A Message to Garcia and Other Essays

Elbert Hubbard (1856 - 1915) was an American writer, artist and philosopher. He was instrumental in the Arts and Craft movement and is best known for his essay A Message to Garcia. Hubbard edited two magazines The Philistine and the Fra. The Philistine was covered in brown paper. According to Hubbard that was because "There is meat inside". A Message To Garcia was originally published in the 1899 issue of The Philistine. It was very popular and was quickly reprinted as a pamphlet. The essay celebrates the action of a soldier who is assigned a difficult mission. He accomplishes his job without questioning his assignment. The essay exhorts the reader to do the same in his own life. The essay reflects the general appeal of the American public to self-reliance in problem solving. "Don't ask questions, get the job done" is often quoted by business leaders in motivational speeches. Other essays by Hubbard are also included in this collection