Kindle questions

Posted by Flootus5 9 years, 4 months ago to Technology
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I have questions for those Kindle users out there. I noted a comment in another post that a Kindle is so cool because you can have hundreds of books in your hand all at once.

So, at this point in time, how many books are actually available in digital Kindle format? I note that most new books coming out are available, especially on Amazon. Especially fiction.

How many older books are now available? And is there a source to be able to query to find out if a certain book is available?

My issue is that I read a lot of obscure history. I like to acquire actual dated books of vintage age to read what the attitude of the day had to say about historical events before the modern revisionism has set in.

It would be great to reduce the load of books, but I suspect there is a limit for how many obscure tomes are available digitally.

All thoughts appreciated.

All Comments

  • Posted by $ AJAshinoff 9 years, 4 months ago
    I have one of the original Kindles, has a keypad and a great no-glare screen. I must have a few hundred books on it, those are the ones I may want to read again.There are quite a few books made available in Kindle format. For older, vintage, obscure books, those out of publication, I frequent https://www.gutenberg.org

    I regularly check Amazon by searching for "Free Kindle sci-fi" (or mystery or historical fiction) books. While some of the offerings are fairly poor (for a variety of reasons) there are enough very well done free books that make the regular effort worthwhile. More than a few times I've tried a free book and ended up downloading he authors other works - one most notable was, the Martian by Andy Weir.

    I can recommend or share a bunch of titles in some genres, just let me know, I'd be glad to help.
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  • Posted by Riftsrunner 9 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    The problem is Amazon DRM'S the files it sends to you to the device it is loaded on. So unless you are reloading the files back to the same kindle, it will error out. I learned the hard way when I shattered the screen on my Generation 2 kindle and bought a new one and tried to just copy directly from one kindle to another. I had to redownload the books from Amazon, if I wanted to read them on my new kindle. I, however, do recommend backing up all your devices to a flash drive (a folder for each device) as you suggested because I have had amazon "repossess" books that I bought at other sellers or got for free through certain deals.
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  • Posted by Flootus5 9 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    And I've known of embarrassing phone calls being made because the thing is set off in your pocket.
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  • Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 9 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    hooray there's two of us. That's the reason for the tablet size or using the computer and as I've often said social media sucks. Damn now you got me saying four letter words. Just riding the bus will set the thing off and they don't hold settings worth a tinkers damn. It's like squads right in a whale boat.
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  • Posted by Flootus5 9 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    You mention three of my favorite authors - Ditto!

    I read three Nevil Chute's recently. If they can't or won't carry him - yep, defund.
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  • Posted by Stormi 9 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I know what you mean about cords and cables. We recently installed one of those electric wall fireplaces, which involved moving two PCs - and disconnecting cords! I had marked with paint pen what most cords connected, but a few I missed. It took a while to get all back in running order. Worse, I detest laptop batteries, phone batteries, and any which get hot and run down! There must be a better solution. Just like reading a book on a small screen has not yet pried me from a book which requires only daylight, campfire or the good ole incandescent light bulb (the demise of which was also predicted by Rand in "Anthem".
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  • Posted by Stormi 9 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I regularly back up all my documents, books and music to a separate PC, and also to two external hard drives - not trusting the cloud if gov't get involved. However, once you would take you device out of the Faraday bag to use it, it is again fair game. I will never forget "Anthem", when they discovered all books had been taken from the masses, and the couple ran away and found a home library. Powerful image! I have a good number of books which are out of print now, and only some were available to save online, but not all. My brother has even more irreplacable Civil War texts. It will come to the point when only what they want us to read, will remain available. Remember when Amazon put on Kindle some texts which they did not have permission to use, and with one click, they disappeared from people's Kindles.
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  • Posted by blackswan 9 years, 4 months ago
    If you're willing to read on your laptop, then google books is a great place to search.
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  • Posted by $ Olduglycarl 9 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    5000 year leap and the New (republished) "Jefferson Lies"
    That's all I can think of today...(workin)
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  • Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 9 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Now we move to the other side of the historical question. so three books to recommend...America's Forgotten History Vol. 1, II, III and others like it. I'm hoping others may add to this particular perspective.

