First Aid for the Wounded is the third artist’s book in Fessler’s True Stories Series. All of the books in the series were written in 1982 and offset printed at a later date. First Aid for the Wounded is a Dick and Jane story for the 21st century. The book is written in simple sentences like those in the 1930s–1970s Fun With Dick and Jane series that taught children how to read. The original Dick and Jane grew up in a nuclear family that existed in a world free of racial difference (until 1965), divorce, or complicated relationships. In Fessler’s story, Dick marries Jane despite his attraction to men. Later, Dick leaves Jane for another man and it is clear that the social pressure that lead Dick to conform ended up hurting Jane more than Dick.  As with the other books in the series, Fessler uses humor to explore serious topics. All involve relationships that go awry due to the characters’ attempts to live up to social expectations.

The books in the series combine appropriated material with true stories written by Fessler. The titles, instructional text, and images are appropriated and re-contextualized by Fessler, and present a narrative of their own that runs parallel to the human stories she tells. Eventually, the two narratives merge and readers begin to see personality and emotion in the faces of the mute characters whose images are taken from in instructional manuals.

First Aid for the Wounded, by Ann Fessler, 1982; True Stories Series, Book #3
Printed by Conrad Gleber Printing and Publishing, New York, 1987
Funded, in part, by an Artist Fellowship from the Maryland State Arts Council.

In 1987, Fessler issued an edition of First Aid silkscreen prints based on her book.