Publishers Weeklyreports that Taschen, a publisher of illustrated books, is going to publish a book about the Apollo 11 moon landing to coincide with the 40th anniversary. The 350-pg book called Norman Mailer, MoonFire: The Epic Journey of Apollo 11 goes on sale July 15th. 12 of the 1,969 published copies will come with a certified fragment of moon meteorite.
Taschen is printing 1,969 copies of the book to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969. Numbers 1 through 1,957 will be priced at $1,000, while the final 12 copies (numbered 1,958 through 1,969) will come with a certified fragment of moon meteorite. Taschen has not yet priced the 12 "Lunar Rock" editions, but will base the price according to the meteorite size. Those volumes will come with cases designed by Australian designer Marc Newson, who recently designed aluminum champagne coolers for Dom Pérignon. Public relations manager Creed Poulson said the meteorite editions "will be the most expensive books we have ever done." Publisher Benedikt Taschen told PW, "We are confident that the 1,969 copies will sell out very quickly."
Poulson said Taschen stores will carry the book, as will the publisher's Web site, Barnes & Noble, Borders, Amazon and other retailers nationally and internationally. A B&N spokesperson said customers can special order the title in its stores; it will also be available at bn.com.
Norman Mailer was hired by Life magazine in 1969 to cover the moonshot. The publisher says Mailer's three-part feature in Life was the longest nonfiction piece the magazine had ever published. He enhanced and extended his reportage in Moonfire.
Publishers Weekly 