Life, 1909-06-17 · page 10 of 32
Life — June 17, 1909 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from Life magazine presents a satirical illustration titled "A 'Best Seller' Factory in Active Operation," depicting a literary production facility. The cartoon mocks the commercialization of publishing, showing what appears to be an author or editor at a desk with multiple assistants/clerks processing manuscripts and correspondence—suggesting that popular books are manufactured like factory products rather than created through genuine artistic inspiration. The accompanying poem "After Reading Henry James" by George Jay Smith critiques Henry James's writing style, particularly his novel "The Golden Bowl." It humorously complains that James's prose is convoluted and unclear—filled with "blurs," "fog," and complexity—making his work difficult to understand. The satire suggests that even celebrated "serious" literature can be incomprehensible despite its reputation.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
"LDPE * Then and Now. | Illustrating the Growth of a Great Industry \ \7 2 | gl ae va Ce A “BEST SELLER’? FACTORY IN ACTIVE OPERATION, AND HOW . Or left the reader comatose, a log— After Reading Henry James A bowl, two ladies, and, of course, two men, The one none other than one lady's sire F, so to speak, no error is involved, And, strange enough, the other’s husband—then Such as, unconscious, blurs, at times, the soul, Something occurs, perchance bad news by wire. I may relate—in fact, ‘tis so resolved— The golden bow! is smashed—page three fifteen Th (marvel not) I've read “ The Golden Bowl,”” (But what of that? two hundred pages follow)— A work whose title orphic is, indeed— They talk, they ponder—he knows what they mean— Ceramic, surely, not this writer's theme— A marvelous work—but mighty hard to swallow! A bow! is given mention, but the need —George Jay Smith. Thereof—the mention, namely—who could dream? ———_ A bowl, a lady—ah, two ladies loom EACHER: James, what is grammar? Alluring ‘mid (what seems but) wispy fog, Janes (alias Jimmie): Grammar is the science which Which, else, had perpetrated merely gloom, learns us how to speak correct. comicbooks.com