Anthropodermic Biocodicology (HUMAN LEATHER BOOKS) with Megan Rosenbloom & Daniel Kirby

Ologies with Alie Ward

Anthropodermic bibliopegy is a long, fancy way of saying “HUMAN SKIN BOOKS” and the study of confirming or debunking them is … Anthropodermic Biocodicology. For this skin-crawling, history-trawling Spooktober episode, we chat with the absolutely wonderful and charming medical librarian and expert of books bound in human skin, Megan Rosenbloom. Also on the line: analytical chemist Dr. Daniel Kirby, who discusses how books are tested to confirm if they are, in fact, human leather. Why would someone make these? What’s in between the covers? Whose skin is it? What do they smell like? And what can they tell us about our culture and our past?Rosenbloom has just released her book “Dark Archives” and gives us a peek into the world she’s come to know so well. Listen under a blanket or with a nightlight on, though. It’ll give you goosebumps.

Follow Megan Rosenbloom at Instagram.com/libraryatnight and Twitter.com/libraryatnight

Buy Dark Archives: A Librarian's Investigation Into the Science and History of Books Bound in Human Skin anywhere books are sold!

Megan Rosenbloom’s website: https://meganrosenbloom.com/

A donation went to: BlackMamasMatter.org

More links at alieward.com/ologies/anthropodermicbiocodicology

Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras

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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris

Theme song by Nick Thorburn

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