Praise for "And Toto, Too: 'The Wizard of Oz' as a Spiritual Adventure"

Now Featured at the Patheos Book Club
And Toto, Too
"The Wizard of Oz" As A Spiritual Adventure
By Nathan G. Castle, O.P.

What People Are Saying

Personal yet profound, filled with creative connections, "And Toto Too," is the kind of very readable book that can also change how you see everything! Nathan Castle knows how to write and also has something to say—when usually it is just one or the other.
—Richard Rohr, O.F.M., Center for Action and Contemplation, Albuquerque, New Mexico

And Toto, Too is a rare book, a theology book with a warm sense of humor. Father Nathan Castle deftly weaves his own story and the stories of many others together in a thoughtful commentary on a great story, The Wizard of Oz. He finds many of life's lessons in the adventures of Dorothy and Toto and the crew she assembles on the way to the see The Wizard. Sharing his own religious experience in light of theirs, he offers wise counsel in matters "secular" and religious. This book is of interest to all who ponder questions about God, ethics, and life's meaning(s) whatever their own religious background.
—Dr. Barton G. Lee, Rabbi, Hillel Jewish Student Center and Faculty Associate, Arizona State University

I found "And Toto, Too" enthralling: illuminating and wonderfully illustrative of how God gets to us, with shocks and disruptions, or blessings and calm, in all the seemingly ordinary "backyards" of our lives. Using the classic film "The Wizard of Oz" as a touch point throughout is fabulous—it's so familiar and works at such a charming, metaphorical level.
—Ron Hansen, Best-selling author and Professor of Arts & Humanities at Santa Clara University San Jose, California

Nathan Castle's book exemplifies the work of the creative imagination at its best. How I wish that I had had this resource at hand during my long tenure as a University Chaplain—what a great book for discussion groups! Questioning minds and restive spirits will be drawn to this valuable resource that speaks to any generation—young or old.
—Raymond Judd, Jr., Trinity University Chaplain, Emeritus

Nathan Castle helps us to see and discover our true self in the stories we read. He shares his insight into the spiritual truths within this classic film and opens us to a layer of meaning that can illuminate our own inner lives.
—Rev. Richard M. Kingsley, Pastor, Corpus Christi Parish—Tucson, Arizona

A wonderfully accessible book that faces tough, real life issues for college students head on—like trouble in school, problems with parents, addiction, and personal insecurity—filtered through the characters in "The Wizard of Oz."
—Scotty McLennan, Dean for Religious Life, Memorial Church, Stanford University

Fr. Nathan Castle plumbs the spiritual depths of the iconic film, illuminating the human quest for meaning and belonging with remarkable grace and accessibility. Readers will be immediately drawn in to his compelling tapestry of personal and mythic stories and be left with new insight, compassion and encouragement to live with authenticity and rapture.
—Kerry A. Robinson, Executive Director of the National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management