Electronic literature - Scott Rettberg

The book "Electronic Literature" explores new forms and types of writing that benefit from the capabilities of computers and networks, and it is a form of literature that would not have been written without the contemporary digital context. In this book, Rietberg places the most important types of electronic literature within historical, technological, and cultural contexts. These types include generative poetry, hypertext fiction, interactive fiction (and other digital literary works based on games), and networked writing based on our collective experience with the internet. He argues that electronic literature requires reading from the perspective of experimental literary practices dating back to the early twentieth century, and through the characteristics of the technology and software used in producing the work. This book is a rich and comprehensive subject, representing a vital entry into a dynamic field that interacts with pioneering literary and artistic traditions, producing new forms of narrative and poetic works of the twenty-first century. It is a fundamental reading for students and researchers in disciplines including literary studies, media, communications, art, and creative writing.