[BobLenx]

I didn't mean to say there was anything "wrong" with reading modern authors. I was trying to comment on the idea of people avoiding reading older public domain books because they remind one of boring English classes - to encourage those of us who have these terrific eBook devices and can get PD books for free to give some of them a try again.

Dickens, whom I focused on, is an example of an author who was the "movie" or "tv series" of his day. Readers looked forward to long novels that would take them several days or weeks to consume. As a result, his novels are expansive, often covering considerable periods of time exploring birth and life and death - which gives him the space to build great characters and events both small and large. I wish some of the more skilled current authors would do more of that. Any suggestions anyone?

I enjoy Dean Koontz very much as he is a very skilled story teller with excellent writing abilities - but there is so much outlandish violence in them from killings in a mall to the casino to the monastery - still there is something about his Odd Thomas character that is compelling.

I am a sucker for science fiction from the old pulp novels to more up-to-date ones based on modern science - and on science yet to come - wonderful imaginations. And mystery novels.

And it isn't just the PD books available from what are considered to be the "masters". Take a look at the converted books here, and there is a wealth of mystery and science fiction and other genres I never would have experienced if it hadn't been for my eReader. There is some great stuff out there to read without spending a dime - well other than the cost of your device LOL.

I never would have bothered with Wilkie Collins who is credited with inventing the modern mystery novel if it hadn't been for my Sony. Now I can't get enough of him.

Auto/biographies never interested me very much, but I have read several since I got my Sony and enjoyed them very much - Helen Keller's most recently. I rarely visit that section of the library, but with the Sony I give different PD genres a shot and have never been disappointed. Well I have to admit that for me at least U S Grant's two-volume autobiogaphy is dull as dirt even if MarkTwain did help him put it together. Others probably enjoyed it very much.

For me the great thing about my Sony 505 is that I have a vast PD library stored on my laptop hard drive (or moments away via the Internet) that I can easily access to read while I wait for that new novel to become available at my local library. It has expanded my reading interests while cutting my book habit down from several hundred dollars a year to zip nada zilch - not to mention the savings in storage space which is important to me as I am a retired RVer. I normally have a long novel, a shorter one and a book of poetry or short stories bookmarked at the same time and bounce back and forth as my mood moves me.

Sorry to have offended anyone - just passionate about reading - and playing blues on my electric guitar and digital piano LOL.

Bob