JF Ptak Science Books Quick Post
There is an indeterminate quality of quiet malice in these pictures, somehow–they seem bland and also threatening in some way. Perhaps it is the assumption of these Human Types that is so off-putting, with this 1939 pamphlet happy to categorize people into three major “types”. “Active Man” seems like an aspiring non-perspirer, eager to let someone else do it; “Thin Girl” seems to be daring her simple classification; the “Housewife” needs to prove her name is accurate not only with the apron, but with a pot as well; “Mature Person” is urgently directing attention to high-attentioned-bits while maintaining a stiff unwrinkled nature; and “Office Girl” is stiff-backed with a pencil knife at ready. The whole cover for this diet regimen just seems softly-defined creepy–perhaps not so much for the titles, or the postures, but for the aggressive contrasting color.
