Salon posted the feature “Why the book’s future never happened“ (very interesting piece on the hypertext book’s failure to launch) earlier this month, and we’re happy to report The Jungle Book for iPad was given a mention. Squee.

The Wikipedia entry for hypertext fiction lists no works published after 2001, and although Wikipedia isn’t the final word on anything, you have to think, if someone had written a hypertext fiction, this is where they’d want to tell you about it. The form’s seeming demise is puzzling, given that the last 10 years have seen the rise of the e-book and the e-reader, lavishly animated projects like Electric Type’s Jungle Book, and innovative publishing ventures like Richard Nash’s Red Lemonade — and, perhaps not coincidentally, a crisis in traditional book publishing. You can’t swing a cat on certain blocks of Manhattan near Union Square without it asking, “What about the future of the book?”

— Paul La Farge

And, it must be noted, that we sympathize with the following quote more than Paul might imagine:

At the same time, it’s impossibly hard to create, one of the only modes of fiction I know of which is more demanding than the novel. (And then add to that the need to create a user interface, and maybe a content-management system, and is it going to be an app?…)

(via Salon)

Saw Mobile Art Lab’s “Phonebook” in action at MoMA’s Talk to Me: Design and the Communication between People and Objects. Pretty genius. Seems like a natural in-between step for parents who want to incorporate some of the whimsy and interactivity of digital without forgoing the print experience entirely. Get it on Amazon Japan.

(via Mobile Art Lab)

Short but fascinating lecture by Kurt Vonnegut on the ‘simple shapes of stories.’

(via YouTube)

Crushing on this set of Moby Dick bookmarks.

(via mais1livro)

Maurice Sendak is set to publish his first full-production book since Outside Over There (1981). For the past thirty years, Sendak has been collaborating with other writers, illustrating old texts, designing sets and costumes for opera and ballet productions, creating advertisements and book and magazine covers, and making the occasional HBO cameo as an old-world rabbi. But with Bumble-Ardy, Sendak is reemerging in the form that he has, since 1963’s Where the Wild Things Are, come to define: writing and illustrating original children’s stories.

— Avi Steinberg for Paris Review Daily

(via Paris Review Daily)

Episode 2 of the wonderful PBS web-only series Off Book.

Type is everywhere. Every print publication, website, movie, advertisement and public message involves the creation or selection of a fitting typeface. Online, a rich and artistic typographical culture exists, where typefaces are created and graphic design seeps in to every image.

In episode 2 of Off Book, typeface designers Jonathan Hoefler and Tobias Frere-Jones outline the importance of selecting the right font to convey a particular feeling. Graphic designer Paula Scher talks about building identity in messaging, while Eddie Opara uses texture to create reaction. Infographic designers Julia Vakser and Deroy Peraza map complicated data sets into digestible imagery, mixing color, graphics and type.

— Off Book | Typography | PBS Arts

Follow: @PBSOffBook.

(via Off Book | Typography)

I was asked, “I’m very interested in digital publishing & new media but feel I’m suffering from a bit of learning curve. Any tips on self educating?” on our VYou channel.

I rattled off an answer, but I thought it might be helpful to link to the sites mentioned in my response. A number of sites, blogs, Twitter feeds have been invaluable to me over the last year. Here are just a few:

e is for book - A coalition of respected children’s trade book authors developing their books for electronic media. Great ebook and book app how-to’s and “best of” tool and guide lists.

A New Kind of Book – I met @PeterMeyers at Book^2 Camp back in February and instantly became a fan of his and ANKoB. His blog covers everything digital books can do that can’t be done in print. It’s a look at what’s currently being done—by big publishers, by independent operators—with an occasional bit of idea-mongering about what we’re not yet seeing. Definitely give it a look.

Digital Book World – The portal for the digital publishing community. Big fans of their roundtable series…and generally everything that they’re doing.

A favorite Scoop.it feed, curated by Carisa Kulver (@iPad_Storytime), editor of Digital-Storytime.com.

Last but not least, Fast Company’s Co.Design is a fantastic idea/inspiration generator. A necessity for anyone familiarizing themselves with new media. If you want a taste of what they feature, check out their post on IDEO’s book of the future. It will blow your mind.

Readers, if there is a site that you’d like others to know about, please leave name and URL in the comments section below. We love sharing.

(image via Co.Design)

We ♥ Babar.

(via NYTimes)

Recently stumbled upon: Awesome People Reading. As if you didn’t already know reading was cool…

(via O/R Books Blog)

Want to know the surest, quickest way to be the coolest aunt, uncle, dad, mom, or grandparent on the block? Gift your young iPad-loving reader an interactive book. And how do you go about gifting an app, you ask? Well, being a self-identified pretty cool uncle, I get asked this question often enough and decided to sum it up for you in a quick flick. Above is a tutorial to give just about anybody with an iPad or iPhone an app-present. Your niece, nephew, son, daughter, grandkid will thank you.

Have more questions? Ask us on VYou.

(via YouTube)