A compelling example of how far eBooks have come in recent years is the new The Waste Land app for the iPad (currently $13.99), developed by Touch Press in partnership with Faber Digital.
The app celebrates T. S. Eliot’s modernist poem by juxtaposing the text with a rich array of contextual media and study tools: manuscripts, audio recordings, video performances, digital images, text search/browse tools, and a broad selection of commentaries. A particular strength of the UI is its touch-optimized design and how it seamlessly synchronizes the text with relevant media.
In future updates, it would be great to see some key research tools for literary scholars and students added: a space where readers can add their own study notes, advanced text searching of both the text and critical notes, a comprehensive bibliography of critical literature, morphological analysis tools, etc.
As it stands, however, The Waste Land is a remarkably well-designed eBook that appeals to a broad audience and sets a new standard for interactive digitized texts on the iPad. Highly recommended.
