ArtsWeek: Where can you go for free e-books?
A question arose in a comment thread on an earlier post. To wit: I love reading, and Kindle is cool, but books are expensive. (Okay, that’s really more of a statement than a question. You get my point.)
It’s true. Now granted, the average e-book is a lot cheaper than even a paperback, but still, if you read a lot you can run up a hefty tab in a hurry. Amazon is thriving for a reason.
The good news is that there are a lot of sources for free Kindle and e-book content. Here are a few:
You can also get Kindle books on loan. There are e-book lending libraries. Here are some more. Apparently, the whole e-book loan idea is a hit, at least with some folks.
Another thing to note: if you find e-books that aren’t in Kindle format and you’d like to convert them, Calibre is straightforward and easy (and free).
So there you go. Get to reading, and happy ArtsWeek.
lullaby pit 
Be careful. Many of these books are classic lit – don’t want anyone getting dangerously over-educated.
😉
I agree with Jim. We can’t have too many people wandering around reading Mark Twain.
It’s true – too much learning is a bad thing. But this is America, where people always make the best informed, rational judgments about what’s good for them.
Thanks, Sam. (It was my question that spurred this post.) I just realized that the problem with Kindle and e-readers is that it will make it that much harder and complicated to read NEW books for free as I do via my public library. (Spoken as one who is not married to physical books by any means — I actually give away most books I buy used and very occasionally new.)
Check out the loan process. A lot of times I think you can “borrow” a new book, especially if someone you know has it.
Our public library lends through Overdrive,the files of which work with Adobe Digital Editions, which is free and plays nicely with Kindles and Nooks. I sometimes have to get in the queue for a new book that they only have one or two copies for, but the email notification that it is my turn is always a welcome surprise.
Here’s another resource from a conference I’m at: http://www.searchfindknow.com/free-ebooks–more.html
If you still want the physical book there are still a few resale book stores. Our favorite is Edward McKay. We’ve gotten a LOT of great deals there including Art books that are fabulously expensive anywhere else.
I do like free, online books but nothing can compare to an actual hard copy. I know that makes me a little eccentric, but I do love my dead trees.