The Kindle and Places to Download Free Books Online

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Amazon’s Kindle

Amazon Kindle

Last month I wrote Kindle Lights My Fire (at the time, the Kindle was on my wish list). The Kindle has moved from the wish list into my hands. This was a huge extravagance for me, but justifiable because I can use it for work (i.e. it is tax deductible).

Now I use it to read the classics to my children. I hesitated bringing it up on this blog because it is so expensive, but once that I found you can use the Kindle to read the classics free (actually for ten cents a book) I had to share.

The Kindle is absolutely amazing. It holds hundreds of books. Having several books to choose from in one hand is marvelous! In my opinion (I read about 8 hours a day), it’s the best thing since the computer. Here is a video giving an overview.

With a Kindle you can:

  1. read the classics to your children. Download free classics from the Internet, have Amazon turn in into a Kindle Ebook for ten cents (yes, ten cents each, however if you read from your computer the books are free).
  2. jump from a Bible passage, to a Bible commentary, to classic fiction, to home organization, to a children’s book, to marriage help, etc. as the mood strikes and never move from your chair. I love bouncing back and forth between books (because my mind bounces around –just ask my dh)
  3. connect to the Internet free (no monthly fees). It is not designed for web surfing but you can email, browse Amazon, Wikipedia encyclopedia, and Twitter!
  4. look up words in the built-in dictionary
  5. adjust the type size (great for those over 40).
  6. easily find your place (each time you click on a book you are taken to the last page you read).
  7. search the books by keyword.
  8. highlight passages, make marginal notes, and “turn the corners” electronically.
  9. “clip” passages and upload to your computer. As an author this is my favorite feature. I can upload my research quickly and easily without typing (plus, the bibliography information is automatically included).
  10. carry around hundreds of books in one hand anywhere. It’s lighter and smaller than most books.
  11. read it easily (very clear, not back-lit like a cell phone).
  12. buy new books, and start reading them in seconds because Kindle has an automatic wireless hook up to Amazon (like a cell phone).
  13. use it as an MP3 player. Click here to see how.

The negatives: it’s expensive ($349), not all books are available in Kindle format (they are adding more daily; right now, over 80,000 are available), no conservative newspapers are available for subscription (yet).

Getting Free Books to Use with Kindle or Your Computer

If you don’t have a Kindle, you can still get the books free on your computer. Project Gutenberg offers the books free. Thanks to people all over the world you can read a variety of books just by visiting gutenberg.org and search a bit till you find something that interests you. There are tens of thousands of books available, many are true classics, and all of them have been hand selected by people who love them enough to take hours or sometimes months out of their lives to proofread or publish them in a text format you can download.

Gutenberg Book Catalog

  1. Online Catalog: main page with browsing options.
  2. Advanced Search: search page with more search options.
  3. Recent eBooks, updated nightly. Newly added or changed ebook files.
    RSS Feed of recent eBooks, updated nightly.
  4. Top 100 Books and Authors: the most downloaded books and authors.

More Places to Download Free Books Online

  1. Children’s Digital Library
  2. Classic Bookshelf
  3. The Rosetta Project
  4. Kids’ Corner

Robin Sampson heart of Wisdom

There Are 11 Responses So Far. »

  1. Comment by Sharon Sue on 12 January 2008:

    This is just too cool!!!!!! Thanks for sharing, I had not heard of it until you mentioned it a couple months ago, and then didn’t look it up to learn more. I don’t know that I will ever be able to afford it but I do appreciate knowing about the new technology. I love technology and keep myself as updated as possible, with the finances I do have. Getting a laptop with wireless last January was a huge step up for me. Who knows, the cost will probably come down in time and I might be able to get one too. For someone who is out a lot this would be great!!!!! It also would eliminate so much storage space and clutter for those of us who love books and just have to buy them!!!!! I really do not like to use books from the library-old, smelly, many others have touched them-so I buy when possible-I get a lot free in book clubs. However, my space it very limited and I have had to get rid of many the past couple years. It will save tons of money on buying books, too!!!! Maybe I will be able to afford the Kindle before I had thought!!:):):):)

    I do so appreciate your sensitivity to the fact that many could not even think of this because of price. And I understand that it might be more useful for someone, like you, than for many others. My question is this: how in the world do you get in 8 hours of reading a day???????????

