Life, 1911-11-30 · page 36 of 40
Life — November 30, 1911 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **subscription promotion page**, not political satire. The page advertises Life magazine's upcoming Christmas issue (December 5th) and solicits new subscriptions. The two illustrated figures—a man in a top hat and woman in period dress—represent genteel, upper-class characters typical of Life's satirical humor. Their presence is decorative, establishing the magazine's sophisticated tone. The humor lies in the **opening advice**: "Better place yourself immediately in an attitude of mind where you don't care what happens"—a self-aware joke about the commercial Christmas season's overwhelming stress. Life pitches itself as a gift solution that "solves the Christmas problem." The page promotes upcoming special issues: the Christmas Number (described as "superlative" and "overflowing with wit and wisdom"), a Winter Travel Number, an Auto Number, and a Philadelphia Number. The tone is tongue-in-cheek throughout—"No speed limit to this one" regarding the Auto issue. This reflects early 20th-century magazine culture, when special themed issues were major publishing events.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Willi ponent pretext books : * Suc a Juncl rind him “AW reachin Christmas 1s Coming Better place yourself immediately in an attitude of mind where you don’t care what happens. We hesitate to speak of this, but the nearness of the great Christmas Number of LIFE, a superlative double number, and overflowing with wit and wisdom, leads us to say that if your subscription commences December first, this number will be included. Another thing. Why not send LiFe to your friends for a Christmas gift? It solves the Christmas problem. We furnish an appropriate card. Write at once for full particulars. COMING NUMBERS Dollar fox adian 1.1. The Great Christmas number (December 5th), filled to A Bown, $1 20): the brim with some of the best advertisements of the year. 7 three months to Winter Travel Number. You'll be transported by it. Also full directions about how to start the new year. Auto Number. No speed limit to. this one. Philadelphia Number. Nor to this. Open only to new subscribers; no subscrip- tion renewed at thisrate. This offer is net. Subscription $5.00 Canadian $5.52 Foreign $6.04 Taeeiny Westists Ni veCity comicbook eer