This was okay, but rather peculiar. Probably not one for me. I think this needed a bit more of an introduction to the text.

I was unfamiliar with this piece by Mark Twain before reading this, but wow! I'm glad I got to read this! On its own, this is a great work, and I couldn't agree with Mr. Twain more, but adding Seymour Chwast's artwork to the mix really makes it stunning! Twain wrote this in 1910, but it's still so very relevant. Highly recommended!

#MarkTwainsWarPrayer #NetGalley

Chwast's graphics, done in both happy colors, and stark black and white are a perfect compliment to Twain's tale of a congregation gathered to pray for their side in an upcoming war. The minister's rant is interrupted by a mysterious stranger who points out that they are in effect praying for the pain and suffering of the other team.

Will mankind ever see the folly of its ways?

I think we all know the answer to that.

A sarcastic look at man as a lower animal, and then the main, title piece, where a preacher happily sending his flock's young men off to war with a spring in their step and a prayer over their heads comes up against Christ, popping into the church to say what a prayer for military success really means. The issue was my really not liking the bulk of the artwork, leaving the effect of the visual placement and the changes it gives to the text the biggest take-away here. With the earlier bits of writing in designed form like sandwich board layouts, it's a big switch when the visitation hits the pages. I'm glad to have seen that, as I am glad to have read the snappy piece itself, but neither will live long in my memory. I would suggest that is down to this just not being my kind of thing, as opposed to any flaws in it, hence the respectable rating.

Despite the text being over 100 years old and the illustrations having been created by a nonagenarian, this essential piece of writing by Mark Twain remains highly pertinent in the present day. Twain would not allow this short story to be published while he was alive, as his family were concerned about the content being sacrilegious.
Twain's scathing indictment of war highlights how there are really no winners due to the tragic loss of lives inherent in one side outgunning and overpowering the other. The assembled masses praying for a win are actually praying for the suffering and destruction of their enemies.
An important piece of writing from which we have sadly learnt nothing.

So, this is a topic I genuinely don't care about. I was bored reading it. Giving it three stars anyway as I don't think it's fair to lower the rating much further as I think this was an accidental request on my end.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Fantagraphics Books for an advanced copy of this unique collaboration between two men, separated by a century, but whose message is timeless.

As one gets older, the idea is that one is supposed to get wiser. That those things that once seemed so important, become trival in the bigger scheme of mortality. Unfortunately today it seems the older people get the more myopic they become. And instead of wisdom, ignorance seems to be their standard bearer. Watching social media war seems to be the talk of everyone, and no one seems to want to do anything about it. Every problem in this country seems to be solved by shooting it. Expired plates, fare jumpers, being in the right house for a wrong no-knock warrant. Wars for territory, and wars over religion. The list seems endless. Over one hundred years ago one of our foremost elders of satire looked at the world and found it wanting. The author wrote something that he knew was too strong to publish, one that would effect his career, even though he had only two years left of life. So Mark Twain put it away, and thirteen years after his death released it to the world. And a century and some change later, another man Seymour Chwast, also an elder, has illustrated these words. Mark Twain's War Prayer is a work about nationalism, religiosity and the fear of the other, feelings that have not changed, and sadly, probably, never will.

The book begins with another work by Twain about how humans kill for fun and lack of reason, while creatures we think are less than human, kill only for food. This alone is a strong piece, but is nothing compared to what follows. A country, similar to our own is going off to war. A religious leader thanks God for their aid to us, to make our bullets shoot straight, and defeat the enemy. As the sermon goes on another person enters, dressed in robes, and takes the pulpit. This person points out that war means if you win, someone must die, so ask for that. Ask for parents to bury children, children to bury friends, and family, and the destruction of land, for whatever reasons. The words are accompanied by art, either based on the words, or based on the idea.

Seymour Chwast was born in 1931 and is known for his work in design, posters and more. Like, Twain I am sure that Chwast has seen much in his time on Earth, most of it being America at war, police actions, invasions, peacekeeping missions, whatever the buzzwords. And like Twain, it make Chwast probably want to holler. A legend in design, Chwast's style is a mix of old and new typographical work, and startling imagery. At first it is hard to get a sense of the relationship between the words and art, but suddenly everything clicks in a way that surprised me. I loved the style and how one could read the words on one page, and get lost in the art on the next. The art gives a power, a meaning to the words that simply reading them lack, the face on the person giving the sermon, the face of God. And the cost of war. A brilliant idea, and something I would like to see a lot more of.

Recommended for fans of Chwast or interesting graphic experiences. Also for those who like the idea that graphic novels can really tell a full story, bigger than superheroes, stories that really effect us all.

Mark Twain's short treatise he wrote at 70 on warmongers who wrap themselves in the flag, now assisted by illustrations from the 93 year old Chwast. It reads almost like a picture book meant for adults as god stands in front of a pulpit praying for the death of his enemies. The pictures have a child-like quality to them that provides a striking dichotomy to the text.

Mark Twain's "War Prayer", with art by the legendary Seymour Chwast (himself 92 years young), immediately joins the ranks of Joe Sutphin's rendering of "Watership Down" and Eric Drooker's "Divine Comedy" and "Howl" as one of the greatest illustrated classics of all time. This will enjoy a shelf life for generations to come.