    Thank you for sharing.

  2. Comment by admin on 12 January 2008:

    :) Hi Sharon Sue. The eight hours is rough estimate, I have never timed it. But when I’m not cleaning I’m reading–it could be the Internet, books, or homeschool time. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was more than 8 hours.

    I just squeeze it in between everything else because I love it. Clean a room, take a break and read, finish the laundry, reading time. After dishes, plop and read.

    We turn in very early and get up early. I read to my children every evening after dinner dishes. They go to bed about 8 while I get in at least two hours or reading time at night. Next day, coffee with God, breakfast chores, homeschool time, blog time, I get in several hours before noon.

    Yesterday at church while waiting on my boys and got in an hour on my Kindle.

    blessings,
    Robin

  3. Comment by Kathleen on 12 January 2008:

    Robin, thanks for all the links to the free books - especially those with childrens’ books. I had no idea all that was out there in cyberworld.

    Oh, and now you know what I want for my birthday :-). Hint, hint, hint.

    Kathleen

  4. Comment by Pure and Sensible on 12 January 2008:

    Neat! Thanks for sharing!

  5. Comment by H0MEFree on 13 January 2008:

    I agree, Gutenburg is great!
    Thanks for sharing on the other for places like Rosetta!

  6. Comment by avagee on 13 January 2008:

    You all should try using your cell phone as a book reader. The screen is a little small, but I quickly forgot about that and found I was just reading. There is a huge portability advantage in adding books to the phone you carry anyway. You Can get free books, including most of the classics, from http://www.booksinmyphone.com you can install directly from their mobile site or download and install via a PC.

  7. Comment by sprittibee on 30 January 2008:

    Now I’m coveting. Great. :[

    :) Just kidding. That looks awesome! Love it!

  8. Comment by admin on 30 January 2008:

    It gets better every day. I was out with my children in Walmart letting them browse the toy section while I read my blog on my Kindle. ACCCKKK!

    I didn’t realize I could actually read web sites on it too! Its not designed for that so there is a lot of clicking through pages of links but how neat is that!

    One day last week we lost Internet access. No computer, no problem. My Kindle was instantly connected.

    This might not be a big deal for you that use your cell phone on the web but those screens are way too tiny for me. My Kindle..sigh…If I’m stranded on an Island I hope I have my Kindle. ;)

    I’m on my way to Wed night church. The children’s program starts at 6:00 my church starts at 6:30. Guess what I do while waiting….yep, reading my Kindle and saving snippets of anything good to bring here to you all. :D

  9. Pingback by Tackling Bedside Clutter | Heart at Home on 18 February 2008:

    [...] my Kindle (if you don’t know what a Kindle is read this) mouse and MP3 (not in this photo) have their own little recharging [...]

  10. Comment by Robert Kennedy on 23 June 2008:

    I wanted to buy a ebook reader, but ended up getting a laptop instead. I read alot ebooks so it is still on my wishlist.
    :oops:
    Robert Kennedy’s last blog post..Setting up a blog and forum

  11. Comment by ebook reader on 27 June 2008:

    Free Kindle book available now on Amazon until July 3, If you check the Kindle RSS feed or The Kindle Daily Post you can find out about new Kindle books that are being offered for free. Here are a couple for you to check out.

    FREE Sherrilyn Kenyon Download

    In anticipation of the upcoming release of Acheron in her bestselling Dark-Hunter series, you can download Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Seize the Night for free until July 3rd. Seize the Night follows Valerius who isn’t a popular Dark-Hunter–he’s a Roman, which means that the largely Greek Hunters have a major grudge against him and his civilization for superceding them.

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