Take another vook: New-format video books bring text alive

Alameda, California – A partnership between storied publisher Simon & Schuster and technology start-up Vook is rewriting books for the 21st century. Bringing together text and high-quality video, ‘vooks’ are a new take on e-books.

Simon & Schuster, whose roster of best-selling authors includes Stephen King, Michael Moore and Hillary Clinton, has released four original titles in the new hybrid format. Among them, Return to Beauty shows and tells reader-viewers how to make their own skincare solutions. Two fiction titles on the list use video vignettes to illustrate key scenes in the narrative. The vooks are available in two formats, to be enjoyed using a web browser or via a mobile application for iPhones and iPod Touches.

The move is an ideal response to society’s demand for multimedia entertainment.