Don't judge a book by it's cover

I think that an e-book shouldn't be approached at as an book. Because it is not really a book. But why is it not a book? Yesterday evening a had a discussion about it with Karel Millenaar and I realized I couldn't really verbalize what I was thinking. I realized this was because I was not able to tell what a book is.

Why is it so hard to descibe a book nowadays? 10 Years ago it was very easy; a book is sheets of paper bound together to hinge at one edge. You will still find this kind of definition in every dictionary. And when I asked this to other people and young children they all said the same.

But then I showed them an e-book and asked them if this was a book as well. Some said yes, because it had a story in a text form or text with illustrations. Others said no, because it wasn't tangeble. You couldn't hold it, or more important collect it to augment the picture of yourself. You buy books, read them and put them in your closet to show your personality and that you are a individual. E-books don't offer this.


It is clear that people don't judge books by the format it is in. It is not only a bunch of papers bound together, hinging at one edge. And it doesn't necessarily have to be only text that has to be in a book, or pages. A book is a format to tell a story in.
Which brings us to the next problem; doesn't that make a game or a film or animation a book as well?

I think that makes games as Heavy Rain or the interactive books of Moonbot so interesting. Heavy Rain created a big discussion under gamers, they didn't find Heavy Rain to be a game anymore. People named it a cinematic game, others called it an interactive animation. The interactive books of Moonbot studio's (like The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore) could be an interactive story, but it also could be an interactive animation. Every game has got a storyline.

I think it is interesting to explore the borders of the definition 'book' with my interactive book. When do people still believe an interactive book is a book. And is it necessary to stay within the boarders of a books, or is this the time to create a new media. Where books and play come together.



Tomorrow I will tell about the discussion I started with a small group of people about books and e-books.