sa pemeatsenns also wish to thank my agent Charlotte Sheedy for her perceptive sug festions and energetic suppor of the projec rom the very hesining. Finally ca joy to me to chank my family, whose love and en: ouragement made this book possible. In addition to tolerating my writer's self absorption, they all volunteered as research assistants for the project. My mother, Lillian Horowits, combed the newspapers and television coverage, providing me with many valuable bulletins, ‘hile demonstrating that the promise of the future ean be jst as hill in one's eighties as ici in one’s teens. My husband Tom brought me countless cartons of library books, photocopied moun- tains of manuscripts, and was always willing to rake one more walk sil listening to my obsesive reformulations. His love and wit su tained me inthis effort, asin everything I do. My daughter Elzaberh fequently rook time from her own creative work to cheer me on and 'e counsel me from her perspective as an actress. Her artistry and ‘courage ae a continuing oy and inspiration to me, But most ofall want to thank my talented son, Willams, now sxe teen years old, who has generously shared with me his delight in mul ‘form narratives of every kind, wha has educated me about the ar of ‘the comic book and the delihts ofthe videogame, wha has served as ‘ny rusty Interne sleuth, and whose bountiful imagination and keen literary intelligence were my constant companion through all the labyrintian tangles of this investigation. [offer this book in dea. "on to im, with love and admiration Introduction: A Book Lover Longs for Cyberdrama ___ All medi as extensions of ces sere roid new ‘resforming vision and arenes Marshall MeLuban (Our vans improvements no oly mark dmuton of the fiction imroned pon... bt they aio work to ds sole sre of the farmer author ofthe human se We are experiencing the gaa but sea eosin. Sueneed doeae Sven Birkerts he birth of a new medium of communication i both exhlarat ingand frightening. Any industrial technology that dramatically ‘extends our capabilities also makes us uneasy by challenging our con- we across the ocean