The complete MobileRead edition of the Harvard Classics is now available!

Bob Russell · 07-27-2007, 09:08 AM

One of the most extraordinary collections of timeless literature is now available to the MobileRead community at no charge. The Harvard Classics collection was assembled originally in 1909 by Charles Eliot, president of Harvard University. According to Wikipedia, Dr. Eliot "had stated in speeches that the elements of a liberal education could be obtained by spending fifteen minutes a day reading from a collection of books that could fit on a five-foot shelf. (Originally he had said a three-foot shelf). The publisher P. F. Collier and Son saw an opportunity, and challenged him to make good on this statement by selecting an appropriate collection of works; the Harvard Classics was the result."

The MobileRead edition was completed in an amazing and monumental three-month effort by RWood, who painstakingly hand produced a very nice electronic version of the set for Sony Reader and MobiPocket (with the MobiPocket version to be complete within the next week). You will immediately see and appreciate the work that he has put into producing these volumes, in that they are quite pleasing for reading. Multiple versions of the source texts were used to produce these two (non-DRM'd) formats. The two formats cover a large range of e-book reading devices, including smartphones, and allow this collection to be accessible to large numbers of readers.

If you think this is all just an academic set of boring books, think again. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is considered by many to be the best ever written, and it seems to have a profound influence on just about everyone that reads it. While some books might not be for everyone, it's amazing to see how relevant they are, and to get such a nice glimpse into these critical people and times of history. They may just turn out to be more fun to read and skim than you would ever imagine. Wikipedia also points out that the set has become popular for home schooling, even today.

A paper version is available in various used book sources, and from Eaton Press in a subscription program for a whopping $3200! Incidentally, Eaton Press summarizes the content as "bring[ing] together more than 1,850 works by over 300 masters of thought and letters".

RWood describes the making of this e-book set in a bit more detail, and I'm sure he would appreciate comments and a "thank you" from everyone that has an interest in the set, and your thoughts as you read the volumes.

This unique e-book set is currently available at no charge as separate volumes at MobileRead's e-book upload section, and should be a welcome addition to any reader's electronic library. You can also do a MobileRead site search for "harvard classics volume" to find the threads with the volume downloads. Enjoy!

TadW · 07-27-2007, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Russell

... at MobileRead's e-book upload section, and should be a welcome addition to any reader's electronic library. You can also do a MobileRead site search for "harvard classics volume" to find the threads with the volume downloads. Enjoy!

Thanks for the hard work! And also for the search tip - it has never occured to me that we could actually do book searches!

pruss · 07-27-2007, 09:32 AM

I wonder if it would be possible to extract these to html and convert to Plucker. For my purposes, Plucker is better than Mobipocket due to better (last time I checked) search capabilities.

UncleDuke · 07-27-2007, 09:59 AM

i've been collecting the sony versions as they came out. great stuff.

my ex now has my hard copy set so this is great.

JSWolf · 07-27-2007, 10:08 AM

I just want to say a big THANK YOU to RWood for his work on the Harvard Classics. Now its time to go make sure my set is up to date.

paulkbiba · 07-27-2007, 10:12 AM

Given the importance of this project, I've taken the liberty of copying your front page post and putting it on Palm Addict. I've kept all the links intact.

This is a major milestone in ebook history!

JSWolf · 07-27-2007, 10:17 AM

Bob, that is one really nice announcement.

Phebe · 07-27-2007, 10:42 AM

This is so wonderful. I've been admiring these five-foot-shelves for decades; now I can have my own.

Robert Marquard · 07-27-2007, 10:57 AM

A link from Project Gutenberg is definitely overdue :-)

done.

bopeep36 · 07-27-2007, 10:57 AM

Thanks for all the hard work! Has anyone assembled a zip with all the volumes included?

TadW · 07-27-2007, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bopeep36

Thanks for all the hard work! Has anyone assembled a zip with all the volumes included?

By visiting each download link, you can also leave your personal comments, which is, I think a nice way of giving something back to the makers of these excellent e-books!

The GreatGonzo · 07-27-2007, 11:11 AM

A tremendous achievement, much appreciated. I will think of this edition now every time I lug around the p-book set at the bookstore where I work.....

JSWolf · 07-27-2007, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Marquard

A link from Project Gutenberg is definitely overdue :-)

done.

Very nice!

JSWolf · 07-27-2007, 11:43 AM

I definitely have to also get the MobiPocket version in case someday in the future I get a MobiPocket capable device.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 07-27-2007, 02:33 PM

Like a Cybook?

