Plain language summary: Reading Under Fire

This is what you see in this exhibition:

Poster House is showing posters about books from the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Germany. The posters were made during World War I (1914–1918) and World War II (1939–1945).

The title of the exhibition is Reading Under Fire: Arming Minds & Hearts During Wartime.

There are 40 pieces in this exhibition. Most are posters, but bookplates, brochures, and stamps are also shown. A bookplate is a decorative label with the owner’s name on it that is pasted inside the front cover of a book.

The posters are from countries that relied on book donations and fundraising to make sure soldiers had things to read during the war. Fundraising is the process of asking people to give money for a particular purpose. The posters played an important role in encouraging people to give both money and books.

Books and Bibles were important for soldiers during wartime for many reasons. Books helped to keep spirits up during extremely difficult and violent situations. Reading was also a form of entertainment for hospitalized soldiers who were being treated for their injuries. Many men used the information in books to prepare for jobs after the war or to get a better position within the army.

During World War II, the Nazi government in Germany banned and burned certain books. It also tried to prevent the U.S. government from distributing books to its own soldiers imprisoned in Germany. American posters advertised books as a form of protest against this behavior. Some posters show American patriotic symbols like flags and eagles. Patriotism is a deep feeling of appreciation, pride, and love for one’s country.

It was common for a soldier to finish a book and then pass it on to someone else. This helped American values like free speech and democracy spread to the troops of other countries. Democracy is a system of government where the people of that country have political power and freedom. The United States distributed more books than any other country during World War II.

The exhibition shows many important works, including:

• Books Wanted, Charles Buckles Falls, 1918
• Knowledge Wins, Dan Smith, 1918
• One of the Thousand Y.M.C.A. Girls in France, Neysa McMein, 1918
• We Read, J. R., 1942
• The Nazis Burned These Books, Designer Unknown, 1943

Poster House is the first and only poster museum in the United States.