George Landow's widely acclaimed Hypertext was the first book to bring together the worlds of literary theory and computer technology. Landow was one of the first scholars to explore the implications of giving readers instant, easy access to a virtual library of sources as well as unprecedented control of what and how they read. This updated and expanded version brings up-to-date his discussion of key Internet and New Media trends and technologies.

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Product Description

George Landow's widely acclaimed Hypertext was the first book to bring together the worlds of literary theory and computer technology. Landow was one of the first scholars to explore the implications of giving readers instant, easy access to a virtual library of sources as well as unprecedented control of what and how they read. In hypermedia, Landow saw a strikingly literal embodiment of many major points of contemporary literary theory, particularly Derrida's idea of "de-centering" and Barthes's conception of the "readerly" versus "writerly" text.

From Intermedia to Microcosm, Storyspace, and the World Wide Web, Landow offers specific information about the kinds of hypertext, different modes of linking, attitudes toward technology, and the proliferation of pornography and gambling on the Internet. For the third edition he includes new material on developing Internet-related technologies, considering in particular their increasingly global reach and the social and political implications of this trend as viewed from a postcolonial perspective. He also discusses blogs, interactive film, and the relation of hypermedia to games. Thoroughly expanded and updated, this pioneering work continues to be the "ur-text" of hypertext studies.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #155085 in Books
• Published on: 2006-01-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 456 pages

Review

"Challenges the reader... Because it invites (and nearly requires) readers to place themselves in more than one position: as a student of communication theory, as a student of computer science, as a student of academic publishing, or as a student of literature." -- Paul Baker, Education PR Blog

Review

"Landow['s]... presentation is measured, experiential, lucid, moderate, and sensible. He merely points out that the concept 'hypertext' lets us test some concepts associated with critical theory, and gracefully shows how the technology is contributing to reconfigurations of text, author, narrative, and (literary) education." -- Postmodern Culture, reviewing a previous edition or volume

"Worth reading, whether one's initial mood is enthusiasm, skepticism, or simple curiosity." -- Contemporary Sociology, reviewing a previous edition or volume

"A bold and enthusiastic prediction of the impact of hypertext on literature and pedagogy." -- Rocky Mountain Review of Language and Literature, reviewing a previous edition or volume

"In this insightful and readable volume, Landow explores the relationship between contemporary literary and social theory and the latest advances in computer software." -- Voice Literary Supplement, reviewing a previous edition or volume

About the Author

George P. Landow is a professor of English and art history at Brown University.

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Customer Reviews

Excruciating
Landow squeezes 20 pages of insight into over 400 pages of some of the most convoluted and repetitive writing to ever be labeled 'critical theory.' This book has little to do with technology or hypermedia as a form of communication. He reminds us, and again suggests, and then points out, and later reminds us again that hypermedia is different from books and periodicals printed on paper. This insight, delivered through meandering and pointless prose, often obscured by subordinate 'critical' statements, is not much of an insight. Using work done in the 1980s and 90s Landow suggests a great reconfiguring of narrative, of writing, and of authors (or authorship- but that's not clear). Much, much better books covering far more ground are "Convergence Culture" by Henry Jenkins and "Radiant Textuality" by McGann.

Brilliant, challenging, and geeky
As more writers create and distribute their work in hypertext it's important to think about how dramatically that is changing the humanities, arts, and culture in general. Landow guides us through this process, drawing from his experience as a professor of English and art history at Brown University. A long time user of hypermedia in teaching and writing, he observes that the worlds of literary theory and computer hypertext have increasingly converged over the past couple decades. This is a brilliant, challenging, and somewhat dense book, and will appeal to the geek in anyone.