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Monday, July 18, 2011

‘Take a look it’s in a book’: FREE book downloads

Library at Thebes

“A book is the only place in which you can examine a fragile thought without breaking it, or explore an explosive idea without fear it will go off in your face.  It is one of the few havens remaining where a man's mind can get both provocation and privacy.”  ~Edward P. Morgan~
One of the things I love about the Internet is that the world and all it’s knowledge is at my fingertips. It’s like having your very own Library of Alexandria, or Thebes or Congress. But, instead of stone tablets, scrolls and parchment under glass you get instant “e-formation.”

If you surf around as much as I do during the course of a typical day, you are probably very familiar with free eBook offers from Google and from major online retailers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Apple. However, there are a number of sites where free eBooks are always the daily norm.

Some of these sites offer direct reading from your computer, or down-loadable  PDF format; others invite free legal downloads to smartphones, eReaders and tablets.

Everything imaginable, for every reading taste and age is available - from established classics to emerging writers, and even children’s books.

Almost all of these sites offer fiction and non-fiction, but for your convenience, I’ve called out specialized categories that might be of interest.

You may want to bookmark this page for future reference and perusing these links at your leisure. Free is always fun.

And, if you get a bit weary from searching for the perfect FREE eBook, sit back and take in a most unusual retelling of The Three Little Pigs, performed in 1993 by (normally menacing actor) Christopher Walken, for the British TV series "Saturday Zoo". Thanks to MrMojomc’s YouTube Channel for the following funny video, “Walken Piggy “




FREE eBooks

AskSam Ebooks (Everything from governmental texts and legal to Shakespeare).


Baen Free Library (For Science Fiction fans).


Bibliotastic (Good reads from self-published authors).

BookYards (Includes audio books, educational materials, foreign language books and more).

eBookLobby (Cooking, food, travel, law, arts, photography and more).



FreeComputerBooks (Best for computer, programming, lecture notes, tutorials, and math).

4eBooks  (Specializes in books on computer programming).


FreeTechBooks (Just what the name implies – engineering, science, textbooks etc.)




KnowFree (A virtual educational think tank).


ManyBooks (Perfect for iPod, eBook readers and Personal Digital Assistants).

MemoWare (Maps, technical references, religion, philosophy, literature).

The Online Books Page (From the University of Pennsylvania includes prize-winning books, women writers and banned book collection).

OnlineComputerBooks (Not only computers books but math, physics, science, Internet,  business and marketing).

OnlineFreeEBooks ( A wide variety including health, hobbies, sports and martial arts).




SnipFiles (Free software along with free eBooks).


zillr.org (Magazines, games, graphics, photography).

6 comments:

Arlee Bird said...

I don't like to read off of my computer screen that much, but I have found some great free downloads when I've been searching for information. It's especially nice when I looking for classics and I can access them instantaneously rather than go to the library.


Lee
Tossing It Out

Paula Slade said...

I agree Lee, it very convenient!

TallTchr said...

I guess I'm going to have to break down and buy a pad. During my recent travels, on one long flight, my reading light didn't work. That's when I envied all those people on the plane who were reading without having to turn on their overhead lights.

Paula Slade said...

TallTchr - I've been fascinated with this whole technology explosion and have been following it closely. I do believe this is the future for all publications. Please let me know what device you finally settle on.

Jo said...

I'm going to bookmark these. Thank you...!

I guess I still love curling up in bed with a paper book, too, and falling asleep with it across my chest. I would have to get used to the *new paradigm* of a tablet. My daughter has one and she loves it.

Paula Slade said...

I'm with you Jo - I enjoy the sensory pleasures of holding a book, and turning a page -it's what we know and are familiar with, but I do believe e-readers and iPads are the future. Today's generation (the littlest kids)are adapting rapidly and I think we are being pulled right along. :)