Thomas Nast: Political Cartoonist

Rating:
Summary: A valuable lesson for young adults
Review: When I browsed through this book, I anticipated that it had been created for adults, not young adults. However, I became curious to see how Thomas Nast and his times would be portrayed for the 10-14 year old age group. I believe that what they will get out of this book is a keen appreciation of the intense belief and interest people had in civic affairs 140 years ago. Nast's unwavering Republican partisanship, his desire to keep the working man protected from the new income tax, his outrage at the treatment of Native Americans and the Chinese, and his invention of the Democratic donkey and GOP elephant all reveal a man who believed the government (Republicans, in particular) can and should do its utmost to better serve Amercian society. This was not a society as jaded as ours when it came to trusting the government.

With the possible exception of Santa Claus, Thomas Nast's most recognizable subject is William Meagher ("Boss") Tweed. Nast, a devout Christian and staunch Republican, was outraged at the flagrant offenses committed by the Democratic political machine known as Tammany Hall, and especially at its leader, Boss Tweed. Nast's incessant attacks on Tweed and his corrupt ring serve as an introduction to this book, and I think Ms. Pflueger was absolutely on-target to do so. It will draw young readers in immediately, as they and the rest of us grown-ups have an irrational attraction to watching others in conflict. More importantly though, this book will also remind young readers that everybody has a chance to make a difference. Nast took on the most powerful political ring of his times and crushed it. This will drive home the point that all of us have a responsibility to keep ourselves aware of what the government is doing, and that we have the right to protest or support it. By selecting Thomas Nast as her subject, Ms. Pflueger picked the perfect man to best illustrate this valuable lesson.

Rocco Dormarunno, author of The Five Points Concluded, a novel