Was (or Was... in the UK edition) is a WFA nominated 1992 novel by Canadian author Geoff Ryman, focusing on themes of L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and the 1939 musical film version, ranging across time and space from 1860s Kansas to late 1980s California. Was is an adult parallel to the magical Land of Oz that never existed as a real place. The story follows three characters, each living in a different time period, and how their individual journeys all connect to the story of The Wizard of Oz. Source: Wikipedia (en)