Life, 1923-12-27 · page 31 of 37
Life — December 27, 1923 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page combines book reviews with advertisements and a single cartoon. The reviews discuss two novels: Elinor Wylie's *Jennifer Lorn*, praised as witty eighteenth-century fiction with stylish prose, and Eleanor Hallowell Abbott's *Silver Moon*, dismissed as silly. A brief joke follows about a woman claiming she'd make a "sensible wife"—the punchline being the dismissive epithet "the cat!" The main cartoon (bottom right) shows a prison conversation: a warden asks a convict if he knocked a hole through his cell wall; the convict quips he did so to "improve the ventilation" because it's hot. This is credited to *Fliegende Blätter*, a German satirical publication, suggesting Life reprinted foreign humor. The joke relies on deadpan absurdity—the convict's obvious escape attempt is reframed as innocent air-conditioning. The Arrow Collars advertisement occupies the upper right, marketing formal wear through glamorous imagery.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Life and Letters (Continued from page 22) “JENNIFER Lorn,” by Elinor Wylie (Doran), is a “sedate extravaganza” of the eighteenth century made up of “il- luminating episodes in the lives of the Hon. Gerald Poynard and his Bride.” It is delightful reading, and written in the Ormus-and-Ind style which Mrs. Wylie uses so well. Spendthrifts will be highly gratified to find the pompous investing his small capital in him- at the very outset of the story and g in claret to drink while reading tbeau, and brandy to drink while ing Voltaire, just as if ‘the vast ss he subsequently achieved in the India Co. were already made. ld, the practical esthete, who could, pinch, prefer a jasper bowl to his is a diverting creation indeed, his monologues suggestive of the ket University Course, and his te torture of Jennifer, the beau- nitwit whom he chose so delib- ly as his wife. As the jacket s. this piece of fiction brands its or, well-known for her verse, as a shed stylist. It is fancy in an ex- rdinary flight. You will wonder she did it. Sivek Moon,” by Eleanor Hallo- Abbott (Dutton), is the silliest < I ever read except “Old-Dad,” by anor Hallowell Abbott. Diana Warw Wuat did Myrtle say when Bob | her he was engaged to you?” She told him she thought I'd make 1a good sensible wife—the cat!” ' COLLARS and SHIRTS \ ¥i > por Formal L ress (The chef explains:) “Sugar and Spice, and Everything Nice, and that is what Le is made of,” is the modern version. Continuing gastronomically, Lire also supplies the “grain of salt,” so desirable for the “man from Missouri.” Lire is keen witted, broad minded, direct and fearless, and slightly acid at times like a touch of mayonnaise, and just an ordinary subscripiion will give you this mental feast each week for the New Year. Try it for six months and see how your mind responds to the stimulus, or try our Special Offer Enclosed find One Dollar (Canadian $1.20; Foreign $1.40.) Send LIFE for the next ten weeks to LIFE, 598 Madison Avenue, New York One Year $5 Canadian $5.80 Foreign $6.60 Warden: KNOCKED A HOLE THROUGH THE WALL OF YOUR CELL, HAVE You? Convict: 11’s SO HOT IN HERE 1 THOUGHT I'D IMPROVE THE VENTILA- TION. —Fliegende Blatter (Munich). comicbooks.com