I was inspired by Riptide's post on how many people no longer read books. I was a little surprised by it and thought maybe this would help get people to read more often.
For those of you who love to read and who may not be aware of 100% legal free ebooks that are available on the web, here's a great site. It's called the Gutenberg Project and I've been downloading books from there for about 6 yrs now. I believe they are up over 100,000 titles now. You won't find and new books of course because they aren't public domain, but they do have thousands of classics available.
http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page
If you need a decent and simple bookreader software here's the one I use. It is also free. No ads, no garbage, no spyware. This has an automatic scroll function so you don't have to manually flip thru pages, you just set the scroll speed and let it roll. It also has a voice function if you download the optional plug-ins. If you're reading and have to go do something for awhile, you set the voice and it will read the book to you. It sounds a bit like a movie robot talking but it's pretty easy to understand.
http://www.rudenko.com/ebook.html
[question posted by craftcatcher]
responses and comments:
This is a great idea. I bet alot of people don't know that you can do this..I love to read and have tons of books but I am going to go in a see what this is all about. I took a sneak peek and it looks very interesting. I may find something I like that I never would have looked for originally..Thank you so much for this information. I wouldn't know what to do without my books.. [Feona1962]
This looks like information I need to hold onto. It is fun to look at books and I will experiment with the voice reader. [GardenGerty]
I've heard of a lot of people that download ebooks, but it's not something that I have ever done. I prefer to read kicked back in my recliner or on my bed, so I always read actual books instead. We have too much stuff plugged into our laptop to move it around a lot. :) I will send the link to my sister, though. She doesn't read much, but she says its because she never has time to get a book read before it is due at the library. If she downloaded the books she wouldn't have to worry about that. Thanks for the information! [carlaabt]
Thanks for the links. I've bookmarked both. :) I still prefer old fashioned print but I bet my 11 year old will love it. She reads much faster than I can buy/borrow books. [crazed_moma]
I love to read, and I appreciate you sharing these sites. I'll be sure to show these to my mom because she is an English professor. I know she'd love to share this site with her students. [AmbiePam]
I didnt know they had this might try but I love going to the liabrary and picking out my books to read and am getting to lesrn new authors now and am learning alot of thing from them for Even if I know they are fiction they do have to look into alot to get it as real as possible. [Lakota12]
Oh this is awesome. Thank you for sharing this. This is very helpful for a bookworm like me. LOL! [mbilagan]
The Gutenberg Project is wonderful and thank you for mentioning it here! Although I prefer to read a paper book, I do like to browse the titles online and Gutenberg is just where to do that. My favorite reading is in the classics anyway, so that works out perfectly. [drannhh]
Great post. I completely forgot about the Gutenberg project, but then again I'm not overly fond of e-books to begin with. Still it is a great resource and I wanted to thank you for sharing this. Personally, I prefer a hardcopy book to read and sadly I must own it, I absolutely shudder at the thought of checking something out from the library, falling in love with it and having to give it back. I'd rather keep it, to re-read at a later point in time. A growing problem is illiteracy. There are so many adults (and of course kids) who just can't read or write on the most basic of levels. I honestly don't know how they get through life, with everything being in print and in the internet. It's very sad, I wish there was an easy solution. [filmbuff]
I'm usually not too dissapointed with most books. Most the time I buy ones that I know I will like by the author or series. If I'm in uncharted territory I give it the first few pages, to first chapter test. If I'm not hooked by that time, I pass on it and look for something else. If I do run into a book I don't like, I take it to a used book store and trade it in for something else. As for illitercy, I think it speaks volumes of our educational system. If a student can't read or has a learning disability they are often moved into a special ed class, whose job it is to make sure they graduate somehow. I have a relative who can barely read, and yes this person is quite smart. But the problem is that if you can't read and you can't write, you can't communicate either. These people don't grasp language, they don't understand words; what they mean or how to use them. I've seen my relative get into so many arguments and misunderstandings simply because this person did not understand what has being said, and the other party couldn't make out what they were trying to say. It is very, very sad... and a lot of them don't want to put out the effort to learn, or have themselves mentally defeated that it's even possible for them to be literate. [filmbuff]
I read books on the web, but I also read real books as well. Last one I read was The Superhero Encyclopedia. [rogue13xmen13]
i dont like to read books. but well if its for free. if i can donwload it and if i will the topic of the book quite interesting i might try reading it. well i was not really reading books a lot. i seldom do. i jst most of teh time watch informative things on cable. but there is some topic that i would like to read on books. well if ever i will find it i will read it. i just dont read books that i see on bookstroes especially the novels . i think i will want to read books that are informative and that i could learnsomething from and not just to entertain me. [indieover35]
