In the early 1990s, the Voyager Company looked into creating "Expanded Books," digital books that would offer an enhanced onscreen reading experience. Appropriately, one of the titles they converted into an expanded books was a series that revolves around a digital book The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and Douglas Adams recorded a promo on the history of books, hailing e-readers as the future of reading.


This audio, "Getting the Book Invented Properly," recorded in 1993, comes off as prophetic now. That's why the Literary Platform has invited animators to provide their own accompaniments to Adams' words. Above it Gavin Edwards' charming entry, and below is the winning, robot-fueled video, created by Eleanor Stokes:


You can see all the entries at the Literary Platform. [via Brain Pickings]