ABSTRACT
Mark. Z Danielewski is known for his experiments with the aesthetics of print in works such as House of Leaves and The Familiar. The chapter examines what happens when the experimental book object is digitalized, focusing on the enhanced e-book version of Danielewski’s The Fifty Year Sword. Drawing on theories on remediation (Bolter and Grusin), bookishness (Pressman, Hayles) and digital materiality (Kirschenbaum), I examine how the e-book transforms the work, adding sound effects, animation and music to the literary experience. Thus, I examine how the enhanced e-book balances between embracing the digital format and remediating an aesthetics of bookishness.
