Life — May 17, 1923 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page is **entirely advertising**, not satirical content. It's a book catalog from the Haldeman-Julius Company announcing a price withdrawal: their Pocket Series books will cease selling at 5¢ per copy on June 30, 1923, and return to 10¢ due to rising material costs. The text explains economic pressures—increased paper and printing expenses—forcing the price increase. The bulk of the page lists hundreds of available titles across categories: Drama, Fiction, History, Science, Philosophy, and Miscellaneous, allowing customers to "take your pick" at the final 5¢ price before the deadline. There is no political cartoon or satire here—just a commercial notice that happens to appear in *Life* magazine's advertising pages.