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list of places to shop for ebooks

Here is a list of places I like to shop for ebooks.  I look for ebooks in epub format.  They are not listed in order preference, simply because I go to the site that has the best price, or has the title available.

  1. http://www.barnesandnoble.com  I have a Nook which connects directly to the Barnes and Noble ebook store.  Very convenient.
  2. http://www.gutenberg.org  Gutenberg Project has lots of free ebooks.  I have been finding that they have books available in epub format.
  3. http://www.fictionwise.com  They have a rebate program which is quite awesome, sometimes the rebate is 100% of the price of the ebook.  They also announce specials on Twitter.  One of my favorite places to price shop.
  4. http://www.kobobooks.com  This store sends coupons and discounts if you sign up for their email.  I sometimes come here when they email a coupon that interests me and I think I can score a cheaper price with them after the discount.
  5. http://books.google.com  has some classics in epub format.  I use Gutenberg more than google books, though i wont be surprised if in the future Google becomes a great source for finding all kinds of ebooks.
  6. http://www.diesel-ebooks.com  has epub format ebooks in most titles.  Sometimes they are cheaper than Barnes & Nobles online.  Probably depends on what title you are after, but worth checking on the chance to save a dollar or two.
  7. http://www.arthursclassicnovels.com  I really love this site.  A lot of the titles here are probably available at Gutenberg Project, but I just enjoy browsing at this website.  Technically, it's a website where you can read books online in your browser, but I just print the page to a PDF and side load it to my Nook.
There are lots of free utilities that install a 'virtual' printer that outputs a PDF file.  I will list those in a future update.
 

J.K. Rowling Speaks at Harvard Commencement

J.K. Rowling Speaks at Harvard Commencement from Harvard Magazine on Vimeo.

 

ebook prices

Publishers want to charge more for ebooks.  Some people think $14.99 is still worth paying for a book that can't be re-sold, or traded.  I personally feel that $9.99 for an ebook is fair under the right circumstances, considering that this ebook 'purchase,' becomes more like paying for a movie.

I compare spending money on an ebook the same as going out to see a movie.  An ebook is similar to a movie in financial terms.  In a cerebral sense, a book or ebook is not like a movie, but i'm talking ebook prices here, please see the title of this entry.  Just as one sits in a movie theatre and pays for an intangible entertainment experience that can't be re-sold, traded.  An ebook can't be sold once it's been purchased, nor loaned to anyone, or traded for anything.  They have no value to anyone other than the purchaser, who may read the book most likely, just once.  Possibly more, but most likely just once.

Ultimately everyone will decide for themselves , whether it's worth paying $14.99 for an ebook.
I usually weigh the purchase of an ebook against the following: How soon do I want this ebook, and is the convenience of acquiring and reading it right now over wifi worth it's price knowing the cost is non recoup-able.

If I purchase a real book, I can probably re-sell that book and lower my actual cost.  I can even trade that book, for another book which I can then trade again, greatly increasing the value of the money I spent on the first book by allowing the physical object I receive from my purchase to acquire more.  I could even donate that physical book to my library.

Would I buy more ebooks if the price were $9.99 or less, versus $14.99?  Yep.

What would even be better is if someday, libraries loan out ebooks.  I would love to have epub format books transmitted to my reader from an online library. The library would be able to transmit a set amount of copies to the public, which then must be renewed by the user after two weeks or whatever time is allowed for borrowing the ebook, else they expire from the person's reader until they borrow it again. If a library feels that it will miss out on late fees, perhaps even charging something minimal, like .05 to .10 cents per period, will work for everyone. The libraries could go by resident's zip code, to determine which branch of library the copy of the book is being borrowed from. Something like that, which is just a general idea.

i love this stick

 

Wednesday Life Drawing

kelley life drawing feb 17 2010


kelley life drawing feb 17 2010


kelley life drawing feb 17 2010


kelley life drawing feb 17 2010

Kelley, Wednesday Feb 17 2010

 
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Bookshelf

Raph finished reading:

The Zanzibar Chest: A Memoir of Love and War
Life, the Universe and Everything
Brain Droppings
A Clash of Kings
Survivor: A Novel
Into the Wild
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster
The Tipping Point
A Game of Thrones


Raph's favorite books »