Life, 1922-11-02 · page 38 of 40
Life — November 2, 1922 — page 38: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **subscription promotion**, not a political cartoon. The page uses humor and illustrations to encourage readers to subscribe to Life magazine's 10-week trial offer. The satirical "things to be thankful for" list contains period-specific references: - **"Volstead preaches"**: References the Volstead Act (Prohibition), joking that Americans don't need to practice its principles—implying readers appreciate their ability to drink alcohol despite the law. - **"Our forefathers were Puritans—and that we are not"**: Self-aware humor about Life's sophisticated, irreverent tone versus stern Puritan values. - **"LIFE in the old country yet"**: A pun on the magazine's name. The two cartoon figures (appearing to be cherubs or children in hats) are generic decorative elements, not specific caricatures. The accompanying reader letter reinforces the pitch: subscribe before losing your dollar. **Context**: This reflects 1920s American culture during Prohibition, when Life magazine positioned itself as witty and worldly—offering readers a respite from puritanical restrictions through humor and modern sensibility.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Dear LIFE: NA I’m so thank- ‘ &, ful [have a dollar 2s ra) that I am sending it \~O to you before I lose it. \ Don’t forget to send me those 10 issues. Let us be thankful— THAT we have lived another year, even if it does make us a year older; THAT our forefathers were Puritans —and that we are not; THAT ic is still unnecessary to prac- tice what Volstead preaches; THAT there’s LIFE in the old country yet; THAT Christmas is coming; , cAnd THAT all you have to do to get a Trial Subscription for 10 weeks—including both the Christmas Annual (25cretail) and the Fortieth Anniversary Number—is to fill out the Coupon’, clip it, attach it to a Dollar Bill or vice versa, and send it to us. We'll do the rest. Thank You! N Oo N Thankfully yours, comicbooks.com tat wo eu dey cel