Now This Is What I Call An "Ehanced" Ebook!

[jscarbo]

I ran across this article on the GoodEreader blog: http://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-n...ard-to-tablets

It's one of the best, most innovative examples I've seen of how enhanced e-books can provide an entirely new way to experience literature. It's currently available only on iTunes but the publisher says it will come to Amazon in mid-October.

From the publisher's press release: "For the first time, students and Shakespeare lovers alike can experience text and performance simultaneously. The new Wordplay Shakespeare series puts the Bard's words and filmed performances side by side in innovative versions of the plays created just for tablet computers....These are not your average Ebooks with mere words on a screen. Rather, Wordplay Shakespeare combines text, film, translation notes and other tools to reimagine the reading experience."

Here's the full press release: http://thenewbookpress.com/TNBP/Press.html . There's also an intro video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjCsNcfcZeA

[HomeInMyShoes]

It sounds like the whole multi-media encyclopedia concept that appears to have died the dodo. Give me the book and the Web itself is filled with whatever side-commentary and other stuff I could possibly need.

All this is effectively doing is making it so I can only hold a fraction of the books I used to hold on my device. I know memory is cheap, but then why does 16GB more cost you an extra $100 ($50 some places now).

[HarryT]

This is an excellent idea. I'm a big Shakespeare fan, and I've long held that it can really only be properly appreciated in performance.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

It sounds like the whole multi-media encyclopedia concept that appears to have died the dodo. Give me the book and the Web itself is filled with whatever side-commentary and other stuff I could possibly need.

All this is effectively doing is making it so I can only hold a fraction of the books I used to hold on my device. I know memory is cheap, but then why does 16GB more cost you an extra $100 ($50 some places now).

But that's you. You are free to avoid the enhanced version; you have other options. But this approach to Shakespeare could certainly be useful for many people.

I learned to enjoy Shakespeare largely because of a great teacher who had us read along as we listened to recordings of great actors performing the plays. A play is not intended to be read, but to be experienced.

It is a good idea. I like the concept as long as they keep the file size reasonable. However, I prefer professional Shakespeare actors in period dress rather than students wearing 21st century clothing!

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by jswinden

It is a good idea. I like the concept as long as they keep the file size reasonable. However, I prefer professional Shakespeare actors in period dress rather than students wearing 21st century clothing!

Expecting the Royal Shakespeare Company in a $9.99 book is perhaps a little optimistic .

[Apache]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Expecting the Royal Shakespeare Company in a $9.99 book is perhaps a little optimistic .

Apache

[kennyc]

If you wanna watch a movie or go to a play watch it, do it.
If you wanna read, read.
Shakespeare was not meant for reading.

[HarryT]

The language can be difficult for a modern audience, and personally I find it helpful to "follow along" with a text while watching a DVD or listening to an audio version of a play (not in a theatre, though). Having video in a Shakespeare text strikes me as an excellent way of bringing the text to life.

[Ninjalawyer]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The language can be difficult for a modern audience, and personally I find it helpful to "follow along" with a text while watching a DVD or listening to an audio version of a play (not in a theatre, though). Having video in a Shakespeare text strikes me as an excellent way of bringing the text to life.

I agree, I think this is really cool and a good use of the available technology.

[WillAdams]

Other interesting examples of ``enhanced'' ebooks:

- http://www.bemboszoo.com --- animated Flash w/ animal sounds, on-line version of a printed children's book

- http://theater.nytimes.com/library/c...6mirapaul.html --- CD-ROM version of the Codex Leicester

- http://aleph0.clarku.edu/~djoyce/jav.../elements.html --- ``Joyce's Java version of _Euclid's Elements_'' --- all figures are interactive, but constrained to stay valid.

- https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/elem...364147847?mt=8 --- The Elements: A Visual Exploration --- coffee table book as iPad app

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_Books_series --- Living Books interactive children's books

- https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=122195 --- our own Carmenchu's version of H. Beam Piper's short story ``Murder in the Gunroom'' which is a favourite of mine --- his version adds explanatory notes on firearms technology and other images.

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The language can be difficult for a modern audience, and personally I find it helpful to "follow along" with a text while watching a DVD or listening to an audio version of a play (not in a theatre, though). Having video in a Shakespeare text strikes me as an excellent way of bringing the text to life.

Which is why I read his works outloud and encouraged my classmates to do the same.

The concept sounds interesting and I'll look at it but it is not like it is that difficult to read out loud.

[Graham]

So... having a movie with subtitles is old hat, but having the subtitles with a movie is something new?

(Just kidding.)

Graham

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Which is why I read his works outloud and encouraged my classmates to do the same.

The concept sounds interesting and I'll look at it but it is not like it is that difficult to read out loud.

It's quite difficult for many people to get the rhythm of the lines right so that it actually makes sense. A significant proportion of Shakespeare's plays are written in blank verse - you can't just speak them as if they were prose (or at least not if you want to get the impact of what he actually wrote).

[Istvan diVega]

Sounds like an excellent idea. However, I too feel that Shakespeare can really only be appreciated in performance and am very glad we never had to read anything like his plays in school. It's hard to see how you could end up being anything but turned off Shakespeare completely by being forced to read his plays without actually being motivated to do so.

If this helps a few more youngsters become acquainted with the Bard and makes him a bit less arduous for the remainder, then that's surely a good thing.