Hypertext 3.0: Critical Theory and New Media in an Era of Globalization

Parallax: Re-visions of Culture and Society

by George P. Landow

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.

Genres: Nonfiction, Literature, Philosophy, Writing, Academic

456 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2005

Reviews

[Tova · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you expect a book on the Web anno 2005 you might end up rather disappointed. This is a book about hypertext and hypermedia as originally conceived by Ted Nelson all the way back in 1963 and the numerous implementations and usages of it that followed, the Web is part of that, but not the focus. Instead this books focuses more on hypertext literature and the pros/cons of non-linear structure.

While I really like reading about this idealized take on hypertext, this is also the biggest weakness of the book. It's missing a deeper discussion how the modern Web has managed or failed to live up to those ideals. The first edition was written in 1991, this third edition is well over a decade later, and in those years hypertext literature has never really managed to become more than a little blip on the radar, with most of the Web going into a completely different direction (e.g. Web2.0 hype was already around in 2005).

The book ends up feeling like it's coming from a parallel reality that isn't quite like the one we are used to, neither in 2005 and even less so in 2025. But that is also the charm of the book.

PS: Twine, probably the most significant hypertext literature software these days, only came out in 2009, so naturally isn't covered in this book, it's spiritual proprietary predecessor Storyspace does get lots of coverage. Visual Novels, another very popular off-shot of hypermedia, isn't covered either, some other games like Myst do however get mentioned.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally! An edition that doesn't make me want to put my head in the blender...

[Ash]

A really big book about the remediation of books

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a bit heady - but really rich in considering text, information literacy, literacy... etc. A work read.

[Juls · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don't waste your time. Landow may have been one of the gurus back in the early days of hypertext, but he's out of his league at this point.