ReKindling the Readership

I mentioned and linked at length yesterday to Michael Chabon's work, which I have just spent the summer reading.  I am proud to own copies of all his books, many of them signed by the author, whom I have met twice and will see several more times on his book tour this fall for Telegraph Avenue, but whom I am not stalking, contrary to what some people may say.  Of course, I read all of these books in their physical form, rather than on a Kindle or iPad (which I do not own, but would be open to receiving as a gift).  A special preview of Telegraph Avenue, however, nearly led me to purchase the book in that format, as a special edition of the book exists with accompanying audio tracks, images, videos, and so on.  However, thanks to the thoughtful gift of a friend, I do not have to make this decision, and a beautiful copy of the book is sitting all shiny nearby as I write this.  Which is good, because now when Chabon signs it later this month, I don't have to worry about rendering it useless.  (Seriously, GoogleImages? Nothing for this? Has no one's toddler written on their Kindle screen?)
 
But it got me thinking... When is a book no longer a book?  I recently discussed the flexibility of novels with a friend, wondering if there was a difference anymore between a collection of interwoven short stories and a novel.  Faulkner's Go Down, Moses seems to straddle the line.  But I don't just mean novels, I mean books in general.  When we can click and watch a movie, listen to a song, hear a sample from the audiobook... Are we still experiencing books?  It's an interesting transition, from the written page to the written retina-display touch-screen with special interactive features.
 
Even more interesting, though, are the two transitions from e-book to print that I found today.  The first is a print-on-demand art book, which collects 56 images of broken kindle screens and reproduces them in print.  While certainly cheaper than purchasing and breaking 56 original Kindles, I'm confused as to why anyone would buy this.  It calls to mind the title of another print book sitting on my couch right now... But Is It Art?  Perhaps the knowing smile and partial face of Agatha Christie knows the answer to that mystery...
More impressive, I think, is the project that aims to explain the modern e-book to a member of the analog past.  It's the 19th-Century Kindle for Charles Dickens!  Normally, I would be opposed to someone gutting a book, but this is so freaking cool.  And it created a bunch more little books to make up for taking apart old ones.  Though I have to imagine those little ones are abridged.
 
As an exciting piece of news today, the trailer for this November's film Lincoln premieres later today.  While this is not the movie I'm most looking forward to this Fall (Looper and Cloud Atlas and The Master are fighting for top billing there), I'm intrigued by the trailer, if only to see the great double-named Daniel Day-Lewis transform into another amazing role.  You can't see the preview until 7:00 tonight, but there is some leaked footage of Day-Lewis here.  Okay... Maybe not.  But I wouldn't be surprised to hear that Mr. Method-Actor spent months of preparation actually installed in Disney's Hall of Presidents, replacing the existing audio-animatronic.
 
Wikipedia tells me it's International Chocolate Day.  Act accordingly.

Issue 30!

NOTE: While a later review of Report records would reveal this to be the 29th Report, I will not attempt to re-write history here.  Future counts of Report entries will provide an accurate count.

Welcome to the special 30th issue of the Report!

Before we kick off the exciting new celebrations, a pair of neat President/Flag related links provided by one reader.  First, and sent before she even knew I was writing about flags and presidents that day, a link to a piece that has somehow not been mega-hyped on all sorts of news pages.  Released just last week, on June 5, the papers of Dr. Charles A. Leale, the first physician to reach Abraham Lincoln on the night of his assassination at Ford's Theater.  The papers, more easily read in this exact transcript, provide an account of the night in incredible (at times graphic) detail.  What most surprised me, though, was the fact that Lincoln did not die until 7:22 the following morning; I had always imagined him pronounced dead at the scene.  Also, the detail of Booth's leg catching in the American flag seems appropriate given yesterday's holiday and the symbolism that might make you roll your eyes if it happened in a novel.  And, speaking of flags, she also informed me that the American flags flown over the U.S. Capitol are actually available for purchase.  While it's too late to give them as Flag Day gifts, remember, the 4th of July is coming up!

But now, to business.  As you can see, we've made a few changes here at The Morning Report.  First, you may have noticed that these are coming from a different e-mail address!  Reports will now be sent from the very official morning.reporter.dc@gmail.com.

  (morning.reporter was already taken, so I got geographically specific.)  Next, I've used my (limited) Adobe skills to craft an official Report banner.  Note, though, that just as the title "The Morning Report" has not always proven accurate, nor does the rising sun in the banner guarantee AM distribution.

Finally, and perhaps most exciting of all, following the advice and requests of more than a few of you, the Report is becoming a blog!  From now on, when you click on the banner at the top of these e-mails, you'll be transported to the new blog, "From the Desk of the Morning Reporter."  Not only will I update it each night with the distribution from that day, but I'm also beginning to upload the archived issues.  For most readers, these issues are completely uncharted territory, and well-worth checking out.  An interesting point to note, though: These issues will be uploaded and dated as though they had been posted on the day they were originally distributed.  We're using the Internet as a sort of time machine here in order to keep the narrative arc from Mementoing.  Past and present flashes are too confusing.  I will, however, be taking the opportunity to provide some commentary on past posts.  Starting with the first one.

We'll be uploading more from the archives as the days go on.  But for now, dear readers, thank you for your continued support of the Report.  I am thrilled by the way this has grown and hope that you enjoy reading these as much as I enjoy writing them.  Please, do keep the responses coming.  One of the best things about this is that it converts the clicking-around exploring of the Internet, which so often becomes a solitary wandering, into a shared exploration.  Much like what I imagine a wilderness safari is like based on my trips to Disney World, these journeys into the wilds of the web are that much greater when someone else is there to go "Oh, hey, did you see that?!"

Finally, remember to Pay It Forward today for Helen Hunt's birthday!  "Twister?  I hardly know her!"

Til Monday, e-mail me definitely, corgi maybe?