Poster House members are invited to a private “Last Look” tour of the exhibition Reading Under Fire: Arming Minds & Hearts During Wartime led by curator Molly Manning. During World Wars I and II, nearly every combatant nation recognized that reading material was necessary to the wellbeing and morale of its soldiers—and books soared in popularity. Between lulls in action or when waiting for orders far from the front lines, the troops read to forget their surroundings and fears, taking a mental vacation from their hardships. This exhibition includes book-related posters from the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Germany printed during both world wars. All of these nations relied on public book donations and fundraising to supply soldiers with books, and many posters were designed to encourage such civilian contributions. Light refreshments will be served. Accessibility Note: Masks and clear masks are available free of charge at the museum. Assistive listening devices and stools are available. ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation or a CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) is also available upon request. Please contact access@posterhouse.org or (914) 295-2387 to request interpretation services and to address any other accessibility needs. For other event-related questions, please contact info@posterhouse.org.
