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There is a book at Harvard University’s library that has a unique and unsettling story. It is a 19th-century French book about the human soul, but it is not the content that has drawn attention – it is the material used to bind the book. For many years, it was believed that the binding was made from human skin, a practice known as “anthropodermic bibliopegy.” This disturbing fact has caused controversy and ethical concerns.
News Reading in Levels
Beginner Level: Harvard to Remove Human Skin Book Cover
Harvard University is taking off the human skin cover from an old book. The book is called “The Destiny of Souls.” It was written in French. The book cover was made of human skin a long time ago. Harvard says this is not right. They will find a better way to keep the remains.
The book came to Harvard in 1934. The first owner was a doctor in France. He put human skin on the book cover. The skin was from a woman who died in a hospital.
For many years, Harvard showed the book to people. Sometimes, new workers at the library had to find the book as a joke. Harvard now says this was wrong and disrespectful.
After careful thinking, Harvard decided to remove the human skin cover. They will treat the remains with respect.
Take off: Remove
Remains: What is left of a dead body
Disrespectful: Showing a lack of respect
Careful thinking: Thoughtful consideration
Treat with respect: Handle in a proper and dignified manner
Intermediate Level: Harvard to Respectfully Dispose of Book Bound in Human Skin
After years of criticism and debate, Harvard University has decided to remove the human skin binding from a 19th-century book in its library and find a respectful way to dispose of the remains. The book, a French treatise on the human soul by Arsène Houssaye, was bound in human skin by its first owner, Dr. Ludovic Bouland, a French doctor who took the skin from a deceased woman without consent.
Harvard acquired the book in 1934, and for years, it was brought out for “show and tell” and sometimes used to haze new library employees. In 2014, the university drew attention when it confirmed through scientific testing that the binding was indeed human skin, a practice known as “anthropodermic bibliopegy.”
However, the university has now acknowledged that its handling of the book failed to meet ethical standards and sometimes used an “inappropriately sensationalistic, morbid, and humorous tone.” Harvard has apologized, stating that it “further objectified and compromised the dignity of the human being whose remains were used for its binding.”
The decision comes after a pressure campaign led by a prominent scholar, Paul Needham, who formed an “affinity group” calling for the binding’s removal and proper burial of the woman’s remains in France.
Treatise: A formal written work on a particular subject
Anthropodermic bibliopegy: The practice of binding books in human skin
Sensationalistic: Presenting something in a way that is intended to cause great public interest or excitement
Morbid: Abnormally interested in or fascinated by death or disease
Affinity group: A group formed around a shared interest or concern
Native Level: Harvard Reckons with Unethical Book Binding, Removes Human Skin Cover
In a move reflecting a broader reckoning with the role of colonialism and slavery in establishing institutions, Harvard University has announced its decision to remove the human skin binding from a 19th-century book in its library and determine a respectful disposition for the remains. The book, a French treatise on the human soul by Arsène Houssaye, was bound in human skin by its first owner, Dr. Ludovic Bouland, who took the skin from an unknown woman who died in a French psychiatric hospital without her consent.
The book, titled “Des Destinées de L’Ame” (“The Destiny of Souls”), arrived at Harvard in 1934 via the American diplomat John B. Stetson, an heir to the hat fortune. For years, the university exhibited the book and even subjected new library employees to a hazing ritual involving retrieving it, drawing criticism for its insensitive handling of the human remains.
Harvard’s decision follows a pressure campaign led by Paul Needham, a prominent scholar of early modern books, who formed an “affinity group” calling for the binding’s removal and proper burial of the woman’s remains in France. The group’s open letter, published last week, cited a 2014 blog post by the library that referred to the book’s confirmation as “good news for fans of anthropodermic bibliopegy, bibliomaniacs, and cannibals alike,” illustrating the university’s past insensitivity.
The announcement comes after a 2022 survey identified more than 20,000 human remains in Harvard’s collections, including those of Native Americans and individuals of African descent who may have been enslaved. The university’s president at the time, Lawrence S. Bacow, had apologized for the university’s role in practices that “placed the academic enterprise above respect for the dead and human decency.”
Reckoning: A settling of accounts or a confrontation with an issue
Disposition: The way something is dealt with or disposed of
Anthropodermic bibliopegy: The practice of binding books in human skin
Insensitive: Lacking concern or consideration for others’ feelings
Academic enterprise: The pursuit of knowledge and scholarship
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The Bottom Line
The decision by Harvard University to remove the human skin binding from the 19th-century book and find a respectful way to handle the remains is a commendable step. It reflects a growing awareness and sensitivity towards ethical issues surrounding the treatment of human remains, particularly those obtained through unethical means or without consent. This incident serves as a reminder that academic institutions must prioritize respect for human dignity over sensationalism or morbid curiosity.
References
- The New York Times: Harvard Removes Binding of Human Skin From Book in Its Library
- The Guardian: Harvard will remove binding made of human skin from 1800s book
