People Are Awesome: Meet the Book Tank, a 'Weapon of Mass Instruction'

When Argentinian artist Raul Lemesoff drives around the streets of Buenos Aires, Argentina, in a tank, people don't run away from him. Rather, they walk right up and stand directly in front of the vehicle's barrel—that's where most of the books are.

As you might have gathered, Lemesoff's tank isn't your average mine-proof killing machine. Lemesoff calls it his Arma De Instruccion Masiva, Weapon of Mass Instruction, and he uses it to deliver thousands of books to to the citizens of Argentina each year. All anyone needs to do is flag Lemesoff down if they see him rolling through the streets; the books are all free thanks to private donors. Lemesoff has even had pedestrians come up at stoplights and quickly snag a book to read on their journeys. He doesn't mind; that's what the tank is there for.

Lemesoff says he hopes his creation will "contribute to peace and understanding of people." To that end, he makes sure to take his books through Argentina's rural areas, where children are less likely to go to school and have access to books. Now he's in the midst of taking his tank to Bolivia and Peru.

Drop knowledge, not bombs.

Photo courtesy of Raul Lemesoff