Do you ever think "Who reads this?"

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Karellen

I think that with Shakespeare. Not only "who" but "why"...

Yes, I am sure I will be flamed for that, but I just don't understand the fuss that is made about his writings.

Reading Shaespeare isn't easy. They are plays. But man, you owe it to yourself to see some Shakespeare live.

[JSWolf]

It ans

Originally Posted by rantanplan

That's not even weird, I'd totally read that.

I give you the Kissing the Coronavirus series. Yes, it's a series.

It also has this spin-off: Covid Claus is Coming to Town

I guess, whatever get's the juices flowing

You have to read this review of the first book. It's awesome!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3573934440

It answer the question of WTF and splits it into different WTFs.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by Calenorn

Not what you meant, but I never could understand the large number of public domain ebooks available on sites like Amazon. Search for the Kindle version of "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin," for example. There are 43 PAGES of results!

Who reads those? In most cases, no one, I bet. Why does Amazon waste the bandwidth?

When it comes to public domain, this is where Amazon Classics imprint is helpful, especially if you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited. They almost all include an audiobook as well.

And often I will just get the Delphi Classics (Complete works, collected works etc.) edition. I've started getting these direct from them, where you can get 'parts edition' and .ePub versions. They update them as things transition to PD, or to improve quality.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by issybird

OK, I did use the word "unreadable" to describe the ends of the spectrum, but there can be decent stuff in the middle.

I'll let new literary works mature and stand test of time and readers rather than awards & snobby critics. Then I might buy them. Literature were the author is sufficiently dead is less risk to the pocket (PD), but still involves time.

Yes there is decent stuff. I guess 24 yo was too young to try James Joyce.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Calenorn

Does a bigger catalog REALLY look better? If I need a public domain book, how do I choose from that morass? How many do I have to try before I get one with decent formatting? Is that the experience Amazon wants for its customers?

No, bigger is not automatically better, but corporate types might think so. Amazon is in danger of hiding good new authors in the noise.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by rantanplan

That's not even weird, I'd totally read that.

I give you the Kissing the Coronavirus series. Yes, it's a series.

It also has this spin-off: Covid Claus is Coming to Town

I guess, whatever get's the juices flowing

If you're brave, I suggest looking up Chuck Tingle sometime. Definitely not family-friendly though.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by jhowell

And sometimes it is second order greed. The results of people selling instructions on how to make easy money by publishing freely available content on Amazon.

Reminds me of a joke I recently heard: "I ordered a book called How to Scam People. I'm still waiting for it to arrive."

[hildea]

I bought a book called "Getting Things Done". It's somewhere in my bookshelf, with a bookmark about 1/3 in, and gathering dust

[maddz]

Originally Posted by hildea

I bought a book called "Getting Things Done". It's somewhere in my bookshelf, with a bookmark about 1/3 in, and gathering dust

Obviously in the same category as round tuits.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by hildea

I bought a book called "Getting Things Done". It's somewhere in my bookshelf, with a bookmark about 1/3 in, and gathering dust

I ordered a book called How to Scam People.

It's been 6 months and I still haven't received it.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Reminds me of a joke I recently heard: "I ordered a book called How to Scam People. I'm still waiting for it to arrive."

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I ordered a book called How to Scam People.

It's been 6 months and I still haven't received it.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

If you're brave, I suggest looking up Chuck Tingle sometime. Definitely not family-friendly though.

I think we should do a book club read of a Chuck Tingle book.

[Halle]

There's something for everyone. What I notice sometimes is how often large groups of people are left out. Eg differently abled.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by Halle

There's something for everyone. What I notice sometimes is how often large groups of people are left out. Eg differently abled.

As a disabled person: please, I'm begging people to not use the term differently abled. We're disabled.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Doh! That's where I heard it! Sorry for stealing your joke.