Importance

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Abstract

A hand held electronic book machine has a platform with a keyboard and a display for displaying text. The book machine further includes a database mounted to the platform. The database has a first memory portion storing text of a prose work and a second memory portion storing predetermined information relevant to the prose work. The database may be permanently mounted to the platform or, more preferably, removably mounted to the platform for enabling the use of the platform with different databases storing text and ancillary information for different prose works. The book machine also comprises an electronic scrolling mechanism operatively connected to the first memory portion of the database and to the display for scrolling the text on the display. Operator actuated selection componentry is operatively connected to the second memory portion of the database and to the display for permitting operator selection of portions of the predetermined information to be displayed on the display. A delay is operatively connected to the scrolling mechanism and to the operator actuated selection componentry for temporarily interrupting the scrolling, and display, of the text during display of a selected portion of the predetermined information. The predetermined information may include at least one of glossary entries for selected words in the text, summaries of different portions of the text, and resumes of characters in the text.

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First Claim