Since 1934, Harvard’s library has housed a copy of Des destinées de L’âme (The Destiny of the Soul by Arsène Houssaye). The book was published in 1879. Dr. Ludovic Bouland, a French physician, acquired a copy and placed a new cover of human skin Ono that copy. The skin came from an unknown woman who had died in a French psychiatric hospital. The ghoulish doctor explained in a note placed in the newly covered book that “a book about the human soul deserved to have a human covering.”
After acquiring the book, there were some rumblings within Harvard. Finally, in 2014, scientific studies were performed on the cover. Scientists confirmed that it was human skin. That revelation zoomed across the internet as “good news for fans of anthropodermic bibliopegy, biblomaniacs, and cannibals alike.” [Jennifer Schuessler and Julia Jacobs, “Harvard Removes Book Binding of Human Skin,” New York Times, March 29, 2024, p. A1. ]
At that point the book became an “attention-grabbing, sensationalized display item.” The library began restricting access in 2015. In February 2023, access was denied to all new researchers.
So, a group of Harvard faculty members, headed by “a scholar of early modern books,” asked for the book binder to be removed and that the woman’s remains be given “a proper burial.” Their demand was published in the Harvard Crimson as an advertisement. Thus, the group concerned about sensationalism added to the attraction by advertising its demands.
Harvard has now removed the cover and replaced it a book cover made from trees. The head of the group of professors called the action “the right thing to do.” Indeed. The book is now accessible by all.
The library indicates that it will take months “or longer” to research the original binding and make any decision about its disposition.
Interesting how the thinking process at one of the nation’s allegedly top universities requires research and further analysis to determine what is the right thing to do.
Nonetheless, we must give Harvard credit for at last removing the book cover. When an elephant takes wing, you do not criticize it for not staying up long enough.