Life, 1912-06-13 · page 7 of 44
Life — June 13, 1912 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page celebrates literature through satire. The top decorative header shows cherubic figures carrying enormous letters spelling "BOOKS," whimsically depicting the literary world's energy. The poem mocks the publishing industry's commercial frenzy: writers frantically producing content, publishers desperately needing material to sell, all driven by profit rather than artistic merit. It's cynical about the "Golden Age of books"—suggesting the era's literary output prioritizes marketability over quality. The illustration titled "FICTION AND FACT" depicts two people at a desk surrounded by books and papers, apparently engaged in editorial or publishing work, though their specific identities aren't indicated. The satire targets 1910s-1920s publishing's rapid commercialization, where demand for reading material exceeded concern for literary substance.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
AIL the Golden Age of books— What will catch the Reading Public's Myriad books! While the writers’ pens are speeding, fickle fancy as he looks With their plots of pretty heiresses, of And the publishers are needing For the books, books, books, books, millionaires and crook: Everything that they can write books, books, books, How they keep reviewers reading That will sell, sell, sell, For the ever gaining entertaining books. At their pages day and night; Though no human being can tell George B. Staf. FICTION AND FACT comicbooks.com