Life — September 27, 1906 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Page Analysis This page is primarily **advertising**, not satire or political commentary. The left side features a large ad for "Whys and Wherefores of the Automobile," a book by The Automobile Institute (Cleveland, Ohio). The ad mocks consumers who make uninformed car purchases—specifically someone who lost $400 buying a lemon from a smooth-talking salesman. The pitch promises the book will educate even a 14-year-old about automobiles in simple terms. The right side contains unrelated ads: Knox hats ("the creation of excellence"), Butcher's Boston Polish floor finish, a theatre magazine advertisement featuring "Maude Adams as Peter Pan," and Jones Speedometer. The page reflects early 1900s consumer culture—the automobile was still novel enough to require instructional books for ordinary buyers.