Judge — October 10, 1931 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is a satirical cartoon titled "Little Known Occupations: Selecting the Book of the Month," credited to Forbell. It depicts a judge's chambers where a large pile of books has accumulated on the floor. Well-dressed men in suits—appearing to be members of a book selection committee or judges—stand around examining and debating the volumes, some gesturing animatedly. The satire mocks the process of selecting a "Book of the Month," suggesting it's a chaotic, overwhelming endeavor where supposedly serious literary judges are comically swamped by the sheer volume of submissions. The cartoon implies the selection process is less about genuine literary merit and more about bureaucratic struggle and pretentious posturing among the evaluators.