''Electronic Book Review'' (''ebr'') is a peer-reviewed scholarly journal with emphasis on the digital. Founded in 1995 by Joseph Tabbi and Mark Amerika, the journal was one of the first to devote a lasting web presence to the discussion of literature, theory, criticism, and the arts.

Overview

Since its inception, ''ebr'' has highlighted works characterized by innovation, resistance to genre, and creative use of emerging (electronic and web-specific) media. In 1996, '' Details'' referred to the journal as "a new mecca for cutting-edge fiction and criticism." Initially managed in DIY fashion by contributing writers and programmers, by 1997 Anne Burdick joined the staff as design director, later bringing on Ewan Branda for the redesign. Writing in ''Deep Sites: Intelligent Innovation in Contemporary Web Design'', Max Bruinsma characterizes ''ebr'' as "an interesting web of critical debates on electronic textuality, cyberculture, and the value of digital design literacy for scholarship and critical writing on the web." Its emphasis on the materiality of text extended to early experiments with form on the site itself, including "glosses," in which comments by a guest curator appear embedded in existing articles, and the "weave" function, which allowed for fluid rearrangement of content "like a virtual loom that weaves different patterns each time you choose a different perspective." ''ebr'' has received institutional support or affiliation from University of Illinois at Chicago, The Center for Literary Computing at West Virginia University, University of Colorado at Boulder, the Department of English, Art Center College of Design at Pasadena, University of Stavanger, the

Electronic Literature Organization The Electronic Literature Organization (ELO) is a nonprofit organization "established in 1999 to promote and facilitate the writing, publishing, and reading of electronic literature". It hosts annual conferences, awards annual prizes for works of a ...

, and the Consortium on Electronic Literature (CELL). ''ebr'' is currently

edited Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, organization, and ...

by Joseph Tabbi.

Books and collaboration

In conjunction with a trilogy of essay collections from MIT Press, ''ebr'' published a thread reproducing a portion of the essays while also expanding, critiquing, and responding to the print content. The "First Person" thread exists as an accompaniment to the collections ''First Person: New Media as Story, Performance, and Game'', ''Second Person: Role-Playing and Story in Games and Playable Media'', and ''Third Person: Authoring and Exploring Vast Narratives'' by Pat Harrigan and Noah Wardrip-Fruin.

References

{{reflist Cultural journals Literary magazines published in the United States Academic journals established in 1995 Open Humanities Press academic journals Electronic literature critics Electronic literature organizations

Overview

Books and collaboration

See also

References