quotation marks

In his book Chariots of the Gods? (New York: Bantam, 1972) Von Daniken offers many other "proofs" that ancient cultures had contact with visitors from other planets.
Why is the word "proofs" in quotation marks?
Is the word Bantam the name of the publisher? Or something else?
Thanks

Quote:

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Originally Posted by daisy1352

In his book Chariots of the Gods? (New York: Bantam, 1972) Von Daniken offers many other "proofs" that ancient cultures had contact with visitors from other planets.
Why is the word "proofs" in quotation marks?
Is the word Bantam the name of the publisher? Or something else?
Thanks

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1. The use of the quotation marks suggests that the writer of the sentence does not believe they are real proofs at all, but that they have merely been presented as proofs.

Another example: There have been a lot of celebrity apologies on TV. If you don't believe they are sincere, you can refer to them as "apologies".
Did you see Tiger Wood's "apology" today? (Actually, I thought he was mostly genuine, so I shouldn't write it that way).

2. Yes, the publisher.