My experience so far has been positive. I don't like musty secondhand books so my only options for authors like E M Delafield have been taking a chance on secondhand books from the UK (not much Delafield in secondhand bookshops in Australia) or expensive, unattractive POD editions. I was thrilled to discover the Girlebooks website where I downloaded Delafield's War Workers for free. They have a great range of 18th & 19th century books by women writers available for free. I also downloaded Elizabeth Von Arnim's The Adventures of Elizabeth in Rugen & Anna Katherine Green's The Leavenworth Case.
Then, it was over to the Book Depository where they have thousands of Dodo Press POD books available as free e-books. I now have Wilkie Collins's Rambles Beyond Railways (I'm reading this at the moment), Clement Shorter's Charlotte Bronte & her Circle, Horace Walpole's Historic Doubts (about Richard III), Mamie Dickens's My Father As I Knew Him & Rhoda Broughton's Twilight Stories. These were all PDF files. The reader can also accept EPub files. P says they're easier on the eye & easier to adjust the font to fit the page but I had some trouble with the drag & drop part of the download so I'll need some help with that.
I think I'll enjoy using the e-reader to read those books I can't easily get any other way. If there's a Penguin or OUP edition in print, I think I'd rather have that, even if I have to pay for it. I love the Notes & Introductions that are part of the package with the classics in print.
I'm getting a Nook for Christmas just for the classics! And it was actually The Leavenworth Case that prompted me to ask Santa for one. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy the e-reader! I bought a Sony Reader a few months ago and I love it. Like you, the main reason I wanted it was so that I could download classics that are out of print or hard to find. I'm glad you've discovered girlebooks - they have such a wonderful selection of free books.
ReplyDeleteYour post and comments in the Dove group are the closest I have ever come to having been tempted by one of these....I look forward to hearing more about your experiences. Maybe I will give in someday!
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of ereader is that one? I bought a Sony E-reader a few months ago, and I love it!
ReplyDeleteMarg, I think it's just generic. GreenPoint comes up on the screen when I boot it up. It's a good basic reader which is perfect for me as I'm just getting the hang of it. Dani, I hope you dive in one day. I see it as a way of reading books I couldn't get hold of any other way but it will never replace the sheer pleasure for me of holding a new book in my hand & looking at the pictures, reading the bibliography & index etc. Sounds a little nutty but I'm a librarian, can't help myself! Eva, I'm looking forward to The Leavenworth Case. Girlebooks have several of Green's other books as well. Helen, I love Girlebooks! What a wonderful selection of authors. I can't wait to explore further.
ReplyDeleteHooray! Wonderful, I love my e reader though am feeling a bit limited by book availability and pricing for the Sony when I see the Kindle, and isn't Girle books a great discovery, but I didn't know about the Dodo ones so thanks for that Lyn. It will never replace the real thing but there are times when it is invaluable and I wouldn't be without it now.
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