Life, 1910-09-22 · page 36 of 40
Life — September 22, 1910 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page promotes an upcoming "Sky Number" of Life magazine devoted to aviation—a cutting-edge topic of the era. The illustrations show figures engaged in early aviation activities (climbing poles, using primitive flying apparatus). The text is deliberately tongue-in-cheek satire. Life's editors mock their own promotional efforts, admitting they're pushing subscriptions but too lazy to do so enthusiastically. The humor lies in this self-aware confession: they know subscription campaigns are "crude and obvious," yet they're doing one anyway. The references to aviation as "altitudinous" (lofty) and "heavenly" make puns on the literal and metaphorical meanings of "sky." The editors joke that readers won't understand the upcoming issue without seeing it first—a paradoxical sales pitch. The subscription prices ($5.00 domestic, higher for Canadian/foreign) suggest this was an expensive, premium publication aimed at educated, affluent readers who would appreciate such ironic, self-mocking humor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
DO YOU SKY? __‘|/= If so, ‘‘ Whither ? ”’ Look for ‘* Whither ?" on Mr. Lowell's Cover Now this may seem enigmatical, but it’s only because you have not yet seen Next Week's Number of Life Our Autumn P rogram This altitudinous number is devoted to the art of aviation. It is therefore of necessity (Just as if we had one!) tc the pla All the ambitious people in the office are urging us to blonde.” Elevated in tone, Lofty in sentiment, dosomething about our Autumn program, the purpose being Lam : Above the ordinary, to egg people on to become regular subscribers. (We are ar ust Full of High Purposes— enthusiastically informed that the latter part of the year atte is the open season for new subse! 8.) attention In fact, We know it's business to do this, but we can’t. We will tril don't feel like it just now. Of course we won't deter any: fragette A Heavenly Number. Its motto is one from obeying that impulse and subscribing, “Let us then be Up and Doing.” wants to. But why do such a crude and obvious thing as to urge anybody to subscribe to LIFE? ¢ Nevertheless, next week, in response to this highiy le and’ commonplace and tedious business de- Il have to tell what a d Th y home is incomplete without NOTE. Did you notice some time ago that LIFE pub- paper thi lished the first airship advertisement in this country? tt. At the present moment, when we look ahead at what Pe We ought to have made a fuss about this at the is coming, it seems to be a strange mixture of Hell, Humor, time, but we've been so busy getting out Special Goody Goody, Adam and Eve, Rich Men and Poor Men. in th Numbers that we've only just got around to it. cantime, the price it will cost you to get LIFE Amer | ; very V you will find just below carefully tagged on to know It is really a significant fact. Why should s literary masterpiece by our enterprising business |) worlc LIFE have done this? : department. And next week, in this page, look out asdf bent, avoid (if you have the necessary strength of character) sens Think It Over. our purely perfunctory puffing announcement. Miser ery Physi seek Stimu Subscription $5.00 Canadian, $5.52 Foreign, $6.04 comicbooks.com