All things books and reading thread - 2016

[rubysmama]

 
I've said this before, but it's worth periodic repetition:

If you like free books (and who doesn't) check out these two sites:

• https://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/
• https://librivox.org/

Project Gutenberg has set itself the quixotic goal of making all English language public domain books available in electronic format for free download.  (U.S. copyright law; if you live elsewhere some of these books could be illegal for you to own.  Check your own laws to be sure.)

Librivox is a sister organization to Project Gutenberg.  They're trying to put all of the Project Gutenberg books into audio format.  They do this with varying degrees of success.  In general, if several versions of a book that you want are available, your first choice should be a dramatic reading (these are done like radio plays, with a narrator and voice actors), second choice should be a book with a single reader, and third choice should be a book with multiple readers.  Sometimes with multiple readers there will be one reader who keeps mispronouncing.  If it's a single reader, and he or she regularly mispronounces, it's fairly easy to simply let it pass.  But with multiple readers, one grits one's teeth every time the mispronouncing reader comes up.  (At least, that's my experience.)  If you have a smart phone, there's a Librivox app available for it, for either Android or iPhones.

Margret

Thanks for the links. I've bookmarked the gutenberg one for future reference.

 

[DreamerRose]

I'm reading a great book. It's been on the best sellers list, and I was surprised at how good it is. It's The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware.

 

[foxxycat]

1500   miles From Home= Is a really good story. I was surprised how well it's written. There are 2 others after it. I also like Christopher Pike. He has a good style of writing post war fiction. It's not all about army stuff but mostly interpersonal relationships as well as figuring out how to out smart the bad people.

 

[Margret]

Last night The Wee Free Men, by Sir Terry Pratchett, showed up in BookBub for $1.99.  I probably shouldn't have, because I already have it in hardback, but I bought it.  At the back of the book I found links to all his other books, and was surprised to discover that there's a fifth Tiffany Aching book: The Shepherd's Crown.  I clicked on the link, and saw that they want something like $10 for it, so I asked for the free sample which, for some reason, hasn't shown up on my Nook so far.

I know that after Sir Terry was diagnosed with Alzheimer's he went on something of a writing binge, to give his family a bit more money after he was gone.  I also know that he resorted to collaborators as necessary, and I've heard (rumor, not verified fact) that some of the books that don't have a collaborator listed were largely written by a secretary, who was trying valiantly to get it the way Sir Terry wanted but was hampered in that effort by the Alzheimer's.  Therefore, I've kind of been avoiding the books from after the diagnosis.

Has anyone here read The Shepherd's Crown?  Is it up to Sir Terry's usual standards?

Darn.  I just hate it when bad things happen to good authors.  I really miss Sir Terry.

Margret

 

[AbbysMom]

New Thread for 2017 -

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/332038/all-things-books-and-reading-thread-2017