Life

Some would call it the most influential and remarkable magazine of this century, with a name as grand and outsized as its scope and coverage: Life.

I grew up with that weekly magazine coming into our suburban New Orleans home for years. In fact, I can never remember a time back issues of Life were not piled up in the big brass bucket beside the wingback chair that held dozens of other magazines. But Life was always there on top.

The best photojournalism ever published is its real claim to fame, starting with its first issue in 1936 and continuing until 1972 as a weekly. All the greats of photography were in that magazine. What a showcase! And, Life practically invented the photo essay genre. “Country Doctor” is a perfect example. Who can ever forget? (click here). Its cover photos became classics.

There were other great magazines in the heyday of the big news pictorial and feature publications such as Look and Saturday Evening Post, and I could count of seeing all of them in the racks at Mr. Adams barber shop when I was a kid. I’ve always been fascinated by those magazines and journalism, in general. It’s why I chose that at my first career. I’ve been reading newspapers since I was 9 or 10, newsmagazines since 7th grade, weightier stuff like New Republic in high school. Magazines have always been a big part of my life. I’ve just always been drawn to them. It’s part of that insatiable curiosity I had when I was young (and still have, thankfully) that led me to pore over volumes of the World Book Encyclopedia, especially maps and stories about other countries. I think we got our first set of World Books in 1961.

Life discontinued weekly publication in 1972, done in by television and other forms of mass popular culture, but it continued on as a monthly for years, and then as a quarterly, and now only as a series of special publications. Those are great. I hope there will always be a Life Magazine.

For many of us who grew up in another era, it was “Life” as we knew it, or at least, as we came to see it through the words and pictures of gifted writers and photographers.

Life covers

Classic pictures

Life Home Page

Shi

March 9, 2002

I always thought we lost something quite special when they stopped publishing Life.

hmm… my only exposure to ‘Life’ was in a Photography and Art class. we looked at “Country Doctor” and the photo essay… heh. that magazine struck me as something people would always want to sift through at garage sales and used book stores.

What I wonder, is why it failed, not once, but twice. Maybe we don’t take the time to read and look any more. They were quality.

The problem with photojournalism is that it doesn’t really describe what’s going on.

The only real salvation is all of this is National Geographic. Wonderful entry! I remember the Life lay out of the Beatles! Love,

AzureBloom

Life magazine was a part of my growing up years, a subscription that never lapsed in a household with limited funds. It was my introduction to the power of images, a window to a world of conflict, compassion and incredible beauty. Thanks for reminding me of Life’s influence on my personal life.

I loved Life Magazine! Nice links, thanks!

Edelweis

I like the “country doctor” photos!! There is so much “expression” in these black and white pictures and if you look close and attentive they “show” us an interesting story. This is a very good entry Oswego! Thank you for the interesting links!

Sago

You know, “Life” was a member of the family–I still have the pics of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation, of the now King of Japan’s coronation (if that is what it was called) that I pasted in my diary. And on of the happiest days I experienced in any library was when I found the “Life” mag. stack and started in 1936 and read through to the fifties. Wow! Oswego…you get the best ideas; I do think

you might think about getting an agent and writing a column in syndication; it’s a shame for this limited audience to be the only ones to see your thoughts and be uplift by memory in this way. ryn: I hope your life journey completes in fullness in the way you speak of–I do believe it can. Many ways for that happen, you know, not just one, although I know you know all of this…I write it.

Freewind

March 10, 2002

I hope you are always here, Oswego, to remind us of these things so we can always appreciate them now as much as we did then if not more. My friend, I have just read a wonderful book that made me think of you and your love of Americana. It is entitled “A Painted House” by John Grisham and is a totally different style than his others. I hope you might read it. Great entry!

I enjoyed the links, thanks Oswego.

I had a photographer that did work for Life ask to take pics of me. I had no clue who he was and blew him off until I checked on him and found he was telling me the truth. He put me in some pretty weird poses that I thought for sure would look stupid. Wow, those were the best pics ever done of me. I wish I could remember his name. He was a nice guy.

For a friend’s birthday I ordered an authentic copy of Life magazine from the week he was born in 1955. It was fascinating and he loved it.

forever in motion

March 11, 2002

Reading this brought a huge wave of nostalgia over me…You write the most wonderful entries, really treasures here. I must be more disciplined. Hugs and lemon-pepper wings to you,

Nice entry which brings back fond memories of my younger years. I grew up in the Life and Saturday Evening Post weekly heyday. I get People magazine weekly now but it just isn’t quite the same. When I was really young and in grade school, I remember getting a childrens publication called The Weekly Reader. I wonder if that is still published.