07-27-2007, 09:08 AM	#1
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	The complete MobileRead edition of the Harvard Classics is now available! One of the most extraordinary collections of timeless literature is now available to the MobileRead community at no charge. The Harvard Classics collection was assembled originally in 1909 by Charles Eliot, president of Harvard University. According to Wikipedia, Dr. Eliot "had stated in speeches that the elements of a liberal education could be obtained by spending fifteen minutes a day reading from a collection of books that could fit on a five-foot shelf. (Originally he had said a three-foot shelf). The publisher P. F. Collier and Son saw an opportunity, and challenged him to make good on this statement by selecting an appropriate collection of works; the Harvard Classics was the result." The MobileRead edition was completed in an amazing and monumental three-month effort by RWood, who painstakingly hand produced a very nice electronic version of the set for Sony Reader and MobiPocket (with the MobiPocket version to be complete within the next week). You will immediately see and appreciate the work that he has put into producing these volumes, in that they are quite pleasing for reading. Multiple versions of the source texts were used to produce these two (non-DRM'd) formats. The two formats cover a large range of e-book reading devices, including smartphones, and allow this collection to be accessible to large numbers of readers. If you think this is all just an academic set of boring books, think again. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is considered by many to be the best ever written, and it seems to have a profound influence on just about everyone that reads it. While some books might not be for everyone, it's amazing to see how relevant they are, and to get such a nice glimpse into these critical people and times of history. They may just turn out to be more fun to read and skim than you would ever imagine. Wikipedia also points out that the set has become popular for home schooling, even today. A paper version is available in various used book sources, and from Eaton Press in a subscription program for a whopping $3200! Incidentally, Eaton Press summarizes the content as "bring[ing] together more than 1,850 works by over 300 masters of thought and letters". RWood describes the making of this e-book set in a bit more detail, and I'm sure he would appreciate comments and a "thank you" from everyone that has an interest in the set, and your thoughts as you read the volumes. This unique e-book set is currently available at no charge as separate volumes at MobileRead's e-book upload section, and should be a welcome addition to any reader's electronic library. You can also do a MobileRead site search for "harvard classics volume" to find the threads with the volume downloads. Enjoy!

07-27-2007, 10:57 AM	#9
Robert Marquard Delphi-Guy Posts: 285 Karma: 1151 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Berlin, Germany Device: iLiad, Palm T3	A link from Project Gutenberg is definitely overdue :-) done. Last edited by Robert Marquard; 07-27-2007 at 11:05 AM.

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07-27-2007, 09:32 AM	#3
pruss Evangelist Posts: 461 Karma: 819417 Join Date: Nov 2004	I wonder if it would be possible to extract these to html and convert to Plucker. For my purposes, Plucker is better than Mobipocket due to better (last time I checked) search capabilities.

07-27-2007, 09:59 AM	#4
UncleDuke books & doughnuts Posts: 882 Karma: 37857 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: usa Device: sony reader, kindle2	i've been collecting the sony versions as they came out. great stuff. my ex now has my hard copy set so this is great.

07-27-2007, 10:08 AM	#5
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 78,914 Karma: 143095300 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I just want to say a big THANK YOU to RWood for his work on the Harvard Classics. Now its time to go make sure my set is up to date.

07-27-2007, 10:12 AM	#6
paulkbiba Connoisseur Posts: 84 Karma: 45 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: United States Device: Nokia e61i, iPhone	Given the importance of this project, I've taken the liberty of copying your front page post and putting it on Palm Addict. I've kept all the links intact. This is a major milestone in ebook history!

07-27-2007, 10:17 AM	#7
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 78,914 Karma: 143095300 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Bob, that is one really nice announcement.

07-27-2007, 10:42 AM	#8
Phebe Connoisseur Posts: 85 Karma: 124 Join Date: Dec 2006 Device: Sony PRS 500 and Kindle 2 and iPad and iPhone	This is so wonderful. I've been admiring these five-foot-shelves for decades; now I can have my own.

07-27-2007, 10:57 AM	#10
bopeep36 Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2007 Device: Sony Reader	Thanks for all the hard work! Has anyone assembled a zip with all the volumes included?

07-27-2007, 11:11 AM	#12
The GreatGonzo Old Yeller Posts: 180 Karma: 67 Join Date: May 2006 Device: Iliad & Kindle - The Best of Both Worlds	A tremendous achievement, much appreciated. I will think of this edition now every time I lug around the p-book set at the bookstore where I work.....

07-27-2007, 11:43 AM	#14
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 78,914 Karma: 143095300 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I definitely have to also get the MobiPocket version in case someday in the future I get a MobiPocket capable device.

07-27-2007, 02:33 PM	#15
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	Like a Cybook?

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