oh thanks so much for sharing that link!! I love to read and am forever buying books but I dont mind dnlding some too...and ya maybe this thread will inspire some to read more...Excellent idea and topic Craftcatcher!! [Ravenladyj]
You'll love them if you're into mythology (and I know you are). It's strange you mention those, I started re-reading the Iliad last night... ah great minds... LOL! I haven't read it in about 10 yrs so I thought it was time to re-read it. [craftcatcher]
thankyou. the book scroller was really helpful. [applecartronnie]
great information,i like to read but lately i havent had much chances to do so,maybe when my babies get older.lol.thanks i will check this out. [3lilangels]
I purchase a lot of books periodically, but this site is marvelous. There are some books that are not available in my country unless if I place a special order for it which can be tedious and more expensive. Amazon has always been an alternative venue for me to get books but shipping cost and all makes it expensive esp if in the end the book isn't as good as you had hoped. This site sill give me some idea on some classics that are on my list of books I still have to read. This way, I can browse books and decide which ones I will either buy or read just use the site you have provided. If you know of any other sites, or maybe what keyword you used to search that lead you to this site, I would greatly appreciate it. I know of a lot of people that love to read but dont have the money to spend buying all the books they are interested in, and I will definitely share this site with them. Its unfortunate they have a slightly different taste in books from me or I would just send them the books I have. [candy111]
There is also the World Public Library. They give some access to non-members but the selection is limited. Most you can get on the Gutenberg site. Membership is $8.95 US dollars per year and then the selection is huge. There's enough on the Gutenberg site to keep me happy for years! LOL. Here's the site if you want to look at the other one. http://worldlibrary.net [craftcatcher]
I like both paper books and e-books. I've been on the Gutenberg project for years and it's marvelous. I also buy a lot from Fictionwise.com I downloaded that reader and will check it out. My favorite is RMR (Read in Microsoft Reader) which is free and even works on a Palm. I also have Mobi, but that requires a special device. Sony is supposed to come out with a reader later this year. [Vladilyich]
wow thanks for that site I will definitely roam that site tonight and find some great stuff. I'm actually an average reader and since the books here in the Philippines are so expensive iI just borrow from friends and find some cheap book in booksale. [lossforredwords]
It really sounds like a great place to hunt for books.....it was a nice idea to give information about this site to ppl like me who love reding.....and i personally feel taht it will be of great help.... [ashsumi]
It is true, there are people who never want to read or who are not interested in reading at all. I think it depends on mainly two things - reading is in the genes and once in the genes it is a cultural thing. Let me explain. I grew up in a house where both my father and mother were book fanatics. Therefore, from day one, my bother, my sister and myself were exposed to a culture of reading. But this culture could not have been instilled in us if it were not in the genes too. Quit simple? Now I have 3 children and as my wife and I are keen readers, from day one they were exposed to a culture of reading. But to instill this culture it should have been in the genes. Whatever the explanation, I cannot get enough of reading. [devilliers7]
Thanks craftcatcher, I will have to check out both links. I haven't been able to get the chance to sit down and read a good book lately :) [maddysmommy]
Wow thanks so much - I'm sooooo tired that I'll have to look them up later and save them to favourites. [artemis432]
This is very useful information for someone with a computer and little resources or access to a library. I will be trying this one out for some of the older classics. Thank you very much for the info. [crazy_ol_lady]
Hello craftcatcher, Thanks for the info. I love to read too but here in my country, the price of a book is quite expensive. I normally buy one or two books a month. I seldom buy e-books. Since you introduced this website to me, I will check it out! [gr8life]
Oh boy, what a pleasure. I love books and I love to read and e-books are so much fun especially since your boss thinks your working - LOL. I will definately give it a bash. I hope it has a way to book mark the pages, because I have so many books on .pdf, but no way to book mark them so it becomes a bit of a hassle to try and read. [keda69]
I do read ebooks from time to time, though I still prefer to read the classical fisical paper books, I find that the ebooks have an advantage in that if you need to travel and wish to take a couple of books to read you can download some and save them onto a disk, pen etc and in this way take several without the problem with weight. I have tried to print ebooks as at times I get so entertained reading story and wish to finish it in places where I can't take my computer, only to find that they are hundreds of pages long and I handn't noticed it as with the screen you assume it's just a page or two. People might not read as many books, but with computer I read a great deal, as the sizes of articles and site pages may seem small but may be several pages long. [leeloo]
