Penguin tackle book bans with ‘unburnable’ edition of Handmaid’s Tale

In the U.S there’s a political firestorm raging over books deemed by right-wingers to be unsuitable for school libraries.

In response author Margaret Atwood, with publisher Penguin Random House, has created an “unburnable” edition of her most famous novel, The Handmaid’s Tale.

A special edition was printed and bound using fireproof materials – and fashioned be completely un-burnable.

Atwood, 82, fronts a YouTube video and attempts to incinerate it with a  flame-thrower.

Penguin Random House said: “Across the United States and around the world, books are being challenged, banned and even burned. So we created a special edition of a book that’s been challenged and banned for decades.  It is designed to protect this vital story and stand as a powerful symbol against censorship.”

Her “unburnable” book is going under auction at by Sotheby’s with proceeds going to support Pen America in its “work in support of free expression”.

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