the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil) your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God” (Genesis 3:5). But it was a trap.
Mombi’s motives are greed and lust for power. Those motives always lead to self-destruction and harm to others. On the other hand, Glinda uses the book to help her keep track of events in and around Oz to enable her to know where and when to intervene for good.
A Tricky Book
Mombi’s attempt to access the book emphasizes its alluring potential for misuse. While Mombi seeks power from the book, Glinda is wary, knowing it may mislead those who seek to interpret its entries without caution.
As valuable as the Great Book of Records is, Glinda knows it is dangerous. She tries to warn Mombi. The book plays tricks. It is sort of like the internet. You can find anything on the internet. It is a wonderful tool, but it can also be misleading. It colors information to manipulate how we think and act. And no one knows what the Great Book’s bias is, not even Glinda. She is afraid to put it into Mombi’s hands. Glinda recognizes the danger and hesitates to let others read it—especially someone like Mombi, whose ambitions could be deadly.
Book’s Origin and Purpose
Mr. Baum never reveals where the Great Book of Records came from and neither do I, at least not yet. I am still working on it. Maybe I will develop that in my next book, Northern Lights, which will tell the story of the Good Witch of the North.
I am open to suggestions.
Conclusion
The Great Book of Records is both a blessing and a curse. It offers insight into the world’s events but also presents dangers for those who rely too heavily on its incomplete and sometimes misleading information. Glinda, ever wise and cautious, understands its potential—and its perils.
