Where to get classics which are properly formatted?

neonbible · 09-07-2010, 02:29 PM

Argh annoys me so much that most classic/public domain ebooks are badly formatted. Still contain pages and pages of project gutenberg stuff at the beginning, lack a proper table of contents.

The ones from Amazon are quite good but still don't have ToC.

I realise it takes work to get them looking right, and people do it for free. But does anyone know where I can get good versions of popular classics?

kacir · 09-07-2010, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neonbible

But does anyone know where I can get good versions of popular classics?

Look at the top of this page.
There is E-Books link under the Mobileread logo ;-)

GERGE · 09-07-2010, 02:42 PM

Barnes & Nobles are very good with their classics. They include introductions and notes.

Try some free ones from here: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/freelibrary

desertgrandma · 09-07-2010, 02:55 PM

May I suggest you start here?

Click on the linky. Our members do an outstanding job of formatting.

fjtorres · 09-07-2010, 02:56 PM

Here, of course.
Also, Munseys.com
Or you could buy "Munseys Masks" off ebay if you don't mind dropping a few bucks for over 25,000 nicely formated epubs or PRCs.

neonbible · 09-07-2010, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kacir

Look at the top of this page.
There is E-Books link under the Mobileread logo ;-)

OMG thank you! ..all of you. The books on here look great. Just got illustrated versions of Oliver Twist and Sherlock Holmes. All formatted well with ToC.

Just made me a very happy person!

HarryT · 09-08-2010, 03:43 AM

I don't think God had very much to do with it. It was I who produced both the books that you mention.

TGS · 09-08-2010, 03:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I don't think God had very much to do with it. It was I who produced both the books that you mention.

What? What about when you write in green...then you surely have a certain God-like quality I'm sure most of of us would agree

kiwipippa · 09-08-2010, 04:26 AM

Thanks Harry, I have just downloaded another one of yours. It looks much better than the Gutenberg copy.

neonbible · 09-08-2010, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I don't think God had very much to do with it. It was I who produced both the books that you mention.

Good job

Whats the best way to edit a PRC file? I have just got Orwell's 1984 and Animal Farm and they both lack a ToC. Any tips for adding one?

HarryT · 09-08-2010, 10:46 AM

There's no way to directly edit a PRC file; you'd need to decompile it to its HTML source, edit the HTML, and then re-create the book.

Easier just to skip the first step, get an HTML version of the book, edit that, then create the Mobi book.

ProfCrash · 09-08-2010, 01:25 PM

I have bought the MobileReference authors collections. Most cost $5 and they come with the complete works of the author, are nicely formated, and have a good Table of Contents. It was worth the price to me to avoid downloading and transfer the entire work of Twain, Joyce, London, and about 15 other authors.

Yes, I am lazy.

HarryT · 09-08-2010, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

I have bought the MobileReference authors collections. Most cost $5 and they come with the complete works of the author, are nicely formated, and have a good Table of Contents. It was worth the price to me to avoid downloading and transfer the entire work of Twain, Joyce, London, and about 15 other authors.

Yes, I am lazy.

The trouble is, what you've bought will without question originate with PG and will hence be full of errors. That's why I've spent the last three years proof-reading Dickens in an attempt to produce a "complete works" that's as error-free as I can make it. Eg, while proof-reading "The Old Curiosity Shop" I found two instances where a complete double-page had been omitted from the book, not to mention a number of missing paragraphs, many missing sentences, and almost countless cases of missing or incorrect punctuation, quotation marks, accents, and other such minor things.

What you have is certainly good enough to read (although missing pages may leave you scratching your head about strange "jumps" in the story), but it's not very much use as an accurate reproduction of what the author actually wrote. That's why "free" public domain works (other than properly proofed ones, which are few and far between) haven't put imprints like Penguin Classics out of business.

ProfCrash · 09-08-2010, 03:11 PM

See, I learn something every day. The books that I have read did not appear to have errors, or anything that I noticed. I was under the impression that MobileReference proofread the versions they were using and fixed the errors found in them.

bill_mchale · 09-08-2010, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

The trouble is, what you've bought will without question originate with PG and will hence be full of errors. That's why I've spent the last three years proof-reading Dickens in an attempt to produce a "complete works" that's as error-free as I can make it. Eg, while proof-reading "The Old Curiosity Shop" I found two instances where a complete double-page had been omitted from the book, not to mention a number of missing paragraphs, many missing sentences, and almost countless cases of missing or incorrect punctuation, quotation marks, accents, and other such minor things.

What you have is certainly good enough to read (although missing pages may leave you scratching your head about strange "jumps" in the story), but it's not very much use as an accurate reproduction of what the author actually wrote. That's why "free" public domain works (other than properly proofed ones, which are few and far between) haven't put imprints like Penguin Classics out of business.

Just curious Harry, but did you submit your corrected versions back to Project Gutenberg or did you just upload them here?

--
Bill

09-07-2010, 02:29 PM	#1
neonbible Addict Posts: 202 Karma: 10802 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kindle Paperwhite, iPhone 5, iPad Air, Nexus 7	Where to get classics which are properly formatted? Argh annoys me so much that most classic/public domain ebooks are badly formatted. Still contain pages and pages of project gutenberg stuff at the beginning, lack a proper table of contents. The ones from Amazon are quite good but still don't have ToC. I realise it takes work to get them looking right, and people do it for free. But does anyone know where I can get good versions of popular classics?

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09-07-2010, 02:42 PM	#3
GERGE Guru Posts: 732 Karma: 5797160 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Istanbul Device: Kobo Libra	Barnes & Nobles are very good with their classics. They include introductions and notes. Try some free ones from here: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/freelibrary

09-07-2010, 02:55 PM	#4
desertgrandma Enjoying the show.... Posts: 14,270 Karma: 10462841 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Device: A K1, Kindle Paperwhite, an Ipod, IPad2, Iphone, an Ipad Mini & macAir	May I suggest you start here? Click on the linky. Our members do an outstanding job of formatting.

09-07-2010, 02:56 PM	#5
fjtorres Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,732 Karma: 128354696 Join Date: May 2009 Location: 26 kly from Sgr A* Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000	Here, of course. Also, Munseys.com Or you could buy "Munseys Masks" off ebay if you don't mind dropping a few bucks for over 25,000 nicely formated epubs or PRCs.

09-08-2010, 03:43 AM	#7
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I don't think God had very much to do with it. It was I who produced both the books that you mention.

09-08-2010, 04:26 AM	#9
kiwipippa Fanatic Posts: 578 Karma: 613022 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: New Zealand Device: kobo glo, kobo touch (dead), kindle touch, android phone	Thanks Harry, I have just downloaded another one of yours. It looks much better than the Gutenberg copy.

09-08-2010, 10:46 AM	#11
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	There's no way to directly edit a PRC file; you'd need to decompile it to its HTML source, edit the HTML, and then re-create the book. Easier just to skip the first step, get an HTML version of the book, edit that, then create the Mobi book.

09-08-2010, 01:25 PM	#12
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	I have bought the MobileReference authors collections. Most cost $5 and they come with the complete works of the author, are nicely formated, and have a good Table of Contents. It was worth the price to me to avoid downloading and transfer the entire work of Twain, Joyce, London, and about 15 other authors. Yes, I am lazy.

09-08-2010, 03:11 PM	#14
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	See, I learn something every day. The books that I have read did not appear to have errors, or anything that I noticed. I was under the impression that MobileReference proofread the versions they were using and fixed the errors found in them.

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