Free E-books and Project Gutenberg: enrich your summer reading list

Everybody likes something for free, and that includes free e-books.

For some reason, I find it hard to read e-books on my computer, but I find it easy to use my e-reader device. I use a Barnes and Noble Nook. I'm sure other devices are just as good.

The E-Ink reader screen on my version (bought a year ago) is easy to read. The pages are not backlit, so the text is stable and much like on a paper book--at least my eyes think so.

Although I've bought some e-books via the B & N site, most of my books are free public domain e-books.

I've found Project Gutenberg a wonderful place to search for free e-books. The books are available in many formats, including ePub, Kindle, and for mobile devices.

Here are some of the authors I've downloaded:

• Zane Grey: His romances are always fun for light reading, and I love his descriptions of nature.
• Mark Twain: I downloaded Pudd'nhead Wilson, Twain's last novel and quite an interesting read.
• John Muir: I read My First Summer in the Sierra and am now reading A Thousand-Mile Walk to the Gulf.
• Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Arthur Conan Doyle, Jack London, Henry David Thoreau, Edgar Rice Burroughs, H.G. Wells

Project Gutenberg lists 36,000 titles and has over 100,000 through its affiliates. (I've found Many Books to be a great source.)

Free e-books are also available through Barnes and Noble and Amazon Kindle.

Enjoy your summer reading. Even if you don't read e-books, seeing the good work Project Gutenberg is doing is time well spent.

Copyright 2011 by Thomas L. Kepler, all rights reserved