Patently Absurd : The Most Ridiculous Devices Ever Invented

by Christopher Cooper

Patently Absurd explores the funnier side of our inventive spirit by featuring actual patented products that have to be seen to be believed. The book features such inventions as "an animal powered drive," where an animal is used to move a belt and power a vehicle and a bird diaper to keep those pet birds clean. Gloves for couples who wish to hold hands in cold weather is the outcome of another patented idea, an improvement on ordinary gloves that are "unsatisfactory and indeed unromantic," where two hands can be inserted in one glove. An introduction outlines the background to patenting an invention and its history. Inventions are taken from patent offices internationally and are grouped in sections covering sport and exercise, household, animals, transport, clothing, and leisure.

Genres: Humor, History, Technology

Hardcover

First published April 2, 2004

About the author

Christopher Cooper has contributed to the fortnightly BBC magazine Doctor Who Adventures, as well as writing the comic strip stories Health & Safety (in Doctor Who The Official Annual 2010) and Somebody Else's Problem: A Gwen Cooper Story (in Torchwood Magazine). He is also the author of the Doctor Who novel The Krillitane Storm and the Big Finish 'Bernice Summerfield' audio drama Brand Management.

Reviews

[Amanda Witt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bit of a laugh, with the original illustrations from the inventors and a brief explanation for each item. Most of these are not mainstream now.

[Abraham Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13754088