The unburnable copy of Margaret Atwood's 'The Handmaid's Tale' fetched a whopping $130,000 in an auction. The book, which was also turned into a major television series, has often faced controversies following its publication in 1985.
The unburnable book was launched to create awareness about censorship and a surge in book banning in American schools. The book was auctioned off by Sotheby's on Tuesday. 'The Handmaid's Tale', is a novel about fertile women in a theocratic society, forced to bear children for the privileged. The series can be streamed on PrimeVideo in India.
On May 24, Atwood, while announcing the auction, wrote on Instagram, “To benefit @penamerica’s work defending the freedom of expression, I'm proud to partner with @penguinrandomhouse and @sothebys to offer an unburnable edition of the classic and often banned, novel The Handmaid’s Tale.” In the promotion clip, Atwood is seen attempting to burn the book using a blowtorch.
All proceeds from the auction will go to PEN America, which advocates for freedom of expression worldwide. The book is made of treated aluminium—mainly Cinefoil. “I’m very pleased that the one-of-a-kind Unburnable Book of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ has raised so much money for PEN America,” Atwood told The Guardian.