FREE/BARGAIN — Non-Fiction

[issybird]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Nobody is saying otherwise. Unfortunately, however, the majority of self-published books do not fall into this category, hence our requirement that self-published books only be advertised in these threads on the basis of personal recommendation.

Also acceptable is when a self-published book was originally traditionally published and the author has reacquired the rights.

[GtrsRGr8]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Nobody is saying otherwise. Unfortunately, however, the majority of self-published books do not fall into this category, hence our requirement that self-published books only be advertised in these threads on the basis of personal recommendation.

Sorry. Again!

I should have quoted j.p.s., who said, "They may be a small percentage, but aren't there quite a few first rate authors that are self published?"

My point was, yes, I think that there must be quite a few first rate authors based upon the fact that 1) this gentleman is one, and 2) the circumstances that caused him to leave the traditional publishers are probably faced by other authors like him, and they leave the traditional publishers for the same reason(s) that he did.

The rule is excellent. The quality of the books posted would suffer if the door was opened to any self-pub.

[GtrsRGr8]

Originally Posted by issybird

Also acceptable is when a self-published book was originally traditionally published and the author has reacquired the rights.

Hmmm . . . . it seems that it would take a quite a bit of research to learn that information. And where would you go to find out that information? Would WorldCat have it? I'm wary of OpenLibrary now.

[Little.Egret]

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

Hmmm . . . . it seems that it would take a quite a bit of research to learn that information. And where would you go to find out that information? Would WorldCat have it? I'm wary of OpenLibrary now.

Usually there is a copyright date and even a first published by line.
Or look for old print editions under See all -- formats and editions

So https://www.amazon.com/Over-Death-Mi...dp/B07JCRHGV6/

and use Look inside.

Of course if the author changes the title or their pen-name more work can be needed.

[HarryT]

Or (for fiction books) look on "Fantastic Fiction". They don't list self-published books, so if it's there, it's been commercially-published at some point.

[KyBunnies]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Or (for fiction books) look on "Fantastic Fiction". They don't list self-published books, so if it's there, it's been commercially-published at some point.

I really wish there was a site similar to Fantastic Fiction for non-fiction books.

But if people go to the 'Adult' part of FF they do have some self published books. Or they will keep an authors book posted if they start as published and change to self or if the self published author is very highly rated.

[Little.Egret]

Charles River Editors, free

Homo erectus: The History of the Archaic Humans Who Left Africa and Formed the First Hunter-Gatherer Societies

The People from Here: The History and Legacy of the Washoe

Blaise Pascal: The Life and Legacy of the Legendary French Mathematician and Theologian


https://www.amazon.com/s/?url=search...+river+editors

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?url=sear...+river+editors

https://www.amazon.ca/s/?url=search-...+river+editors

[Little.Egret]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Or (for fiction books) look on "Fantastic Fiction". They don't list self-published books, so if it's there, it's been commercially-published at some point.

Depends what you mean by, eg when self published and then by a commercial publisher promised for later

https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/l...master-bujold/

Title: The Prisoner of Limnos January 2019 : USA Hardback
Kindle October 2017

Or https://www.fantasticfiction.com/l/s...-diligence.htm
Pinbeam books is the author.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Or (for fiction books) look on "Fantastic Fiction". They don't list self-published books, so if it's there, it's been commercially-published at some point.

Haven't done any extensive looking, but at the very least I know they list self-pubbed books where an author started out a series with a commercial publisher, but is self-pubbing later volumes. So they do have at least some books that were self-pubbed from the get go.

[pdurrant]

Bear in mind that the rule isn't that no self-published books should be listed here. Only that if you want to list a book that's been self-published, you should have read the book yourself (so that you can vouch for its quality).

Or as the first post puts it "Unless you have read them yourself, think they are excellent, and you're not connected to the author in any way".

[GtrsRGr8]

And isn't the contrapositive, inverse, converse, opposite, reverse, or whatever it is, also true? All that some websites have, like Smashwords, if I'm correct, are self-pubs, so you might as well get ready to read it yourself, think that you like it very much or it's excellent, and make sure that you're not related to the author. We've already decided, too, haven't we, that Amazon Digital Services is also an example of a website that we have to do that with?

Does anyone think that it would be helpful to name any other sites with non-fiction (notice what thread that you're reading this in) ebooks that have only self-pubs?

[Little.Egret]

Kindle UK daily deal Friday 23rd November all 99p

https://www.amazon.co.uk/b?ie=UTF8&node=5400977031

Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions by Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths

The authors explain how to have better hunches and when to leave things to chance, how to deal with overwhelming choices and how best to connect with others.

From finding a spouse to finding a parking spot, from organizing one's inbox to understanding the workings of human memory, Algorithms To Live By is full of practical takeaways to help you solve common decision-making problems and illuminate the workings of the human mind.


The Better Angels of Our Nature: The Decline of Violence In History And Its Causes by Steven Pinker

Wasn't the twentieth century the most violent in history? In his extraordinary, epic book Steven Pinker shows us that this is wrong, telling the story of humanity in a completely new and unfamiliar way. From why cities make us safer to how books bring about peace, Pinker weaves together history, philosophy and science to examine why we are less likely to die at another's hand than ever before, how it happened and what it tells us about our very natures.


Gordon Ramsay's Ultimate Cookery Course by Gordon Ramsay

"I want to teach you how to cook good food at home. By stripping away all the hard graft and complexity, anyone can produce mouth-watering recipes. Put simply, I'm going to show you how to cook yourself into a better cook."

[ReadingManiac]

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

I am a friend of a gentleman who is a 4-time-published, first-rate academic author. He tried the major publisher route on his first two books, but on the last two books he went the self-pub route. Why did he change? Basically the major publishers had charged so many fees, etc. that there was just about no money left for him! So, if he is any indication, there are some very good authors who are self-pubs.

This is becoming more and more true. A favorite author of mine put out several good books through a traditional publisher that specialized in occult material, then the publisher fizzled out after several years and the self-pub route had become viable, so she put out the material in new books that would be considered self-published. If anything they're better than the original traditionally published books!

[ReadingManiac]

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

Probably "Digital Services," after "Amazon," should be considered a red flag?

Yes. Amazon Digital Services is the default on self-pubs if they don't enter a publisher name.

[GtrsRGr8]

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

And isn't the contrapositive, inverse, converse, opposite, reverse, or whatever it is, also true? All that some websites have, like Smashwords, if I'm correct, are self-pubs, so you might as well get ready to read it yourself, think that you like it very much or it's excellent, and make sure that you're not related to the author. We've already decided, too, haven't we, that Amazon Digital Services is also an example of a website that we have to do that with?

Does anyone think that it would be helpful to name any other sites with non-fiction (notice what thread that you're reading this in) ebooks that have only self-pubs?

CreateSpace is another big self-pub outfit. Seems like I see more of that company listed as the "publisher" at Amazon than I do Smashwords. I don't know--maybe knew, and now forgotten--if CreateSpace sells only non-fiction (the subject of this thread), only fiction, or some of both.

In fact, I don't think that I've ever seen Smashwords shown as the "publisher." I wonder if the authors are always shown as the" publisher." Maybe Smashword depends upon channels other than Amazon to distribute the authors' works. As you can tell, I am not very familiar with them. I remember now that they have a sale once or twice every year.

I know that at least some of Smashword's books are fiction, not non-fiction (the subject of this thread).