Noise #169: The Poison Book Project
Antique books are gorgeous and sometimes also toxic.
Amidst the hailstorm of political news these last few weeks, a completely unrelated story caught my eye: The Poison Book Project.
The Washington Post talks about beautiful old books—like a vividly colored copy of Walter Scott’s 1815 narrative poem The Lord of the Isles—that contain significant amounts of mercury, lead, arsenic, and chromium.
The heavy metal pigments are toxic, but colorful. Arsenic allowed Victorian-era publishers to infuse their book covers with striking emerald greens, while chromium produced warm yellow hues and mercury created lush reds.
Run by the University of Delaware, The Poison Book Project researches and identifies antique volumes that contain toxic pigments. It also gives owners and collectors tips on safe storage and handling—like if you encounter a poison book, do not lick it.
I recorded Noise #169 thinking about how cool it is that such a project even exists, and how much I love old books, historical oddities, and fascinating peeks into cultures that are both centuries and oceans removed from my own. To my ears, the music has flashes of heavy metal chord movement to mirror the story’s heavy metal pigments, as well as a sense of mystery, discovery, and storytelling.
I hope you enjoy listening:
Wishing you peace, health, and curiosity,
Michael
(Noise #169 by Michael Gallant. Copyright 2024 Gallant Music LLC. All Rights Reserved.)