As If: Modern Enchantment and the Literary Prehistory of Virtual Reality

by Michael T. Saler and Michael Saler

Many people throughout the world "inhabit" imaginary worlds communally and persistently, parsing Harry Potter and exploring online universes. These activities might seem irresponsibly escapist, but history tells another story. Beginning in the late nineteenth century, when Sherlock Holmes became the world's first "virtual reality" character, readers began to colonize imaginary worlds, debating serious issues and viewing reality in provisional, "as...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195343174
• ISBN13: 9780195343175
• Release Date: January 2012
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.1" x 9.1"