A screenshot from a Penguin Random Home video displaying a fire-resistant copy of “The Handmaid’s Story,” by Margaret Atwood. Screenshot, Sotheby’s
A one-of-a-kind copy of Margaret Atwood’s bestselling novel “The Handmaid’s Story” bought at public sale for $130,000 on Tuesday.
Penguin Random Home, with Atwood and Sotheby’s, created a fireproof version of the novel as a way to “function a robust image in opposition to censorship and a reminder of the need of defending very important tales,” in accordance with Sotheby’s.
In a video asserting the limited-edition e-book, Penguin Random Home says, “This yr, tons of of books have been banned and a few have even been burned.”
In response, they created a e-book that was “printed on fire-resistant paper and certain with a flame retardant cowl.”
The video then reveals the 82-year-old creator wielding a flamethrower and taking pictures flames on the fireproof version of “The Handmaid’s Story,” a e-book that’s been “banned for years,” in accordance with Penguin Random Home.
“The Unburnable E-book” was estimated to promote between $50,000 and $100,000, with the proceeds going to PEN America, “a literary and free expression advocacy group,” per CNN.
The e-book bought for a staggering value of $130,000.
“This unburnable e-book is an emblem of our collective resolve to guard books, tales and concepts from those that worry and revile them. We're grateful to have the ability to deploy the proceeds of this public sale to fortify this unprecedented combat for books,” mentioned Suzanne Nosse, the CEO of PEN America, per NPR.
In line with PEN America’s “Banned In The united statesA.” report, there have been 1,586 cases of e-book banning in the USA between July 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022.
The report notes a rise in e-book bans, with a lot of these books “coping with numerous characters and experiences — together with racial, ethnic, and spiritual identities; gender identities and sexual orientations.”