Originally published in November 1939, two months after World War II officially began, James Thurber's parable in pictures-- a graphic novel ahead of its day--about eternal cycles of war, peace, love, and the resilience of one little flower remains as relevant today as it was then. "The New York Times "called it "at once one of the most serious and one of the most hilarious contributions on war." Civilization has collapsed after World War XII, dogs have deserted their masters, all the groves and gardens have been destroyed, and love has vanished from the earth. Then one day, "a young girl who had never seen a flower chanced to come upon the last one in the world." Written among the sorrow and chaos of war, dedicated to this only child" in the wistful hope that her world will be better than mine." The new printing will feature new scans of Thurber's original 1939 drawings.

詹姆斯•瑟伯(James Thurber, 1894—1961)，美國著名幽默作傢、寓言作傢、插畫傢。1926年開始為《紐約客》雜誌撰稿，1927年進入《紐約客》編輯部，成為其中最年輕有為的編輯、自由撰稿記者。瑟伯和E.B.懷特一起確立瞭《紐約客》詼諧、辛辣的文風，即所謂“《紐約客》文風”。晚年執教於耶魯大學。瑟伯一生創作瞭大量的散文、隨筆、寓言、故事、迴憶錄，他還為自己的作品繪製插圖，給《紐約客》畫封麵。