Catsong Publishing announced recently the release of a new book From Tennessee to Oz The Amazing Saga of Judy Garland's Family History.

This book, by White Haven author Michelle Russell, is part one of a two-part series and covers the years 1793 to 1870.Judy Garland, who is best known for her portrayal of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, was descended from pioneers. From Tennessee to Oz tells the story of Garland's ancestry beginning in 1793 when young Norton Gum arrived in Knoxville, a town which was then under Indian attack.The book follows the Gum, Marable, and Baugh families, among others, as they build the wilderness state of Tennessee into a prosperous land.Some of Judy Garland's ancestors included ministers and state representatives. One relative was even a close friend of Andrew Jackson and Sam Houston.Within less than 60 years of its founding, Tennessee and in particular the area where Garland's family lived was devastated by the Civil War.The book contains much information on the war, as well as some of the family's slaves.For more information on From Tennessee to Oz The Amazing Saga of Judy Garland's Family History, Part 1, visit

www.catsongpublishing.com.Book excerpts also may be found on this site.