Life, 1920-01-15 · page 13 of 36
Life — January 15, 1920 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes the publishing world's obsession with celebrity endorsements and famous prefaces. The verse mocks how authors sought prominent names (like James Barrie) to write introductions, believing a "bright and illustrious name" would boost sales. The illustrations support this theme: the top cartoon shows an elephant straining to write, while below, a plumber struggles with income taxes at his desk. The bottom illustration depicts Ichabod and Ebenezer—seemingly obscure characters—presented as "successors to Tom and Jerry," likely mocking publishers' desperate attempts to capitalize on established names. The satire targets how the publishing industry relied on celebrity associations rather than literary merit to sell books to the reading public.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A Ballade of Prefaces N authorship’s crowded arena I Whose will finds the way to subpena \ foreword by Barrie or Wells. Triumphant that writer excels \nd, oh, how sublimely he sells. liow warmly the critics acclaim A witness whose signature spells \ bright and illustrious name! The planning of Mr. Salteena With art a rare preface foretells. Introduced by Sir James adds so keen a Delight to the mirth it impels. Rarbellion’s Diary tells OF unfulfilled longing for fame, Mlthough in its vestibule dwells \ bright and illustrious name. From Bangor to fair Pasadena \ food of advertisement wells Iventure of Bab or Bettina \n eager perusal compels. igh tide of royalties swells Floats proudly the bark that can “TARE A DE claim "> HELvER SNAPSHOT UE A PLUMB FIGURING OUT Ills INCRE FP BREATH AS IF YoU Au WERE GOING TO OTTAY Now say * HUMPU! IT soUNDS To ME AN EARTHQUAKE” \ sponsor who wears immortelles— A bright and illustrious name Envoi Attention. if fortune Take heart, trim your waverir Go seek that A bright a illustrious name. nie Betts Harts ICHABOD AND SUCCESSORS TO Te ERENEZER— SURTAX MAND JERRY comicbooks.com