Reviewed by Douglas Eyman CFCC

The Dead Letter Office David Mayer       David Mayer's "Dead Letter Office: An Epistulary [sic] Exploration of Hypertext and Critical Theory" is divided into two groups of lexia: one contains the letters that may be found in the post office's "dead letter office" (where undeliverable mail ultimately arrives); the other is a series of lexia that explore the connections between hypertexts and contemporary critical theory (Barthes, Bakhtin, Calvino, and Derrida in particular). Mayer provides links to the theory lexia from the letters, but the reader may choose to read only the letters, or only the theory lexia, as he or she chooses. There is no continuity between the letters (I'm still waiting for the first hypertext epistolary fiction), but that does not prevent the reader from thoroughly enjoying them--these letters are a lot of fun to read by themselves, from love letters to letters home from summer camp to rejection letters for unidentified manuscripts, each one has its own voice and its own quirky humor. Contents: The Optics Carlos D. Aizenmann-Stern Simulations: Baudrillard through Hypertext Ethan Fiks Circular Voice(s) John P. Garland Electronic Zen Taro Ikai Ultramundane Tom McHarg Breath of Sighs and Falling Forever Nathan Marsh The Dead Letter Office David Mayer Plateaus Tom Meyer Food for Thought Jane Park An Evening at Roy's Roy Perlis Bodily Writing Anne Pycha The Hero's Face Joshua Rappaport Rhizome Maggie Skodon Freud Web David B. Stevenson LBJ Timothy Taylor Adam's Bookstore Adam Wenger Contact the Reviewer!