Suggestions for what to get with soon-to-expire Sonybux

[spooky69]

Howdy there, folks. Like many of you, I redeemed the HOLIDAYGIFT promo code and got 50 dollars of credit in the Connect store that are set to expire after March 31st. I was able to spend most of the credit, but still have $18 left and could use some suggestions as to what would be the best use for it. I also have ~60 free classic titles left, though I'm not sure if these are set to drift just out of my grasp as there is no expiration date listed next to this credit (maybe somebody could clear up whether I need to get pickin', as I remember that these were originally offered up with the same expiration date).
Anyway, I figured I could post a few ideas of what kind of book(s) I'm looking to use my credit on and hope that some astute reader out there could offer up a perfect suggestion or two for something that they bought and enjoyed from the Connect store (or that they know is available). I'd also encourage anybody else who used the same promo code to post here if they also have some cash left over and aren't sure how to use it. With all that out of the way, here is what I would hope to spend my precious $18 on:

-Non-fiction
-Engaging, stimulating, might just leave me a better person
-Has something that I can't get from a plain text version. Something with lots of diagrams/illustrations would be ideal since I can get a most well-known books without for free.
-Would be nice if I could get more than one book with that $18, but if you know of a real killer that's $15 then lay it on me

So those are my relatively specific (though entirely flexible) guidelines for how I'd like to greedily squeeze the most out of my free book money. Please throw out anything that you'd think I'd like, including any must-haves from the classics (these don't have to be non-fiction, though it's slightly preferable). Thanks for taking the time to think about my request, and I once again encourage anybody else who doesn't know how to spend their gift code money to throw out some ideas about what they're looking for.

-Crezallius

[curtw]

http://ebookstore.sony.com/product/4...000050080.html

It meets your criteria, but note that one commenter says that the images actually make reading more difficult...

Most importantly, if you're reading the e-book version, nobody will see the cover!

[spooky69]

Originally Posted by curtw

http://ebookstore.sony.com/product/4...000050080.html

It meets your criteria, but note that one commenter says that the images actually make reading more difficult...

This is pretty close to what I am looking for. Things that are dense with information mean that I'll probably get a good bang for my buck, and this book looks pretty entertaining. You have a good point about the cover
I noticed that a Bill Bryson book was linked from that page, and I would probably spring for a book of his that I hadn't read if it contained some quantity of relevant pictures. I've already read A Walk in the Woods and A Short History of Nearly Everything, and I'm eying that one on Shakespeare (though that obviously isn't going to be very image-heavy ).
As a side note, I've been trying to learn to play chess lately and got excited when I realized I could spend my money on a book about that topic, only to realize that there aren't any in the store! If I were looking for a book about chest, though, I'd have a full range of all sorts of incredibly lame looking titles to choose from.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by spooky69

This is pretty close to what I am looking for. Things that are dense with information mean that I'll probably get a good bang for my buck, and this book looks pretty entertaining. You have a good point about the cover
I noticed that a Bill Bryson book was linked from that page, and I would probably spring for a book of his that I hadn't read if it contained some quantity of relevant pictures. I've already read A Walk in the Woods and A Short History of Nearly Everything, and I'm eying that one on Shakespeare (though that obviously isn't going to be very image-heavy ).
As a side note, I've been trying to learn to play chess lately and got excited when I realized I could spend my money on a book about that topic, only to realize that there aren't any in the store! If I were looking for a book about chest, though, I'd have a full range of all sorts of incredibly lame looking titles to choose from.

Amazon has a mini book on chess in PDF format. It is inexpensive.

Dale

[RobbieClarken]

A great book about the economics of uncertainty:

The Black Swan - $12.56
The Impact of the Highly Improbable
by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

You can hear the author discuss this book on EconTalk.

Or these very funny political satire books:

The Ceo of The Sofa - $9.90
or
Peace Kills - $8.96
by P.J. O'Rourke

I haven't read this but it looks interesting:

Physics of the Impossible - $12.56
A Scientific Exploration into the World of Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation, and Time Travel
by Michio Kaku

And if you are interested in fiction, I cannot recommend highly enough Alexander McCall Smith's books about the "No. One Ladies' Dective Agency" in Botswana. They are a very enjoyable read with simple but lovable characters tackling trivial issues of life in Africa. The first book is:
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - $6.64
by Alexander McCall Smith

But if you read that you wont be able to resist reading the rest of the series:

• Tears of the Giraffe - $8.96
• Morality for Beautiful Girls - $8.96
• The Kalahari Typing School for Men - $8.96
• The Full Cupboard of Life - $8.96
• In the Company of Cheerful Ladies - $8.96
• Blue Shoes and Happiness - $8.96
• The Good Husband of Zebra Drive - $12.56

[spooky69]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

Amazon has a mini book on chess in PDF format. It is inexpensive.

I'll take a look, thanks!

Originally Posted by epiphany

pcp

Great suggestions! These sound right up my alley, and I really appreciate you taking the time to put this together.

[anotherchance]

Long Way Round about Ewan McGregor's round the world bike ride was thoroughly enjoyable.
http://ebookstore.sony.com/product/4...000032556.html


And both J. MAARTEN TROOST books about living on South Pacific islands were great.
http://ebookstore.sony.com/author/335/08/33508.html

[Leaping Gnome]

Freakonomics?

And your Classic credits WILL expire, at least both times I got them they did, so I would use them sooner than later.

[Victoria]

Originally Posted by spooky69

I also have ~60 free classic titles left, though I'm not sure if these are set to drift just out of my grasp as there is no expiration date listed next to this credit (maybe somebody could clear up whether I need to get pickin', as I remember that these were originally offered up with the same expiration date).

-Crezallius

Hi -I ordered a Reader from J&R on March 15, and their confirmation email has a web link to Sony about the free books. It says

"Get your reading started on us with 100 eBooks Classics. Credit will automatically be put in their account upon Reader authorization. Expires 10/31/08."

That would be about 6 months for me - I don't know if yours would expire sooner, or if thats it for everyone.

[SanFranMatt]

Get a giftcard and email it to yourself. They don't expire.