“What? Dr. Seuss, beloved purveyor of genial rhyming nonsense for beginning readers, stuff about cats and hats and foxes in socks, started as a feisty, political cartoonist who exhorted America to do battle with Hitler?… these unlikely phenomenon in fact did occur in the pages of what may well have been America’s most remarkable daily newspaper, New York’s PM.” - Art Spiegelman, Introduction to Dr. Seuss Goes to War

If they were The Greatest Generation, they sure owe a lot to this guy. The sad part is how few of the lessons we’ve learned from Dr. Seuss.

Interesting book on Dr Seuss as a political cartoonist at the beginning of WWII. Fun to look at these cartoons and see beginning of his characters.

This is an amazing collection of editorial cartoons drawn for the the short lived New York newspaper PM over a 2 year period of 1941-1942 by Theodor Geisel as Dr. Seuss before his reputation as a children's author had been firmly established. Their aim was to first bring America into the World War II on the Allied side and were strongly anti Fascist; and to then defeat Nazi Germany and the Axis powers. He aggressively poked fun of isolationists and American Firsters at home; French collaborators; Charles Lindbergh and Nazi sympathizers; and defeatists. An unexpected side of his cartoons is the blatantly racist attitude displayed towards the Japanese.

I have a DVD set from Disney that is called "On the Front Lines." It's disc after disc of propganda cartoons the animation studio churned out in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor and the beginning of American involvement in WWII. In a small way, this book remindes me of that set. The exception is that Seuss made most of the cartoons BEFORE Pearl Harbor. His warnings of Japanese attack in the Summer of 41 are quite eerie. I would have liked to see cartoons from the fall of Italy up to VE and VJ Day, however, Seuss was conscripted in 1943. He had an almost uncanny understanding that Total Victory was needed to defeat the Axis and that Total Victory required Total War on the part of America and her inhabitants. One thing I noted was that he, along with the rest of America and the American media, geniunely seemed to have no idea the true horrors of Hitler's reich... the Holocaust. Therefore, as strange as it sounds, some of the cartoons have an almost innocent cast to them; the atrocities committed were simply unknown and unimaginable. Seuss is a master at disguising social commentary in sweet rhyming rhythm meant for the ears and brains of babes but read by the adults... The Lorax being one of his most famous. (I also personally recommend The Sneetches and The Butter Battle Book.) This was a nice look at what he could do with an urgent cause and the ears and brains of grown-ups. Highly recommended.

Rather interesting read. Honestly, not a big fan of dr Seuss, but I do recognize his influence on popular culture.
The cartoons in this anthology reveal yet another side of the man, and his thinking. On one side, he is rather enlightened, against segregation, pro-enviroment, on the other side, his racism towards Japan is shocking (even before Pearl Harbor). On the other hand, in that era, it was a rather common occurance, aided of course by propaganda, sometimes disguised... (The country song 'smoke on the water' comes to mind...))

All in all, no matter if you like dr. Seuss or not, this book gives an enlightening insight into the American mind of the times.

I didn't rate this book because I didn't finish it. Dr. Seuss fans would probably be interested in the part of his life, but I wasn't.

Minear offers a compelling glimpse into a lesser-known facet of the beloved children's author Dr. Seuss. Minear's meticulous research uncovers Theodor Geisel's wartime contributions, revealing a body of work that is as potent in its political commentary as it is visually engaging. The book showcases Geisel's editorial cartoons, created during his tenure at the left-leaning New York newspaper PM from 1941 to 1943. These cartoons are a far cry from the whimsical worlds of Whoville and the Cat in the Hat. Instead, they tackle the grim realities of World War II with a blend of sharp wit and moral conviction. Through his distinctive artistic style, Geisel addresses critical issues of the era, from the menace of fascism to the follies of isolationism and the plight of refugees. Minear’s analysis is both insightful and accessible, providing historical context that enriches the reader's understanding of each cartoon. He delves into Geisel's staunch anti-fascist stance and his criticism of figures like Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, while also highlighting Geisel's support for President Franklin D. Roosevelt's war efforts. However, not all of Geisel’s work is beyond reproach; some cartoons reflect the racial prejudices of the time, particularly in their portrayal of Japanese and Japanese Americans. Minear does not shy away from these aspects, instead presenting them as part of a complex historical narrative. The book is visually striking, with over 200 cartoons reproduced in their original form. This visual element, combined with Minear’s erudite commentary, allows readers to appreciate both the artistic and the historical significance of Geisel's work. “Dr. Seuss Goes to War" is an intriguing exploration of how a cherished children's author used his talents to engage with and influence the socio-political landscape of his time. Minear’s book is a fascinating read for anyone interested in the intersection of art, politics, and history.

The famous children's author Dr. Suess created political cartoons before the books he became famous for later in life. This book looks at his work pre-WW2 through the war. The roots of the recent controversy over titles removed from print can be seen in this earlier work. My one complaint is that reading this on an "e-device" is harder than a print copy. The text refers to many works, and to get better insight should be looked at while reading the text, which is hard to do in eformat.

Interesting concept: A renowned children illustrator as an editorial cartoonist for a left leaning paper in the early days WWII. But of course, he wasn't a children illustrator, just yet, but his style was firmly established.

This book is a delight to read, and reread. Loaded with detailed footnotesit will open up a view of the day to day life of the US (New York centric view)from early 1941 through 1943, when Seuss join the Army. Seuss lampoons Hitler, Mussolini, Togo, isolationists. (Esp. Lindbergh, Wheeler, Patterson, McCormick and American Firsters movement)wartime slackers.

If you are a Dr. Seuss fan, a history Buff or both, check it out. Nothing else you may have a better undersatnding of Yertle the Turtle.

Eerily amazing that so many of his drawings are as prescient today as they were 70 years ago...

The editorial cartoons are fascinating.

Dr. Seuss's work on the daily newspaper PM from 1941 to 1943. Definitely some uncomfortable stuff like implications that Japanese Americans could be traitors.

Can't really get going on the commentary.

This is really all about the cartoons.