Pippa Garner’s (born 1942) Better Living Catalog, originally published in 1982, takes the form of a mail-order catalog featuring clever, whimsical inventions that parody consumer goods and America’s obsession with ingenuity, efficiency, leisure and comfort.

These works, which were made as prototypes and photographed for the publication, include the Reactiononometer, a portable wristband that instantly measures social success; the Digital Diet Loafers, which display the wearer’s weight with every step and other items promising financial solvency (the controlled cash flow Autowallet) or mess-free companionship (the Pet-a-Vision TV console).

Paperback | 5.25 x 8.25 in. | 98 pgs | Published 2023