Life — December 2, 1909 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "You'll Be Surprised: The People Who Make LIFE" This is a promotional announcement for an upcoming feature in *Life* magazine. The page teases that the next issue will showcase portraits and profiles of notable contributors to the publication—described as "handsome" and "intelligent" people who work behind the scenes. The text mentions specifically that **Algernon Scrubbware Hobnail** (an author) will be featured among "a few dozen of the choicest ones." The whimsical name suggests this may be a fictitious or satirical example rather than an actual contributor. The announcement's tone is tongue-in-cheek, boasting that these people have been secretly helping create *Life* magazine "without anybody knowing how they looked." It's essentially *Life* magazine promoting itself and its creative team to readers in a self-congratulatory, humorous way.