and extraordinary influence on american life in the middle decades of the 20th century. boin to presbyterian missionary parents, loos was a god-driven man. an optimist reformed by christian hope. his weekly picture journal life first appeared in 1936. it was the most successful new publication in american history. by 1945, nine years later, 15 million american families read life each week. loos used his influence to try to shape a better america. for example it was in life he first used the phrase, the american century. in 1940, to highlight this nations emerging global responsibilities and his own task, nation building. as he told his editors a few years later, i have the faithful belief that the america that we work for will win in this time and age if we do our part. in a sense, everything does depend on you. if we persevere our life timeless see not the peace, but certainly the truce of god. one by american fortitude, energy, generosity and ideals. as loos surveyed