Life Smiles Back

by Philip B. Kunhardt Jr.

For many years, faithful readers of America's favorite magazine regularly began each issue of Life by thumbing to the back first to see the Miscellany page, which was designed to close each issue with an amusing -- often outrageous -- photograph that would leave the reader laughing. Life Smiles Back is a hilarious collection of the best photographs from this popular back page. Now in paperback, it includes 232 black-and-white photos of children, animals, and people in unconventional situations and outlandish circumstances, mostly taken by Life renders and assembled by one of the magazine's most renowned editors.
A nostalgic collection of crazy snaps that whimsically recall the people, places, and events of the past, Life Smiles Back is an affectionate look at the zany side of our cultural history, guaranteed to make you smile.

Genres: Nonfiction, Photography, History, Art, Humor

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 1988

Reviews

[Karen-Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Delightful look back at history of humour from Life magazine.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those of us old enough to remember Life magazine (or perhaps I shouid say those of us old enough to remember magazines), who can recall, when each new issue of Life came in, turning first to the very back page to check out "Miscelany"? It always featured a whimsical photo, sometimes of animals, sometimes people in odd situations, and occasionally illusions, photos which by virtue of angle and good timing produced strange results. This book is a collection of some of the best of these photos. It's practically all pictures and you can get through it in less than a half-hour but it's sure to bring you a smile.

[Robert Kleinberg · Rating 2 out of 5]

Other reviewers are right about the humor and charm of these photos.

However, in LIFE magazine they were full page, and beautifully printed which enhanced their impact. In this book, they are often partial page (many one third page), some cropped - and worst of all, very badly reproduced: blurry and with poor black and white contrast. Shame on Simon and Schuster for poor quality work in this age of high quality printing. I recommend the fine and reasonably priced "Life Platinum Edition" instead, until a better version of this comes out.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhh, isn't it fun to smile?

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Christmas gift from my best friend back in 1989.

[pjr8888 · Rating 4 out of 5]

a birthday gift from Jean Rowan.
"there is always the ridiculously silly"

[SouthWestZippy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would make a great coffee table book.

[Karl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique retro photos.