Free book (Kindle) - Letters On England by Voltaire [Penguin Classics Edition]

ATDrake · 10-16-2011, 11:47 PM

Letters On England by Voltaire, translated and introduced by Leonard Tancock in the Penguin Classics Edition, is free courtesy of publisher Penguin. This is pretty much bound to be a new-ish, non public-domain version.

Currently free at Amazon UK. May or may not drop in the other Amazons (I'm guessing not, but I could be wrong).

Description
Also known as the Lettres anglaises ou philosophiques, Voltaire's response to his exile in England offered the French public of 1734 a panoramic view of British culture. Perceiving them as a veiled attack against the ancien regime, however, the French government ordered the letters burned and Voltaire persecuted.

basschick · 10-17-2011, 03:23 AM

it's now free in the u.s.
http://www.amazon.com/Letters-on-Eng...8836178&sr=8-2

koland · 10-17-2011, 04:04 AM

Doesn't appear to be a Penguin version, though (actually, neither one, but the second link is a PD scan).

Little_bear · 10-17-2011, 10:21 AM

The Penguin version is still $2.99 at Amazon Main

DMB · 10-17-2011, 10:28 AM

French original also available free at amazon.co.uk.

If your French is less than perfect, Voltaire is relatively easy reading, compared, say, with some of the 19th-century classics.

koland · 10-17-2011, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ATDrake

Letters On England by Voltaire, translated and introduced by Leonard Tancock in the Penguin Classics Edition, is free courtesy of publisher Penguin. This is pretty much bound to be a new-ish, non public-domain version.

Currently free at Amazon UK. May or may not drop in the other Amazons (I'm guessing not, but I could be wrong).

Were you able to get the version at Amazon UK (or, was anyone)? I checked the sample of this ASIN at Amazon Main, and it isn't the Penguin Classics edition (or, at least not a legal looking one), but one from digireads.com

The only introduction is from "H.M." (otherwise uncredited - no cover, no copyright, etc).

HarryT · 10-17-2011, 11:49 AM

The original link posted certainly works for me, and it is the Penguin Classics edition. However, it's not free - the price is shown as £1.78 which, although very cheap, is not free.

EDIT: there is a link to a free Kindle edition, but it's a public domain one - probably from PG.

koland · 10-17-2011, 11:59 AM

Interesting. I confirmed last night that the US version of the ASIN posted in the original link was free for those in the UK. But, in the US, it isn't a Penguin Classics edition (at least that isn't what downloads in the sample), even though it is LABELED as such in the listing.

Very odd that a different edition entirely is in the UK store under the same ASIN and that the UK edition's description/publisher edition is shown in the US, but a different edition downloads.

HarryT · 10-17-2011, 12:02 PM

I haven't tried downloading it - I'm just going from the store listing. Hang on and I'll get the sample...

HarryT · 10-17-2011, 12:06 PM

You're right - there's something fishy going on there. The Amazon UK page shows the £1.78 Penguin Classics edition. The sample downloads with the Penguin Classics cover, but the text is a public domain edition from a company called "Digireads". Sounds like an error in Amazon's database.

koland · 10-17-2011, 12:07 PM

Very hinky, indeed. The US edition didn't even get the cover.

ATDrake · 10-17-2011, 01:15 PM

I can't even check these things without going through an entire VPN proxy/alt user account routine on the hand-me-down Windows netbook I rarely use.

And now, having done just that, the full text is indeed the Digireads edition, created 8/6/2004. But it has no cover whatsoever in the actual file and the metadata still calls it "(Penguin Classics)" and gives it the Penguin cover in the K4PC listing.

So yeah, Amazon database screw-up, it looks like.

koland · 10-17-2011, 01:25 PM

Thanks for checking. I have a UK account, but have not set it up to get Kindle books. I supposed I should move an old Kindle to a different account there, so I can go thru the same hassle....

I don't want to try doing the US/UK switch on my existing Kindle account - too scary w/ several Kindles, subscriptions, etc.

ATDrake · 10-17-2011, 01:28 PM

It's usually not worth it unless you're really determined to get extra free books and/or the occasional geo-restricted title. Amazon UK's listings are generally pretty congruent with what's actually available, it's just that all the multiple editions of public domain stuff probably messes them up a bit.

That said, if you want to try, it'd probably be easiest to do it with an extra computer user account and accompanying K4PC install (+ proxy).

koland · 10-17-2011, 03:05 PM

I'll probably try. I actually earn a bit on the UK site, but have been letting it accumulate to get a gift certificate someday (since I can't find any local bank willing to cash or deposit a check from the UK, at least not one I have an account with, already).

10-16-2011, 11:47 PM	#1
ATDrake Wizzard Posts: 11,517 Karma: 33048258 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Roundworld Device: Kindle 2 International, Sony PRS-T1, BlackBerry PlayBook, Acer Iconia	Free book (Kindle) - Letters On England by Voltaire [Penguin Classics Edition] Letters On England by Voltaire, translated and introduced by Leonard Tancock in the Penguin Classics Edition, is free courtesy of publisher Penguin. This is pretty much bound to be a new-ish, non public-domain version. Currently free at Amazon UK. May or may not drop in the other Amazons (I'm guessing not, but I could be wrong). Description Also known as the Lettres anglaises ou philosophiques, Voltaire's response to his exile in England offered the French public of 1734 a panoramic view of British culture. Perceiving them as a veiled attack against the ancien regime, however, the French government ordered the letters burned and Voltaire persecuted.

