In “The Electronic Book,” I was fascinated by the author’s explanation of how a book should establish some sort of identity and how it should define its role in a library. (Page 79) Bolter states, “Each book must be different enough from all other books to deserve its own place in the library, and it should be complete in its own terms. Each book strives to assert its identity, while at the same time entering into a cascade of relationships with other books.” This statement is interesting because it makes me think on all of the books I have read and how they relate to one another while maintaining an identity.
In “The End of Books,” I was fascinated by the explanation of hypertext fiction. (Page 4) Coover recalls Carolyn Guyer and Martha Petry stating, “This is a new kind of fiction, and a new kind of reading. The form of the text is rhythmic, looping on itself in patterns and layers that gradually accrete meaning, just as the passage of time and events does in one’s lifetime.” This explanation of hypertext fiction is interesting, with it invoking an image of writing in hypertext fiction being this kind of evolving, living entity, which can do much more than the simple texts of the past.
