New Inventions and the Latest Innovations

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Author: de Pawlowski, GastonOriginally published in 1916, this volume collects the humorist's fictional columns mocking his era's burgeoning consumerism and growing faith in scienc e. Pawlowski’s cultural critique & tongue-in-cheek celebration of uselessness and futility bears relevance for today, as technology remains the hoped-for answer to our increasingly troubled human condition. Notably, these inventions of yesteryear were an influence in the arts, admired by figures like Marcel Duchamp and Raymond Queneau.From anti-slip soap, gut rests and the pocket-sized yardstick to repurposed spittoons, nasal vacuums, electric oysters and musicographical revolvers, Pawlowski offers a far-sighted critique of technological gadgetry and a cynical promise to remove discomfort from every facet of life, even as World War I raged on and technology was unleashing new horrors onto humanity.ISBN 9781939663986. Wakefield Press. pb. 200 pages. 20.3 x 13.3 cm.in stock Show more