The Special Edition of Fahrenheit 451 was bound in fire-proof asbestos (the slow and silent killer).

Ray Bradbury’s iconic dystopian novel focused on a future American society where books are outlawed and firemen hunt down and burn books rather than put out house fires.

Shortly after the book was published in 1953, a run of 200 special editions was produced.

These books, bound in white with red cover text, included both a printed signature on the cover and an actual signature inside.

More significantly, the books were bound in covers of asbestos, a fireproof mineral that has been linked to the deaths of millions of workers over many years.

Even in 1953 they were well aware of its dangers.

Image courtesy of Bauman Rare Books.

via Which Book Was Released In An Asbestos Lined Hardcover Edition?