    The hand that makes
    A sword sing best
    Writes a version
    Black ink and red.
    Once the hand
    Has laid to rest
    The final words
    Must pass a test.
    Irregularities scrutinized?
    Damn! History's been homogenized.
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  • Posted by $ Olduglycarl 9 years, 4 months ago
    I would say that few up to date publications are worth their weight. There are some authors that have talked about real history and corrected the revisions and misconceptions. But the real thing?
    Many have not been republished in 10's of years and in today's literature climate, I wouldn't hold one's breath.
    However, some of the classics are available for digital down load...ex. Aristotle's Ethics, The Law by Bastiat, John Lock etc.
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  • Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 9 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Que suerte! I went to my old home town library and couldn't find a single Heinlein or Nevil Shute nor a series of other countries that started with the world Inside. John Gunther I believe was the author. No Ayn Rand and no Taylor Caldwell. They had a borrow a book deal from the libraries of two counties....Still no luck.

    I wrote on the visitors log. "Seeing this is a good reason to vote against the library budget."
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  • Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 9 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Yes and they are very hard to get or afford. One ALWAYS judges in the context of the time. Our relative position doesn't mean squat except if we fail to learn from the past. Which means time to squat.
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  • Posted by $ jdg 9 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Calibre is similar to the Kindle app but is open source. And there are converters available so you can import Kindle books into Calibre, thus protecting yourself against losing them if Amazon decides to steal things back from its customers again.
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  • Posted by $ jlc 9 years, 4 months ago
    Obscure history books, especially if you want to look at the actual text images, excepts from manuscripts, paintings, hieroglyphs, etc still do not display well on most electronic devices. Other than that, the ability to stuff a few hundred books in your carry-on is a treasure.

    Jan
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  • Posted by ProfChuck 9 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Back up your Kindle to a flash drive periodically and put the drive along with a spare Kindle and a solar energy charger in a good quality Faraday bag just in case. I like the SanDisk with built in WIFI for this purpose.
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  • Posted by Herb7734 9 years, 4 months ago
    There's one quick answer. It's called a LIBRARY. I put it on my agenda to make my weekly pilgrimage there. Most library systems have resources that flow into the great metropolitan systems that can bring you all the way up to the library of congress if you have the people working there willing to go all out for you. Luckily, in this small town, I do, bless their hearts (in a non religious way, of course.) The only problem is obtaining privately published books which must be purchased. On a retirement income one must be highly selective except for certain books published by Gulchers named Gore and others.
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  • Posted by Flootus5 9 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I checked out Project Gutenberg. That does look very promising for obscure stuff. Thanks!
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  • Posted by Flootus5 9 years, 4 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I am beginning to see the need for balance in how much digital and how much hardcopy to maintain. I think you brought up a really good point about books that are particularly valued. Keep it as both.

    I, too, get tired of all the batteries, chargers, and cables and screens. I actually had to make a whole project with a labeler to tag every damn cord and what it is for. And I am old school when it comes to enjoying an actual book. The smell of old paper has its aromatherapy value - so long as it is not moldy!

    And then there is a place for the digital format, especially when traveling. And I get so tired of sitting at computer screens with all the health related issues of the human body sitting too much. To be able to move about with advantage of the digital format is attractive, too.
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  • Posted by Stormi 9 years, 4 months ago
    I can only say one thing about digital books, "Anthem"! Probably okay for new titles, but if you cherish the book , save it to digital, but have hard copy. One day, there will ben electromagnetic disaster, and in a flash, or if the government decides, digital books can disappear. One disaster, or the push of an Amazon button, and they are gone.
    I like to live with a hardback book, sit with it, carry it around, and I do not have to worry about yet another battery device or staring into a lighted screen. When I need space, add another bookshelf, get rid of insignificant titles, but treasure those now out of print.
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  • Posted by dansail 9 years, 4 months ago
    Project Gutenberg - It is a free website that produces out-of-copyright literature, including classical literature and history, for just about all forms of electronic reading media. There is a handy search tool and is available in both full browser and mobile browser method. There is also another site, the World Public Library, which is a subscription service ($9/yr), which is also quite helpful for more research and less literature.
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