I absolutely love to read! I normally read four or five novels a month. I've tried e-books, I think they are nice, but my eyes tire quicker than if holding a book in my hand. There used to be a website called "Free Library of Classics that had good books for free download but I haven't tried to visit it in ages so I don't know if it still exists. [southernbelle77_ab]
Project Gutenberg Rocks. If you want to read classics by Robert Louis Stevenson, or Rudyard Kipling or Shakespeare. They are all there and free. I actually recently downloaded a book by Thornton Burgess that my grandmother read to me when I was a child and recorded myself reading it on MP3 so that my children and children's children can have the same experience. I may send it to Project Gutenberg as a donation since there are so many visually impaired and illiterate people that could benefit from having books read to them. It is a great project that I support heartily. I may even donate a book later on when I get one published and just make it public domain. [Wingedman]
Thanks for sharing the link. I may have to check it out, but reading a book on the computer just seems ackward to me. I like to curl up with a book & read for hours. Ya can't bring a desktop PC into your bed with you :) [eden32]
Thank you for sharing these sites. I love to read so maybe I will find something fun there. AT PEACE WITHIN ~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~ [twoey68]
Thank you very much for sharing this. Is it free domain? like we can republish it as our own? I am looking for materials that I can use to maintain my blogs beter and hope to find some in the link you have given. I was also looking at the video you wanted to share. If you care to join me at a Social Networking site where we get to share all this stuff, videos, photos, blogs and socialize with other members in there, who are also very friendly and articulate. You can even advertise there for free. I would like to invite you to join me there so we can share materials better. here is the link please type it to your browser http://nuurl.us/a3417 . It is free to join and you get paid also doing your activities there. Please check that you are referred by perry2007, that's my user name. You can add me as your friends when you get there. Have a great time and God Bless. [Perry2007]
Thanks! I downloaded both links! [songbirdnaimh]
I love to read and right now I'm reading all the books Mitch Albom has published. Right now I'm reading "The 5 People You Meet In Heaven" Amazing author. [party_lite_rep]
I am going to check this site out that you have posted here. My Mom gave me the gift of loving to read a very long time ago. She encouraged me to read and it was not unusual for her to sit with me and read her own book as I read mine. She made mention to me that you can go all over the world and still be sitting right there in your home. She would tell me the adventures I could have walking through the pages of a book. She was very adamant about not ear marking a book. She said that books are our friends so don't treat them with disrespect that way. I love to read and lose myself in any book that I pick up to read. It is not unusual for me to finish a book in a couple of days. [sunshinelady]
Im suprised at how little some people read i love to sit down with a great book and let it take me somewhere else for awhile, my mother loves to read as well and i think watching her enjoying the pastime helped so i was determined with my children to start reading to them young and often (actually i read to both mine in-utero) and although the reality is with two young children i dont sit down with them as much as i thought i would we still get in at least one book a day, im going to try my first ebook its a freebie from the oprah show so ill definetly try the software you recommended thanks! [caraj444]
I've heard about this site before. But I didn't realize they had such a variety of books available. I will have to check it out. Thanks for the link. Lately, I've been feeling like I should really get back into reading. I've been working too much lately and always wake up tired, even after I get plenty of sleep. I guess it's just burn out. A good book would be nice, especially if it were online or something I could download! [beautyqueen26]
The think I love about the reader is if I get in the middle of a good part of story and don't want to stop but I have to fix supper or something, it has voice modules that you can download and they will read the text for you out loud. It's not perfect but some of the voices are really excellent. You just have to play around with the sound a bit to see what sounds best to you. It really comes in handy when you want to get to a story but don't have time to just sit and read. I use it a lot during the day if I'm doing working on some new Jewelry or sculpting. [craftcatcher]
i like classic books. Nowdays u have to search very carful what u read beacouse the authors don't write books anymore. It is said that young people don't read anymore, and they can't even place theyr capital on map. [rebeka]
I agree with you 100%. Reading provides so much knowledge in all areas of our existence. Children need to be taught at a very young age that reading is fun and as they age they discover all the other advantages for themselves. Thanks for your reply rebeka! [craftcatcher]
Hey craft How right you are, many people don't like to read, and reading is something I love to do, as well is photography, but a lot of people who are busy choose audio books, and I am familiar with your sight and there are a lot of sights that offer books online, not quite teh same to read a book online as it is to sit in a comfy chair or read at night when trying to go to sleep. Mooch [oneandonemakesix]