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The War Prayer (Harper Colophon Books)
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Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
Author: Mark Twain
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Average Customer Rating:
Our Price: $9.95
You Save: $ ( % )
Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
Author: Mark Twain
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Average Customer Rating:
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The War Prayer (Harper Colophon Books) Description
Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.4
EAN: 9780060911133
ISBN: 0060911131
Label: Harper Perennial
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 96
Publication Date: 1984-02-25
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Product Release Date: 1984-01-25
Studio: Harper Perennial
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.4
EAN: 9780060911133
ISBN: 0060911131
Label: Harper Perennial
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 96
Publication Date: 1984-02-25
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Product Release Date: 1984-01-25
Studio: Harper Perennial
Editorial Review of The War Prayer (Harper Colophon Books)
Written by Mark Twain during the Philippine-American War in the first decade of the twentieth century, The War Prayer tells of a patriotic church service held to send the town's young men off to war. During the service, a stranger enters and addresses the gathering. He tells the patriotic crowd that their prayers for victory are double-edged-by praying for victory they are also praying for the destruction of the enemy... for the destruction of human life.
Originally rejected for publication in 1905 as "not quite suited to a woman's magazine," this antiwar parable remained unpublished until 1923, when Twain's literary executor collected it in the volume Europe and Elsewhere. Handsomely illustrated by the artist and war correspondent Philip Groth, The War Prayer remains a relevant classic by an American icon.
Customer Reviews of The War Prayer (Harper Colophon Books)
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Should be required reading for politicians
Review: This short book should be required reading for all politicians. While there may be valid reasons for starting a war, the unintended consequences are not always considered, including the impact on families and the innocent. We should all temper our patriotism with a little dose of reality.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: A prayer indeed
Review: Twain's _War Prayer_ is a classic piece of anti-war literature. Written during the Spanish-American war, the sentiments Twain expresses are still relevent today. As a combat vet, I always struggle with those who invoke the name of religion, morality or righteousness with war. War is obscene - Twain's vivid poem illustrates what that is. The power of Twain's words are supported by the drawings of John Groth, which fit the tone and time of the story.
As a previous reviewer has noted, the printing quality of the book leaves something to be desired; with that said, I strongly recommend this powerful piece.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Victory and Loss
Review: No other book has ever hit me this hard with its message in so few pages like Twain's The War Prayer. In our troubled world today, this book should be read by everyone. The book portrays the unspoken side of a war prayer, the consequences of victory and conquest. This dark tale of Twain is bound well into a small book that is accompanied by illustrations. The drawings here (just look at the cover page) are eloquent as they are haunting and accompany the grimness of Twain's piece absolutely beautifully. A buy you will never forget. After you read it, buy a few more copies, and give this to family and friends. To ignore such a book with a powerful message, bound in a beautiful edition with illustrations as melancholy as the story itself, would be a sin.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Pass It On...
Review: This short narrative is simple and to read an understand. It gives the dramatic account of a blindly patriotic church service being interrupted by a "messenger of God," who proceeds to reveal the unspoken prayer of the congregation as heard by the ears of the LORD. It is, to put it breifly, a caution against self-centered prayer and/or a reprimand against needless bloodshed. This should be standard reading in schools and churches across the globe, especially here in the good 'ole war-mongering USA.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Buy several NOW
Review: OK - A note from a middle american man on the War Prayer. This book should be read every morning at schools rather than the pledge of allegiance. It takes the american psyche of war and turns it on its ear, with no need for the author's typical wit. I have bought and given away many copies, but more importantly always have a copy hanging around somewhere in your house where visitors or your kids might come across it. They might pick it up, and to pick it up is the same as to read it for the ten minutes it would take anyone to get through it. If more and more people read this book, our culture could perhaps find a more humane view of what warfare truly is. Are you truly willing to pray that your enemies children will be left wandering, wounded, trying to find enough food to survive? I sure hope I know your answer.
Review Summary: Should be required reading for politicians
Review: This short book should be required reading for all politicians. While there may be valid reasons for starting a war, the unintended consequences are not always considered, including the impact on families and the innocent. We should all temper our patriotism with a little dose of reality.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: A prayer indeed
Review: Twain's _War Prayer_ is a classic piece of anti-war literature. Written during the Spanish-American war, the sentiments Twain expresses are still relevent today. As a combat vet, I always struggle with those who invoke the name of religion, morality or righteousness with war. War is obscene - Twain's vivid poem illustrates what that is. The power of Twain's words are supported by the drawings of John Groth, which fit the tone and time of the story.
As a previous reviewer has noted, the printing quality of the book leaves something to be desired; with that said, I strongly recommend this powerful piece.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Victory and Loss
Review: No other book has ever hit me this hard with its message in so few pages like Twain's The War Prayer. In our troubled world today, this book should be read by everyone. The book portrays the unspoken side of a war prayer, the consequences of victory and conquest. This dark tale of Twain is bound well into a small book that is accompanied by illustrations. The drawings here (just look at the cover page) are eloquent as they are haunting and accompany the grimness of Twain's piece absolutely beautifully. A buy you will never forget. After you read it, buy a few more copies, and give this to family and friends. To ignore such a book with a powerful message, bound in a beautiful edition with illustrations as melancholy as the story itself, would be a sin.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Pass It On...
Review: This short narrative is simple and to read an understand. It gives the dramatic account of a blindly patriotic church service being interrupted by a "messenger of God," who proceeds to reveal the unspoken prayer of the congregation as heard by the ears of the LORD. It is, to put it breifly, a caution against self-centered prayer and/or a reprimand against needless bloodshed. This should be standard reading in schools and churches across the globe, especially here in the good 'ole war-mongering USA.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Buy several NOW
Review: OK - A note from a middle american man on the War Prayer. This book should be read every morning at schools rather than the pledge of allegiance. It takes the american psyche of war and turns it on its ear, with no need for the author's typical wit. I have bought and given away many copies, but more importantly always have a copy hanging around somewhere in your house where visitors or your kids might come across it. They might pick it up, and to pick it up is the same as to read it for the ten minutes it would take anyone to get through it. If more and more people read this book, our culture could perhaps find a more humane view of what warfare truly is. Are you truly willing to pray that your enemies children will be left wandering, wounded, trying to find enough food to survive? I sure hope I know your answer.