iBooks go a little too far?

The point of a book is to read it, right? Well, apparently not. At least, not to the new iBook from Apple. You may think this iBook may be just your regular electronic book, made for reading enjoyment. Nope. This book comes fully equipped with games, interactive playthings, music, and just a whole bunch of distractions. If I wanted that much stuff in my book, I would have just gotten the computer game. It think this new feature just takes away from the enjoyment of just reading words. Not playing "whack-a-mole" with Beatles characters because it somewhat has relevance to their story, "The yellow Submarine". Author Laura Miller pointed out something I definitely agreed with, "You can’t really pay much attention to anything else while you’re reading, so in order to play with any of these new features, you have to stop reading." (Miller). Something else I am not a fan of with these books is not being allowed to have an imagination. With little videos and interactive illustrations of what happens, I wouldn't be able to think for myself and picture the story with how I want it to look. If I had one of these fancy-shmancy iBooks, I wouldn't have that feeling I do on lazy summer days where I sit outside in the sun and just get lost in a book. No. I'd have all of these distractions within the book that would cause me, and many other people, to not even read a book.
The author definitely has a strong opinion when it comes to these iBooks, and that is negativity. Coming from first-hand experience with one, she hates it. Reading with more than one person, especially children, causes both of them to argue about who gets to play which game and who gets to use the special feature that the meaning of reading gets lots with them. This is not something we need, especially for our youth. It was said that this may be the possible future of books. And it really frightens me. The author's first-hand experience definitely adds more support to her argument.




Article: Can bells and whistles save the book? by Laura Miller