Comments on these public domain epub sources?

derangedhermit · 01-19-2013, 08:27 PM

When searching for PD epubs, I have come across a few sites repeatedly - I do check MR first, of course. If you have experience with one or more of these, please comment on the typical quality of the epubs from these sites:

Feedbooks.com (epubs seem better on average than PG and manybooks)
booksshouldbefree.com (they have many PD audiobooks, too)
ebooks@Adelaide (http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/)
epubbooks.com

Thanks,
Lee

jgaiser · 01-19-2013, 09:31 PM

All appear to be legal distributors of public domain and non-public domain books. I've only downloaded books from feedbooks.com, but the rest look good.

You might also look at the mother of all public domain books at Gutenberg. I suspect that nearly all of the public domain books were first acquired there.

cromag · 01-19-2013, 10:21 PM

The only name on that list that I recognize is Feedbooks. The books I got were well formatted.

Mostly, though, I check out Project Gutenberg, too.

AlexBell · 01-19-2013, 11:58 PM

The University of Adelaide site has a very wide range, they're very well formatted, and they're are not derived from Project Gutenberg - at least, the ones I've read.

derangedhermit · 01-20-2013, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexBell

The University of Adelaide site has a very wide range, they're very well formatted, and they're are not derived from Project Gutenberg - at least, the ones I've read.

Yes, my observation so far puts Feedbooks and Adelaide at the top as far as combining breadth and some standard of quality. They often each have a copy of a book I am looking for. The Feedbooks versions seem to closer to true epubs, in that the Adelaide books have some html in them that works well, for example, in Calibre's reader, but not on the Nook; also the Adelaide epubs have an epub TOC with only one entry, and a full inline html TOC. Still, they are pretty nicely done.

The Project Gutenberg epubs are, in my experience, not as well put together as either of these. I sometimes store a PG epub simply as a reminder that I want to find a better copy in the future. I keep track by marking the source as PG in Calibre.

I've very recently downloaded a number of books from booksshouldbefree and epubbooks.com, when neither Feedbooks or Adelaide had that book - but have not yet done a quality check across them. I figured I wasn't the first to come across these sources, and someone would know if I was wasting my time.

HarryT · 01-20-2013, 02:29 AM

Be careful if you use Adelaide: many of their books are not in the US public domain.

derangedhermit · 01-20-2013, 02:33 PM

Thanks, Harry. When I look for a book I just do a google search for the book (and maybe author) and the word "epub". I already know if it is in the public domain in the US. Adelaide often shows up in the search results.

Still, it's good to know, since for good source sites, I may work my way through the library, as I have done for MR.

If anyone has a "best sites" short list for high-quality epubs, I'm

danskmacabre · 01-20-2013, 08:13 PM

Wow loads of H.P. Lovecraft books on http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au
will download them all when I get home..
(I live in Australia BTW).

JD Gumby · 01-20-2013, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danskmacabre

Wow loads of H.P. Lovecraft books on http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au
will download them all when I get home..
(I live in Australia BTW).

Also a crapton of Lovecraft here in the MobileRead library.

danskmacabre · 01-20-2013, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JD Gumby

Also a crapton of Lovecraft here in the MobileRead library.

cool thanx.

Joan M · 01-20-2013, 10:22 PM

Yes, the Adelaide site has loads of titles people would actually want to read.

My hat's off to them.

AlexBell · 01-21-2013, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Be careful if you use Adelaide: many of their books are not in the US public domain.

I won't tell on people who use Adelaide if you don't.

Joan M · 01-21-2013, 12:42 AM

Hey, I visited Launceston one time long ago! Is it smokey up by you or is that just down Hobart way?

01-19-2013, 08:27 PM	#1
derangedhermit Addict Posts: 239 Karma: 1280000 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: USA Device: None	Comments on these public domain epub sources? When searching for PD epubs, I have come across a few sites repeatedly - I do check MR first, of course. If you have experience with one or more of these, please comment on the typical quality of the epubs from these sites: Feedbooks.com (epubs seem better on average than PG and manybooks) booksshouldbefree.com (they have many PD audiobooks, too) ebooks@Adelaide (http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/) epubbooks.com Thanks, Lee

01-19-2013, 11:58 PM	#4
AlexBell Wizard Posts: 3,413 Karma: 13369310 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Launceston, Tasmania Device: Sony PRS T3, Kobo Glo, Kindle Touch, iPad, Samsung SB 2 tablet	The University of Adelaide site has a very wide range, they're very well formatted, and they're are not derived from Project Gutenberg - at least, the ones I've read. Last edited by AlexBell; 01-20-2013 at 12:00 AM.

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01-19-2013, 09:31 PM	#2
jgaiser Omnivorous Posts: 3,283 Karma: 27978909 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rural NW Oregon Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle 3, KPW1	All appear to be legal distributors of public domain and non-public domain books. I've only downloaded books from feedbooks.com, but the rest look good. You might also look at the mother of all public domain books at Gutenberg. I suspect that nearly all of the public domain books were first acquired there.

01-19-2013, 10:21 PM	#3
cromag Surfin the alpha waves ~~ Posts: 26,301 Karma: 459765791 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Jersey Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids	The only name on that list that I recognize is Feedbooks. The books I got were well formatted. Mostly, though, I check out Project Gutenberg, too.

01-20-2013, 02:29 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Be careful if you use Adelaide: many of their books are not in the US public domain.

01-20-2013, 02:33 PM	#7
derangedhermit Addict Posts: 239 Karma: 1280000 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: USA Device: None	Thanks, Harry. When I look for a book I just do a google search for the book (and maybe author) and the word "epub". I already know if it is in the public domain in the US. Adelaide often shows up in the search results. Still, it's good to know, since for good source sites, I may work my way through the library, as I have done for MR. If anyone has a "best sites" short list for high-quality epubs, I'm

01-20-2013, 08:13 PM	#8
danskmacabre Guru Posts: 733 Karma: 3593438 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Glo. Galaxy Tab S 8.4	Wow loads of H.P. Lovecraft books on http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au will download them all when I get home.. (I live in Australia BTW).

01-20-2013, 10:22 PM	#11
Joan M Did someone say Python? Posts: 69 Karma: 118162 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: USA Device: Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, Nook Tablet	Yes, the Adelaide site has loads of titles people would actually want to read. My hat's off to them.

01-21-2013, 12:42 AM	#13
Joan M Did someone say Python? Posts: 69 Karma: 118162 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: USA Device: Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, Nook Tablet	Hey, I visited Launceston one time long ago! Is it smokey up by you or is that just down Hobart way?