The Novel, Remixed: Readers of "Chopsticks" can select "shuffle read," which reorders the pages.
The new novel "Chopsticks" tells the story of a troubled young piano prodigy - using family photos, letters, documents, instant messages and YouTube videos. It's a love story, a mystery and a parable about creativity and madness.
It's also an experiment, one that could have far-reaching implications for the book industry, as publishers stretch the definition of what constitutes a book. "Chopsticks" straddles the digital divide that is transforming the publishing world - it's both a novel and a digital app.
A new crop of digital books comes loaded with videos, songs, animated shorts and pop-up graphics. Is this the future of publishing or just a passing fad? Alexandra Alter has details on Lunch Break.
The story, by writer Jessica Anthony and graphic designer Rodrigo Corral, will be released as a traditional print book and as an app for the iPad and iPhone. The print edition, out Feb. 2 for $19.99, is an oversize, color-saturated book. The digital version, which will be launched simultaneously for $9.99 in Apple's app and iTunes stores, allows readers to enlarge images, flip through photo albums, watch video clips, listen to the characters" favorite songs and read their instant messages. Readers can even change the order of the story by shuffling the pages, re-creating it as a custom version.
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Enhanced e-books - which have multimedia features such as audio, video, pop-up graphics, 3-D images and animation - are being touted as the next frontier in the digital-books landscape. The explosive growth of e-book sales, coupled with the rapid adoption of iPads, Nook Tablets and Kindle Fires, has prompted publishers to experiment with new types of interactive books. Many in the industry will be watching closely to see whether "Chopsticks" becomes a literary trailblazer that ushers in a new species of e-book, or a cautionary tale of an elaborate flop.
Penguin plans to release 50 enhanced e-books and book apps this year, up from 35 in 2011. Projects in the works include an enhanced biography of Malcolm X with video footage, rare photos and an interactive map of historic Harlem. An app for Penguin's best-selling young-adult series "Vampire Academy" will feature an interactive character map, photos, illustrations, videos and extra content from the author. Simon & Schuster has close to 60 enhanced titles planned for children and adults, including nonfiction books about young innovators, tap dancing and neuropsychology. Knopf released an enhanced version of Joan Didion's "Blue Nights" this month, with three short films featuring the author discussing her daughter's life and death. In February, Random House is publishing a digital version of Katherine Boo's hotly anticipated nonfiction book "Behind the Beautiful Forevers," about residents of a Bombay slum, that includes video of the central characters that was shot over three years.
Photo Illustration by William Duke; Getty Images (Marley, Kennedy); Everett Collection (Potter, Elvis); Oceanhouse Media (Dr. Seuss) Harry Potter ReturnsThe first Harry Potter e-books are set to arrive this year on Pottermore, a Web site where fans can learn spells, read additional material by J.K Rowling and visit a virtual Hogwarts.
Jackie SpeaksAn enhanced e-book includes more than eight hours of recordings of the first lady's candid conversations with Arthur Schlesinger Jr., plus photos and archival videos.
Bob Marley WailsA collection of Mr. Marley's poems and lyrics, compiled by his daughter, Cedella Marley, includes family photographs and links to his music.
Dr. Seuss RulesMore than one million Dr. Seuss children'sbook apps have sold on Apple devices in the last two years.
Elvis Lives!"Careless Love," Peter Guralnick's biography of The King, will be rereleased this summer with extras like videos, music clips and interviews. ...
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204468004577169001135659954.html
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