Sources For Out of Copyright Books

HarryLime · 01-16-2011, 11:52 AM

Hi,

Is there a pecking order for places for getting out of copyright books? Are they all created equal or is the formatting better in one place than another.

So far all my downloads to my Kindle have been from Mobileread.com. However if there's a book that I cannot find on there where would you recommend going next?

For example Amazon versus Gutenberg or are the sources all much of a muchness.

Thanks,
Harry Lime

SensualPoet · 01-16-2011, 12:00 PM

Gutenberg (US, Canada, Australia ... different sites, different books) are the first place I would check after MR. Amazon, Kobobooks, B&N are sources ... but sometimes there is a charge for what "ought" to be free. Archive.org has scans of millions of books, sometimes available as Kindle format but usually pdf -- at least they are available.

If it's something specific -- a title or author -- Google is your friend. There is an astonishing amount of material available for free download scanned and checked and posted by enthusiasts who happen to be passionate about that author.

HarryLime · 01-16-2011, 12:06 PM

Great, thank you. Although I read contemporary fiction I really like old colonial fiction like John Buchan, Conrad, as well as some amusing light stuff like Wodehouse.

It sounds like Gutenberg is my friend!

MV64 · 01-16-2011, 01:43 PM

MobileRead has countless public domain books, most with great formatting. Depending on what format you're looking for, some obvious choices are missing, though.

susan_cassidy · 01-16-2011, 03:05 PM

After this site, manybooks.net, then feedbooks.com.

Fbone · 01-16-2011, 03:53 PM

Just a reminder to check first if the title is in public domain in your country of residence before downloading from MR's Patricia Clark Memorial Library. You can confirm this by its listing in your country's Gutenberg website

For example: Buchan is now public domain in UK and Canada but not all of his work is PD in the US. Conrad is PD everywhere except a few titles in the US. Wodehouse is not PD in Canada or UK but many earlier titles are PD in the US.

HarryLime · 01-16-2011, 04:36 PM

Thank you for the reminder. I'll be sure to check.

I'll also have a nosy at feedbooks

HarryLime · 01-17-2011, 11:01 AM

Feedbooks is also excellent giving a Mobi index to the archive (like Mobileread). Oh happy days. I bought my first ebook from Amazon to celebrate (Shades of Grey, Jasper Fforde).

01-16-2011, 11:52 AM	#1
HarryLime Member Posts: 16 Karma: 2136610 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Kindle 3G and Wifey	Sources For Out of Copyright Books Hi, Is there a pecking order for places for getting out of copyright books? Are they all created equal or is the formatting better in one place than another. So far all my downloads to my Kindle have been from Mobileread.com. However if there's a book that I cannot find on there where would you recommend going next? For example Amazon versus Gutenberg or are the sources all much of a muchness. Thanks, Harry Lime

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01-16-2011, 12:00 PM	#2
SensualPoet Wizard Posts: 2,302 Karma: 2607151 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Asus ZenPad 3, Kobo Glo	Gutenberg (US, Canada, Australia ... different sites, different books) are the first place I would check after MR. Amazon, Kobobooks, B&N are sources ... but sometimes there is a charge for what "ought" to be free. Archive.org has scans of millions of books, sometimes available as Kindle format but usually pdf -- at least they are available. If it's something specific -- a title or author -- Google is your friend. There is an astonishing amount of material available for free download scanned and checked and posted by enthusiasts who happen to be passionate about that author.

01-16-2011, 12:06 PM	#3
HarryLime Member Posts: 16 Karma: 2136610 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Kindle 3G and Wifey	Great, thank you. Although I read contemporary fiction I really like old colonial fiction like John Buchan, Conrad, as well as some amusing light stuff like Wodehouse. It sounds like Gutenberg is my friend!

01-16-2011, 01:43 PM	#4
MV64 Addict Posts: 271 Karma: 2000000 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Sony PRS-505	MobileRead has countless public domain books, most with great formatting. Depending on what format you're looking for, some obvious choices are missing, though.

01-16-2011, 03:05 PM	#5
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	After this site, manybooks.net, then feedbooks.com.

01-16-2011, 03:53 PM	#6
Fbone Is that a sandwich? Posts: 8,318 Karma: 103930826 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Nook Glowlight Plus	Just a reminder to check first if the title is in public domain in your country of residence before downloading from MR's Patricia Clark Memorial Library. You can confirm this by its listing in your country's Gutenberg website For example: Buchan is now public domain in UK and Canada but not all of his work is PD in the US. Conrad is PD everywhere except a few titles in the US. Wodehouse is not PD in Canada or UK but many earlier titles are PD in the US.

01-16-2011, 04:36 PM	#7
HarryLime Member Posts: 16 Karma: 2136610 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Kindle 3G and Wifey	Thank you for the reminder. I'll be sure to check. I'll also have a nosy at feedbooks

01-17-2011, 11:01 AM	#8
HarryLime Member Posts: 16 Karma: 2136610 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Kindle 3G and Wifey	Feedbooks is also excellent giving a Mobi index to the archive (like Mobileread). Oh happy days. I bought my first ebook from Amazon to celebrate (Shades of Grey, Jasper Fforde).

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