Pantheon Press Adds Video to Non-Fiction E-Books for iPad Sizzle

    SANTA MONICA, CA, February 11, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Since the introduction of the Apple iPad in April 2010, most so-called "enhanced e-books" - electronic titles filled with animation or video - have involved high-profile novels or children's books. Pantheon Press's latest release, however, shows that non-fiction books are uniquely suited for multimedia treatment on the iPad as well - and at a much lower cost.

"From Moses to Muhammad", written by humanities scholar and National Geographic author Jean-Pierre Isbouts, is one of the first history books to offer a plethora of audiovisual information, including Near East photography, color maps, archaeological objects and plenty of film, shot on location throughout the Middle East. The book compares the origins of Judaism, Christianity and Islam in the literary and cultural context of the ancient Near East. Dr. Isbouts' previous books include the bestseller "National Geographic's The Biblical World", published by National Geographic Society in 2007.

"From Moses to Muhammad" was published in printed form in early 2010, but the iPad version, published and distributed worldwide by Apple iBooks, has been enlarged with over 135 maps and four-color photographs, as well as video segments shot on location in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Turkey.

Pantheon's Catherine Labrador says that the firm's video and multimedia experience made the process affordable, not just for Pantheon's own titles but also for its clients, both authors and publishers. "Pantheon has been creating interactive multimedia content since the early 1990s for publishers such as Bertelsmann, Disney, Castle Rock Entertainment, Philips Media, Standard and others," Labrador says, "so the move to the iPad is a very natural one for us." Labrador added that the studio is now providing multimedia iBook production services for international clients as well.

The video for "From Moses to Muhammad" was shot by corporate parent Pantheon Studios, a television studio previously responsible for "Operation Valkyrie" (2008) and the CNBC special "Walt: The Man Behind the Myth" starring Dick van Dyke, broadcast last Thursday, February 3.

A preview of the iPad edition of "From Moses to Muhammad" is available on the YouTube PantheonStudios channel or on www.PantheonTV.com.

For more information, please contact Catherine Labrador at (310) 451-5008, email: [email protected]

Pantheon is an award-winning studio of multimedia entertainment and non-fiction programming for a variety of platforms For more information, please visit our website at www.pantheonTV.com or contact us at (310) 451-5008.

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