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fairytalelover1990's review against another edition
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
2.75
tsharris's review against another edition
3.0
The cartoons are noteworthy, and it may be a sign of the success of this book that it no longer seems strange to see Dr. Seuss's propaganda cartoons. That said, the accompanying text is mediocre, consisting mostly of descriptions of cartoons without too much insight into Geisel's thinking. The last chapter is more analytical than the others and more revealing, but the text still leaves a lot to be desired. Too often Minear speculates when it would be nice to know - whether from Geisel's letters, papers, etc. - what he was actually thinking. For example, seeing how Geisel was a German-American, I would have loved to know more about how Hitler and Nazism affected him, but while the question is raised, it's not really aanswered.
daramillz's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely fascinating. Minear's historical notes shed light on the contexts of the cartoons that might escape those of us who are not WWII scholars, and the cartoons themselves are proactive not only due to their commentary what's now the past, but also due to their lingering relevancy to many of the issues we still face today. For me, his cartoons about congress and the obstinate tendency of the American people to stifle progress and unity in the name of democracy rang especially true. The book is also a new lens through which to view his children's books; seeing the beginnings of beloved stories rooted in wartime political cartoons provides a whole new level of understanding regarding the messages of those classics. Minear provides a thoughtful overview of Dr. Seuss, the man, as well, and he is not afraid to delve into his complexities and contradictions. Very, very interesting read.
k_lee_reads_it's review against another edition
3.0
Geisel's cartoons were well done, even brilliant. His passion and desire to move people to move themselves is evident in this body of work. Perhaps even more than in his children's work.
wishanem's review against another edition
4.0
The political comics of Theodor Geisel are presented in this book with enough background, commentary, and context to be really appreciated. The political points being promoted by each comic aren't always obvious, and Richard Minear's elaborations are as illuminating as they are concise.
He also doesn't sugar-coat or excuse the problems of Mr. Geisel's work, pointing out how Geisel addressed racism against Jewish and Black people while also being unselfconsciously racist against Japanese people (including Japanese-Americans).
I really enjoyed reading this book, and I learned much more about World War II (and especially domestic US politics at the time) from it than I had expected to.
He also doesn't sugar-coat or excuse the problems of Mr. Geisel's work, pointing out how Geisel addressed racism against Jewish and Black people while also being unselfconsciously racist against Japanese people (including Japanese-Americans).
I really enjoyed reading this book, and I learned much more about World War II (and especially domestic US politics at the time) from it than I had expected to.
aviweiss's review against another edition
4.0
This was a very interesting read, not just because of the historic and political context, but also because you get to see the roots of alot of Dr Seuss's later work, like Yertle the Turtle and Cat in the Hat.
robsonjv's review against another edition
4.0
I was fascinated to find out Dr. Seuss was a political cartoonist and propagandist.
jmanchester0's review against another edition
4.0
I had no idea that Dr. Seuss wrote political cartoons during World War II before he made it famous with his wonderful children's books. He was anti-Hitler, anti-racism, and anti-antisemitism. Though he unfortunately seemed to be ok with racism against those who were Japanese. But this is a fascinating survey of the cartoons he wrote in 1940 and 1941, with some interesting commentary on what was going on at the time.
lajacquerie's review against another edition
3.0
Did you know that Suess, in its original German pronunciation, rhymes with "Royce?" I didn't - it's just one of the things I learned in the course of this book, and I spent the rest of it trying to "Soyce" my way through.
This charming, quick read explores Dr. Seuss's involvement with the left-leaning NYC magazine PM and is stuffed with many of his illustrations to prove the point. It does a great job of contextualizing the historical particulars of the day and explaining some of the finer elements of Suess's drawings. The use of Seuss's whimsical drawings to ridicule the leaders of the Axis forces and to combat American isolationism is interesting enough all by itself; having the background info is just gravy.
The author is very careful to say when he is sure of something and when he is not, and sometimes, you find yourself wishing there was more information. I'd especially have liked some of the hints that Seuss kept exploring such themes later - there is mention of Yertle the Turtle, but it is brief, and nothing of the Sneetches. Did these ideas affect Seuss profoundly, or was he working from a purely political standpoint, to get America into the war? The author DOES make a point of looking at Seuss's post-PM work, and doesn't give him much leeway in terms of his apparent racism - so it's very possible that Seuss didn't push much beyond that.
All in all, an entertaining look at how one of the most beloved children's authors also dealt with some very, very adult topics (but without losing his sense of humor!).
This charming, quick read explores Dr. Seuss's involvement with the left-leaning NYC magazine PM and is stuffed with many of his illustrations to prove the point. It does a great job of contextualizing the historical particulars of the day and explaining some of the finer elements of Suess's drawings. The use of Seuss's whimsical drawings to ridicule the leaders of the Axis forces and to combat American isolationism is interesting enough all by itself; having the background info is just gravy.
The author is very careful to say when he is sure of something and when he is not, and sometimes, you find yourself wishing there was more information. I'd especially have liked some of the hints that Seuss kept exploring such themes later - there is mention of Yertle the Turtle, but it is brief, and nothing of the Sneetches. Did these ideas affect Seuss profoundly, or was he working from a purely political standpoint, to get America into the war? The author DOES make a point of looking at Seuss's post-PM work, and doesn't give him much leeway in terms of his apparent racism - so it's very possible that Seuss didn't push much beyond that.
All in all, an entertaining look at how one of the most beloved children's authors also dealt with some very, very adult topics (but without losing his sense of humor!).
mburnamfink's review against another edition
5.0
Before he was a beloved children's author, Dr Seuss was a political cartoon. Those are words to inspire terror, because we all no that there is no such thing as A Good Cartoon, and that in the infinite parade of Lesters, McCoys, Asays, and Ramirezes, There is Always More and it is Always Worse. Thank the almighty Bors that Seuss remains Seussian, even when dealing with various serious subjects like Hitler and WW2.
Really, there is nothing as delightfully Suessian as Hitler's dachsund powered war machine stalling in the Russian winter, or Benito Mussolini as a propped up, battered, relic addressing an empty square. Seuss goes after fascists overseas and at home, excoriating isolationists like Charles Limbaugh for abandoning the world to monsters, while at the same time demanding an all-out effort to win the war, by bringing Labor and African Americans into the war effort. The only sour note are the depictions of the Japanese. It's a shame that a man could produce a cartoon about driving out the bug of racial prejudice one week, and then show the Japanese as slant-eyed monkey devils the next. But that's why history is history. An essential book for adult lovers of Dr Seuss, political cartoon aficionados, and WW2 buffs.
Really, there is nothing as delightfully Suessian as Hitler's dachsund powered war machine stalling in the Russian winter, or Benito Mussolini as a propped up, battered, relic addressing an empty square. Seuss goes after fascists overseas and at home, excoriating isolationists like Charles Limbaugh for abandoning the world to monsters, while at the same time demanding an all-out effort to win the war, by bringing Labor and African Americans into the war effort. The only sour note are the depictions of the Japanese. It's a shame that a man could produce a cartoon about driving out the bug of racial prejudice one week, and then show the Japanese as slant-eyed monkey devils the next. But that's why history is history. An essential book for adult lovers of Dr Seuss, political cartoon aficionados, and WW2 buffs.