Ask any combat soldier and they will share how the isolation and stress of war can be a battle all on its own. A new exhibit at the New York City museum Poster House, the first museum in the United States dedicated exclusively to posters, showcases how books were among the most prized possessions among troops going into battle.
“Whenever they had downtime, soldiers turned to books to find an escape, a dose of courage, inspiration, a reminder of home, or a distraction from their worries or fears,” said exhibit curator Molly Guptill Manning, a New York Times bestselling author, in an interview with Military.com.
The exhibit, “Reading Under Fire: Arming Minds and Hearts During Wartime,” opens to the public on April 23, 2026, and closes on November 1, 2026. It brings together dozens of posters from World War I and World War II that depict how books were as essential as weaponry and fatigues for combat soldiers. Located in the Chelsea section of Manhattan, New York City, the Poster House museum opened to the public in 2019. It chronicles life through the lens of a printed poster, including the realities of war.
“Millions of books and magazines were read by troops in WWI, and an astonishing half-billion books, magazines, and comics were distributed to troops during the wars,” said Manning. “It is almost difficult to overstate the popularity of reading.”
Manning, an author, historian, curator, and associate professor of law at New York Law School, is the author of ”When Books Went to War, The Myth of Ephraim Tutt” as well as “The War of Words.”
She has spoken across the country about the power of the written word, and has curated exhibits showcasing the essential role that books, magazines, and newspapers played in World Wars I and II.
Manning earned a B.A. and M.A. in American history, an M.A. in Museum Studies from NYU, and a J.D. at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York City.
“My research uncovered a rich world of wartime posters that beautifully capture how soldiers valued every book that reached them, and how the United States recognized that the free flow of information is an essential part of democracy.”
The collection of posters on view features images of troops reading. In colorful detail, they also capture patriotism on the home front as civilians collected good books to send off in care packages. Manning says the posters highlight the important role that the freedom to read played while fighting for democracy.
“It is incredible to see the wide range of posters relating to these book programs, with their gorgeous visuals and heartfelt pleas to read and donate books,” she said. “It is thrilling to have the opportunity to bring these posters together and make them available to the public to enjoy.”
But books for soldiers were also popular because of their portability and size. Because they had to carry all of their possessions, jumping on and off planes, trucks and other military modes of transportation -- small, entertainment was preferred. As a result, books quickly became as common as personal hygiene items. Between lulls in action or while waiting for orders far from the front lines, troops read to forget their surroundings, fears and hardships.
“It is a little-known fact that during WWI and WWII, the U.S. military recognized the importance of maintaining troop morale by providing recreational materials to fill their downtime,” noted Manning. “Everything from pianos to athletic equipment, portable movie theaters to libraries, was made available.”
The exhibition includes book-related posters from the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Germany printed during both world wars. Each country relied on public book drives and book donations as well as fundraising to supply soldiers with reading materials.
Posters were used to encourage the public to give.
“There were certainly officers and even generals who questioned the wisdom of giving troops distractions while at war,” said Manning. “A growing body of evidence developed, particularly in military hospitals. of how reading was one of the best ways to distract troops from their physical and emotional pain. Books seemed to have some ability to ease emotional wounds.”
The posters show some books encouraged escapist fiction and recreational reading, while educational books were also collected for troops to help them prepare for military careers, future jobs, or civilian life. By World War II, books had also become a powerful symbol of freedom and democracy for America and its allies.
Doctors, nurses, and wartime librarians observed how books seemed to improve morale and reduce stress,” noted Manning. “It was this body of information that caused the U.S. military to drastically expand the scope of its WWI library service in WWII.”
But it took some time. Manning notes there were skeptics among the troops and some military leaders, and a mindset early on that emotionally troubled soldiers simply needed to toughen up.
“Beginning in WWI, terms like “shell shocked” or “battle fatigue” were used to describe the psychological and emotional toll of war,” Manning noted. “PTSD was not recognized until 1980, the concept of “bibliotherapy,” or how books have a tendency to develop well-being in readers, was conceived in the early twentieth century.”
She believes life on the frontlines of war helped highlight the need for books as a coping mechanism.
“Even General George Marshall embraced the philosophy that a happy soldier was a better soldier,” Manning noted. “Since most soldiers had no military background until they enlisted or were drafted, the Army and Navy adopted the rationale that they needed to provide civilian comforts to ease the transition from civilian to soldier.”
Still, as with any exhibit, the goal is to attract visitors to see the showcase for themselves, and to be moved by what the exhibit represents.
“It is my hope that the posters in Reading Under Fire inspire and educate visitors,” said Manning. “To me, it is uplifting and incredibly meaningful to see the images, the moving messages on the posters, and see the connection that prior generations have drawn between the freedom to read and preserving democracy.”
