Which Ivy League school is home to a book made of actual human flesh?
Well, if you guessed ye old Crimson of Harvard, you’re correct.
News of this supposed book being bound in actual human flesh began circulating last year, but just yesterday, using a technique called ‘peptide mass fingerprinting‘ scientists confirmed the book to be made of actual human skin.
I’m fully aware that the privileges afforded to the Ivy League are beyond comparison to us lowly plebeians, however, I didn’t think it would be kosher for them to bind their books in our skin! Where does it stop? Fencing swords made of elephant ivory? Theses written in the blood of the lamb?!?
According to USA Today the book dates back to the 1880s:
French author Arsène Houssaye presented his 315-page meditation, Des destinées de l’ame, to Ludovic Bouland, a doctor and avid book collector. His friend then had the book covered with skin from the back of an unclaimed female mental patient who had died of “apoplexy” — a stroke
Well, the one good thing to come of this absurdly morbid news is that I learned a new word today:
Anthropodermic Bibliopegy: “Anthropodermic bibliopegy is the practice of binding books in human skin. Though extremely uncommon in modern times, the technique dates back to at least the 17th century. The practice is inextricably connected with the practice of tanning human skin, often done in certain circumstances after a corpse has been dissected.” — Wikipedia
So if you ever find yourself in the mean streets of Boston getting hassled by the blue-blooded boys of Crimson, you can tell them they can take your dignity, but not your skin. Because anthropodermic bibliopegy is f*cking disgusting and so are they.
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