10-17-2011, 01:25 PM	#13
koland Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,560 Karma: 8033155 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: TN, USA Device: kindle(all), nook, nookcolor, Sony, Kobo, epic, iphone, iPad, pc	Thanks for checking. I have a UK account, but have not set it up to get Kindle books. I supposed I should move an old Kindle to a different account there, so I can go thru the same hassle.... I don't want to try doing the US/UK switch on my existing Kindle account - too scary w/ several Kindles, subscriptions, etc. Last edited by koland; 10-17-2011 at 01:28 PM.

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10-17-2011, 03:23 AM	#2
basschick Wizard Posts: 1,096 Karma: 4695691 Join Date: May 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	it's now free in the u.s. http://www.amazon.com/Letters-on-Eng...8836178&sr=8-2

10-17-2011, 04:04 AM	#3
koland Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,560 Karma: 8033155 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: TN, USA Device: kindle(all), nook, nookcolor, Sony, Kobo, epic, iphone, iPad, pc	Doesn't appear to be a Penguin version, though (actually, neither one, but the second link is a PD scan).

10-17-2011, 10:21 AM	#4
Little_bear Groupie Posts: 196 Karma: 1199690 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Massachusetts, USA Device: Kobo Touch (gifted to a friend), Sony PRS-T2, iPad mini	The Penguin version is still $2.99 at Amazon Main

10-17-2011, 10:28 AM	#5
DMB Old Git Posts: 958 Karma: 1840790 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Switzerland (mostly) Device: Two kindle PWs wifi, kindle fire, iPad3 wifi	French original also available free at amazon.co.uk. If your French is less than perfect, Voltaire is relatively easy reading, compared, say, with some of the 19th-century classics.

10-17-2011, 11:49 AM	#7
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	The original link posted certainly works for me, and it is the Penguin Classics edition. However, it's not free - the price is shown as £1.78 which, although very cheap, is not free. EDIT: there is a link to a free Kindle edition, but it's a public domain one - probably from PG.

10-17-2011, 11:59 AM	#8
koland Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,560 Karma: 8033155 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: TN, USA Device: kindle(all), nook, nookcolor, Sony, Kobo, epic, iphone, iPad, pc	Interesting. I confirmed last night that the US version of the ASIN posted in the original link was free for those in the UK. But, in the US, it isn't a Penguin Classics edition (at least that isn't what downloads in the sample), even though it is LABELED as such in the listing. Very odd that a different edition entirely is in the UK store under the same ASIN and that the UK edition's description/publisher edition is shown in the US, but a different edition downloads.

10-17-2011, 12:02 PM	#9
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I haven't tried downloading it - I'm just going from the store listing. Hang on and I'll get the sample...

10-17-2011, 12:06 PM	#10
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	You're right - there's something fishy going on there. The Amazon UK page shows the £1.78 Penguin Classics edition. The sample downloads with the Penguin Classics cover, but the text is a public domain edition from a company called "Digireads". Sounds like an error in Amazon's database.

10-17-2011, 12:07 PM	#11
koland Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,560 Karma: 8033155 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: TN, USA Device: kindle(all), nook, nookcolor, Sony, Kobo, epic, iphone, iPad, pc	Very hinky, indeed. The US edition didn't even get the cover.

10-17-2011, 01:15 PM	#12
ATDrake Wizzard Posts: 11,517 Karma: 33048258 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Roundworld Device: Kindle 2 International, Sony PRS-T1, BlackBerry PlayBook, Acer Iconia	I can't even check these things without going through an entire VPN proxy/alt user account routine on the hand-me-down Windows netbook I rarely use. And now, having done just that, the full text is indeed the Digireads edition, created 8/6/2004. But it has no cover whatsoever in the actual file and the metadata still calls it "(Penguin Classics)" and gives it the Penguin cover in the K4PC listing. So yeah, Amazon database screw-up, it looks like.

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10-17-2011, 01:28 PM	#14
ATDrake Wizzard Posts: 11,517 Karma: 33048258 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Roundworld Device: Kindle 2 International, Sony PRS-T1, BlackBerry PlayBook, Acer Iconia	It's usually not worth it unless you're really determined to get extra free books and/or the occasional geo-restricted title. Amazon UK's listings are generally pretty congruent with what's actually available, it's just that all the multiple editions of public domain stuff probably messes them up a bit. That said, if you want to try, it'd probably be easiest to do it with an extra computer user account and accompanying K4PC install (+ proxy).

10-17-2011, 03:05 PM	#15
koland Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,560 Karma: 8033155 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: TN, USA Device: kindle(all), nook, nookcolor, Sony, Kobo, epic, iphone, iPad, pc	I'll probably try. I actually earn a bit on the UK site, but have been letting it accumulate to get a gift certificate someday (since I can't find any local bank willing to cash or deposit a check from the UK, at least not one I have an account with, already).