Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work was written in 1909 by L. Frank Baum, best known as the author of The Land of Oz. It is the fourth novel of the ten-book Aunt Jane's Nieces series, which, after the Oz books themselves, was Baum's most popular literary work. It was published under the pen name "Edith Van Dyne," one of Baum's many aliases, just like the previous works in the series. The story of the three cousins Louise Merrick, Beth De Graf, and Patsy Doyle, and their circle is continued in the book. The title is a little deceptive; a more appropriate title would have been Aunt Jane's Nieces in Politics. Three days after Aunt Jane's Nieces at Millville ended, the story picks up with freckled and red-haired Patsy still nursing a sunburn from her summer spent in the Adirondacks. She and Louise get letters from Kenneth Forbes, their "cousin," the young man who in the first book of the series inherited Aunt Jane's land. To some extent, Baum's decision to portray the Democratic candidate as a practitioner of "low politics" may be seen as a reflection of reality.
Lyman Frank Baum was an American writer best known for his children's books, especially The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its sequels. He wrote 14 novels in the Oz series, plus 41 other novels, 83 short stories, above 200 poems, and at least 42 scripts. He made many attempts to lead his works to the stage and screen; the 1939 adaptation of the first Oz book became a milestone of 20th-century cinema. Baum was born on 15 May 1856, near Syracuse, New York. His father, Benjamin, was a rich oil businessman, and young Frank developed in comfort. As a young child Frank was teached at home with his kins, but at the age of 12 he was sent to study at Peekskill Military Academy. He followed a variety of careers varying from acting to newspaper reporting to theatrical management to writing plays. Baum married Maud Gage, daughter of Matilda Joslyn Gage, a famous women's suffrage campaigner. His famous works are Mother Goose, Father Goose, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, The Master Key, etc. He made and headed The Oz Film Manufacturing Company in 1914. Baum expired on 6 May 1919 and was buried in Glendale, California.
