Rizal’s e-book “Noli" from iTunes out starting July 1

Thirst and curiosity for Jose Rizal's literary masterpieces will soon be sated anew with refreshing e-book doses of the “Noli Me Tangere" and “The Monkey and the Tortoise," Vibal Publishing revealed to GMA News Online by email. Vibal Publishing Foundation, said the e-books for iPads will be available for download from iTunes starting July 1. Initially, Vibal will upload the “Noli's" first four chapters to iTunes. A trailer of the “Noli" e-book is on Youtube. According to Vibal's Fidelis Tan, the "Noli" e-book "will read like an animated graphic novel, featuring beautiful illustrations, an immersive score, and the option to read the tale in Spanish or English." To give iPad users, a "richer reading experience" Tan said the tragic love story between Crisostomo Ibarra and Maria Clara is retold with, "a unique parallax effect for illustrations" embedded into the e-book to make the two-dimensional images look three-dimensional or 3D. http://www.gmanews.tv/story/223726/technologoy/39erizal39-tablet-computers-for-laguna-students Readers looking for humor can interact with the protagonists in the tech-enhanced version of the fable “The Monkey and The Tortoise." "Through the iPad interface, the reader can help “The Monkey and Tortoise" divide the banana tree and try to pick its fruits, take part in the action as the two friends discover their differences, and rejoice with the wittier animal when these are resolved," Tan explained. Vibal Publishing Foundation is also co-publishing with the Instituto Cervantes, the Spanish versions of the “Noli" and the “El Filibusterismo." The release dates are still being worked out. The foundation will also publish a bilingual edition of the “Noli" in "lavish" leatherbound hardcover. "Expurgated passages have been restored to the translation, maintaining absolute faithfulness to the Spanish text." the foundation said. Rizal scholar Ambeth Ocampo wrote the introduction to the bilingual “Noli," which will also have over 1,200 annotations by philologist and historian Isaac Donoso, whose notes explain the changes Rizal made between the original manuscript and the published edition. http://www.gmanews.tv/story/224559/pinoy-abroad/ambeth-ocampo-delivers-lectures-on-rizal-in-madrid There are additional scholarly notes from Ramón Sempau, Patricio Mariano, Feliciano Basa, Conrado Benítez, Soledad Lacson-Locsín, and National Artist for Literature, Virgilio Almario. — VS/GMA News