The War Prayer by Mark Twain Summary and Reviews
|
List Price: Our Price: $4.70 You Save: $5.29 (53%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of The War Prayer
Book Review: atypical Twain
Summary: 5 Stars
This isn't your typical Twain piece. It's still well crafted, like your typical Twain, and it makes its social commentary, like your typical Twain, but it does so without the biting satire that you find in most of Twain's work. It's a phenomenal piece of literature. It is his protest, his anti-war piece (written around 1905 in response to the Philippine-American War), and it is relevant still today--perhaps more so in today's world. The line drawings by John Groth add a sense of movement and urgency that works in counterpoint to Twain's words. This is an important piece of literature. And I'll leave with Twain's words on "The War Prayer":'I have told the whole truth...and only dead men can tell the truth in this world. It can be published after I am dead.'
Book Review: great!
Summary: 5 Stars
THIS BOOK WAS VERY GOOD. I ENJOYED IT BUT, IT HAD A FEW THINGS IN IT THAT I DID NOT AGREE UPON. THIS BOOK ALSO SHOWS BOTH SIDES OF PRAYER, THE SOILDERS PRAYING WANT TO KILLED THE OTHER SIDE AND WIN. THIS BOOK ALSO MAKES A GREAT DEBATE IN CLASS. I THOUGHT THIS BOOK WAS GREAT!Book Review: insanity and war
Summary: 5 Stars
I wasn't looking for another Mark Twain when I wandered round Powell's book store the other day. But I was browsing the sales table and was surprised to spot a very slender volume bearing his name -- the War Prayer. The fact that it was slender attracted me as much as the price -- a short classic? Then I opened the book and found that, true to its size, it's really just a short story, or story poem, published after his death because Mark Twain said "I have told the whole truth...and only dead men can tell the truth in this world..." And it's about a church service held to pray for young men about to go to war.
I guess Mark Twain never saw the illustrations by John Groth. They complement the tale perfectly; I think he would be pleased. The white space on the sparsely written pages leaves time for the reader to think; one page contains only one word, "Listen!" and issues its challenge. Then on the final written page, just before the last, most devastating illustration, "the man" is called insane. I stood there in the store, wondering which man, or all of us.
Yes. I read the whole book in the store. And then I wondered if I should buy it or leave it for someone else. But there were several copies, so I purchased one to bring home. Maybe my sons will pick it up, or visitors.
Apparently when Dan Beard heard Samuel Clemens read the tale, he asked if he was going to publish it. "No," said Clemens. "It can be published after I'm dead." I'm glad it's been republished. I'm glad it's in print. And I'm sad that it's still so very relevant.
If you find a copy, open it, read it, and see if you can say who's insane by the time you reach the end.