Life — January 31, 1930 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page from Life magazine contains three separate satirical pieces: **"Critic"** (top right): A poem by ed graham mocking popular fiction and authors, listing book titles like "Am I Blue?" and "Sonny Boy!" The critic wishes he'd never seen these books, suggesting contempt for commercial, lowbrow literature of the era. **"The Last Word"** (bottom left): A dialogue joke where a druggist serves a customer "Swiss cheese sandwiches" but has run out of cheese—they're just serving "the holes now." It satirizes commercial shortcuts and business dishonesty. **"Great American Ailments"**: A brief list mocking contemporary afflictions like "Roomatizm" and "Dyspepsia." The bottom cartoon shows a figure in rain with text about taking a cab, appearing to comment on workplace dynamics or commuting frustrations. These represent typical Life magazine humor: social criticism through wordplay and visual gags targeting commercial culture, poor writing, and business practices.