Life, 1905-04-27 · page 1 of 26
Life — April 27, 1905 — page 1: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page features a satirical cartoon about the Middletown Club library. The main illustration shows two well-dressed women browsing books in what appears to be a library basement or storage area, surrounded by stacks of novels. A sign warns: "NOT TO BE MUTILATED, OR TAKEN FROM THE BUILDING." The caption reads: "I JUST LOVE LITERATURE, DON'T YOU?" The satire targets women's reading habits and literary taste. It mocks patrons—particularly women—for treating serious literature carelessly and for their apparent love of cheap popular novels (visible titles include "sensational" works). The joke suggests these readers consume literature superficially, viewing it as entertainment rather than something to be respected. The protective sign underscores the library's concerns about book damage from casual readers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
2 - in Colors with This Number. NEW YORK, APRIL 27, 1905. NUMBER 1174. . dat the New York Post Office as Second Class Mail Matter. wy, i - Copyright, 1904, by Live Pustisuinc Cosrany. RICAN» aa i S| GULETONN CLUB NOT TO BE MUTILATED, ‘OR TAKEN FROM “1 JUST LOVE LITERATURE, DON'T you?” ag CO. comicbooks.com