House of Leaves

House of Leaves

Post-Books

The book House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski is the perfect example of physical print being influenced by digital media. As you can see in this picture, the pages are a bit discombobulated, with the names of people and places in the furthest left column and upside down names on the right column, boxes of text unrelated to the book - both in English and some illegible font/language. The small italicized boxes of text are linked to larger text on the previous page (not pictured). The premise of this book is a story within a story within a story. Hypertextuality, the mixing of visuals and text, allows the author to build even more stories within these stories. The small pieces can be put together throughout the book while reading the primary story. Mental and physical labyrinths are a common theme that connect the stories, and the odd and awkward positioning of pieces of text can be overwhelming for readers, creating a sense of a labyrinths in itself. Designing books this way is only possible through digital work, and it strengthens the story and the authors message.

Sarah Thomas