This adaption includes an excellent piece of Twain's writing that is not as well known among a wider audience. The message is a very timely one, and the opening (abridged) essay comparing humans and the rest of the animal kingdom is satirical Twain at his best. I wish that there was more of an attempt to more thoroughly combine the original text with the new graphics, rather them simply being side-by-side pages.

The fact that I was not familiar with Twain's text only amplified my absolutely loving this illustrated version by Chwast.

This book (received as an e-ARC through Netgalley) was a quick but poignant read. It is hard for me to see why Twain wanted to wait to have it published after his death but it is still meaningful today.

Thank you for this ARC.
Mixed emotions. Hard to swallow as I turned and read through some pages. Black and white graphic novel and it makes you pick a side. Hard truths to swallow and opinions to respect and try to understand. War, fear, control, reporting, make you question how much more was there? Church, life, people, faith, prayers ,destruction, hope, faith, so many things to have when reading this graphic novel.
I just reviewed Mark Twain's War Prayer by Seymour Chwast. #MarkTwainsWarPrayer #NetGalley

I love Mark Twain and I'm a big fan of this kind of satire. The message was stark and on point.
This is a short book with new illustrations, and it just felt like the illustrations didn't fit and offer the same emotional impact as the text.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

I didn't know this text previously so appreciated this opportunity to read an illustrated version. I am a fan of older work being published in an almost picture book format. I found the illustrations to be quite odd, like they were the work of several different illustrators. Some of them, I loved and found really powerful, particularly the 'busy' pages, where there is little left of the blank page (for example, pages 46, 53, 79 - at first glance, I wasn't sure if this was planes or crosses, which was clever). Others though, I didn’t like and found almost off-putting (e.g. pages 31, 40, 99). I do appreciate that this is down to personal taste and so recommend requesting a copy if you think this could be for you. It isn't too long and is worth a read even if the illustrations aren't for you.

An intriguing linking of prose and images. I appreciate all that the artist did to elevate amd explore this text, adding a new dimension.

This adaptation of a screed against war pulls no punches in placing Twain's plea for peace and sensibility against boldly colored paintings of young men desperate to die for their country and the people glad to send them off to be ground up into fuel for the war machine.

This graphic novel begins with a reprinted essay from Mark Twain about why he thought that humans were the lowest of the animals, and then presents the text from his satirical short story "The War Prayer" alongside new illustrations. At the beginning, the words appear in lettering on a newspaper, like a series of headlines, which could be difficult for some people to read. Later, it's printed normally. Some illustrations show the story's church-based scene, and others abstractly depict the horrors of war violence.

Mark Twain's story makes a strong statement against patriotic warmongering, and even though it's satirical, it is heartfelt instead of mocking. However, I didn't care for some of the illustrations. I thought that some of them enriched the text, but others looked flat and strange, and the illustration of God as an old man at the end seemed random and weird. The main reason for someone to buy this book is for the illustrations, since "The War Prayer" is in the public domain, is very brief, and is readily available online. I didn't find the illustrations particularly compelling, but acknowledge that it's a matter of taste.

A thorough indictment of patriotic war-mongering. Twain's infamous writing against his native country's constant desire for war, set to paper when he was 70 and destined for posthumous release. Now accompanied by truly stunning art, giving an increased vitality to an impassion denunciation.

"It was a time of great and exalting excitement. The country was up in arms, the
war was on, in every breast burned the holy fire of patriotism; the drums were
beating, the bands playing, the toy pistols popping, the bunched firecrackers
hissing and spluttering; on every hand and far down the receding and fading
spread of roofs and balconies a fluttering wilderness of flags flashed in the sun;
daily the young volunteers marched down the wide avenue gay and fine in their
new uniforms, the proud fathers and mothers and sisters and sweethearts
cheering them with voices choked with happy emotion as they swung by;
nightly the packed mass meetings listened, panting, to patriot oratory which
stirred the deepest deeps of their hearts, and which they interrupted at briefest
intervals with cyclones of applause, the tears running down their cheeks the
while; in the churches the pastors preached devotion to flag and country, and
invoked the God of Battles, beseeching His aid in our good cause in outpouring
of fervid eloquence which moved every listener. It was indeed a glad and
gracious time, and the half dozen rash spirits that ventured to disapprove of the
war and cast a doubt upon its righteousness straightway got such a stern and
angry warning that for their personal safety’s sake they quickly shrank out of
sight and offended no more in that way."

Written in 1910 in his 70th year, Mark Twain, having lived through 14 wars waged just by his own country on others, declined to publish this poetic despairing reproof against patriotism, but it was finally published thirteen years after his death, and finally illustrated by now 93-year-old illustrator Seymour Chwast,

The illustrations help to underscore the dark intent, though they are lighter and somewhat less bitter, maybe.

"It was believed afterward that the man was a lunatic, because there was no
sense in what he said. "

Here is Twain's text, a scathing indictment on man's propensity to kill in the name of country, in patriotism:

https://www.people.vcu.edu/~toggel/prayer.pdf