Welcome to Litsy!

This audiobook served as a breath of fresh air compared to the previous book I read. I never thought I‘d say this about a nonfiction piece exploring the history and science of books bound in human skin. The author never took herself too seriously while educating the reader and busting myths associated with the subject matter. She also kept it mercifully short, which I believe helped with keeping my attention!

#bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks

If you love creepy nonfiction, then could I interest you in a book about books bound in human skin? A medical librarian digs into the origins, testing, and ethics (and lack of consent) behind these unusual cultural artifacts.

Happy #hauntedhollowswap day! Thank you so much for the awesome package, @Laughterhp - I love everything! The monster socks are just the cutest and I'm so excited to dive into these books! And I promise to pace myself with the candy 😉. Thanks also to @wanderinglynn for making it all happen! #hhs

The author really makes all the difference in a book like this. Despite urban legends, the majority of books confirmed to be made from humans were created by 19th c doctors during the rise of clinical distance - the idea that the body on the autopsy table is an object to be studied rather than a human. In the author‘s attempts to identify, respect, and re-humanize the people behind the books, she also provides hope in our capacity for empathy.

#bookmail from one of my best bookish BFFs 💝
Dark Archives by Megan Rosenbloom

Rosenbloom is a rare book & medical librarian who seeks out anthropodermic bibliopegy, i.e., books bound in human skin. There are many reported accounts of books in libraries & private collections. Her team investigates using scientific testing. Most turn out to be false. But there are some that are true (she identifies 17). The book is interesting with many asides about the history, ethics, and science of using human skin to bind books.

I‘m thoroughly engrossed in my current read, this look into the history of anthropodermic bibliopegy (books bound in human skin).

Highly recommended for those of you with an interest in the history of the book and the book as physical object. 👌

I‘m quite certain a fellow litten (don‘t remember who) posted something about the tagged book and ignited my curiosity, so naturally when it came up while checking out a local bookshop I couldn‘t help myself. Along with a couple other interesting finds.

That final sentence is such an ominous way to segue into the body (pun somewhat intended) of the book, and I'm here for it. 💀

Also, I'm a sucker for titles that naturally lend themselves to portmanteau...Darkives, anyone? ☺

So interesting!!!!

What a strange, interesting and bizarre read.

Totally up my street, full of history, full of weird and wonderful tales of how books bound in human skin came to be and something that could be horrifying could also be a way to immortalise yourself forever.

Very informative read and a must if you‘re a deathling! There may have been a few slightly dry spots but not enough to make me want to put the book down. Some great history and stories in this book.

Sometimes you don‘t know you need to know about something, until you see a random book cover ... this is that book. Books bound in human skin. Who‘d have thought there would be so much history, speculation, and science behind it. It was quite fascinating. While it is certainly a darker topic, this is a wonderfully light and quick read. Well-written, interesting and educational.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

First book of 2021 done and it was great! The information presented was fascinating and it included far more than just the history of books bound in human skin. It discusses aspects of medical history particularly concerning consent, censorship and challenges librarians face when housing these books in their collections, the ethical and moral dilemmas presented by these books, are the human remains or cultural artifacts? 👇🏻

Loving this so far! Maybe it should have been obvious but.... don‘t read this while eating?? 😳 #currentlylistening

Finished reading Dark Archives and it was an excellent fusion of books, history, and science. While the book is about anthropodermic bibliopegy, it does not glamourize or fetishize books bound in human skin. The author takes a close look at how these books came to be, what we can learn from them, and the ethics involved with objects made out of humans. It was highly readable and I highly recommend it. #goodbooks #reading #lovebooksaboutbooks

Starting a day of relaxation with coffee and books. I‘m almost finished Dark Archives and hope to make a dent in The Dark Library today.

Current audiobook. All about books bound in human skin. Very interesting history.

Finished Dark Archives last night. It‘s about a medical librarian investigating books that are supposedly bound in human skin. She‘s part of a larger project , the Anthropodermic Book Project, and they have found 18 books so far. A lot of them were bound in the 1800s and were for doctors. #nonfiction #librarian #bookaboutbooks

#FantasticStrangelings book club time! Tonight's guest is Megan Rosenbloom, author of Dark Archives -- a fascinating book!

Megan Rosenbloom appeared in the #ologies podcast last month discussing this book and her work with books made from skin. Dr. Daniel Kirby also makes an appearance in the podcast. #death #booksaboutbooks

I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join the fun if you want.
This is day 242 #bookstoread #tbrpile #bookstagram

Rosenbloom takes us into the darkest corner of rare book collections. She gets into the science behind confirming anthropodermic binding and the historical context of the creation of several of them. Why would anyone create something so gruesome? Or lie about having done so? The reasons are often surprising and often not (ahem, detached white male privilege), but Rosenbloom weaves it all into an unputdownable book.

This was such a weird and fascinating book with very accessible language despite being very science and medicine focused. Was not expecting all the analysis of obtaining skin and the issues with racism and consent. Solid 5 ⭐

As a librarian, I am too curious to not give this a read

This handsome young man and I are doing some reading before bedtime. #CatsOfLitsy #ReadingCompanion #SamuelLCatson

Thanks for a great #nfn2020! I wasn‘t great at checking in, but I got through a bunch of my non-fiction TBR!! And got inspired to catch up on my documentaries. So many good ones! It definitely cut into my reading time, but in the best of ways. 💕

Reading whilst waiting for a teleheath visit to begin. #FantasticStrangelings

Anthropodermic bibliopegy. Certainly not two words that I thought I would ever add to my vocabulary much less understand. But they're two words that will take you down an intriguing and macabre path. Reader this book is not for the faint of heart. It's the study of books bound in human skin. This is as much a study of medical ethics across the years and detective work to pull back the veil of this strange collection, as it is anything else.

I finally learn what a bookworm is! 📚🐛
#til #nfn2020

Everything I‘ve ever wanted to know but didn‘t know I wanted to know about books bound in human skin. Plus a ton of other info about other body preservations done by history‘s doctors, often without consent of the deceased.

This was November‘s #FantasticStrangelings book, chosen for the bookclub by Jenny Lawson. It was my first nonfiction with the group and I enjoyed it.

Also my #doublespin for November. @TheAromaofBooks

#NovelNovember @Andrew65

I‘ve gotten in a bit of reading in between panels of the Texas Book Festival, which wraps up today.

I‘m spending this morning with Dark Archives- a librarian‘s investigation into the science and history of books bound in human skin. It‘s this month‘s #fantasticstrangelings book.

My goals for the week are to finish The Mothers and Dark Archives and flit in and out of Fool‘s Fate in between.

Today‘s book mail!

The author, a medical librarian, takes a look at the history of ‘anthropodermic bibliopegy‘ (the practice of binding books in human skin) and forms a team of scientists to test books that are rumoured to be anthropodermic.

How fascinating does this sound?? 😮😮

#BooksAboutBooks

Oh dear