# Advice wanted re: reading ebooks **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 22, 2002, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-wanted-re-reading-ebooks/133423 "2002-10-22T20:43:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Basandre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@Basandre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Basandre)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2002, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-wanted-re-reading-ebooks/133423/1 "2002-10-22T20:43:47Z")
I am addicted to reading, but unfortunately I don’t have enough money to buy more than 1 or 2 books a month. I’ve been taking advantage of such websites as Project Gutenberg (where public domain works are provided in plain text form) for quite some time, but, quite honestly, classic literature has never really been my thing. I’ve read the Lewis Carroll, the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, some of the Mark Twain, etc. I’ve heard from several sources (most recently slashdot) about free or cheap ebooks, and I want some advice from any Dopers that read these. Are there any fairly inexpensive (\<$100) PDAs that would be better for reading ebooks than a computer screen? What was your general impression of the whole ebook experience? Was it worth it? Or are paperbacks still the way to go? ---
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2002, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-wanted-re-reading-ebooks/133423/2 "2002-10-23T14:31:49Z")
Forget about E-books. I’d just get yourself down to a local library. Or, don’t know about in the US, but there are many book clubs in the UK ([this one for example)](http://www.qpd.co.uk/) that offer 6 books for a few pounds, and **no** obligation to buy again. I abuse these guys a lot. Maybe there are similar clubs in the US? Can save a lot of money on books this way. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2002, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-wanted-re-reading-ebooks/133423/3 "2002-10-23T14:48:02Z")
My experience with e-books was great. But then, I get paid when people download my stories. 😉 There’s a nice selection at [Fictionwise](http://www.fictionwise.com). You can download the files in Acrobat, or in other PDA-compatible formats. Prices are cheap, and you can put it on your credit card (they have what they call “Micropay” accounts that let you charge stories and books that sell for less than a dollar). There are a lot of top authors there, especially in the science fiction and fantasy fields (e.g., Stephen King, Isaac Asimov, Mike Resnick, Ann McCaffrey, Lois McMaster Bujold, Robert Heinlein, etc.) You might also look at [url=“[http://www.embiid.net](http://www.embiid.net)”)Embiid. As far as a reader is concerned, if you get a PDA, it’s not just to read the electronic books. It can help you in a lot of ways, so the investment is worth it (for me, the calendar and notes functions alone make my Visor absolutely essential). ---
**Author:** ![lauramarlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a5b964/32.png) [@lauramarlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lauramarlane)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2002, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-wanted-re-reading-ebooks/133423/4 "2002-10-23T15:41:04Z")
I have to second **Aro** on this one. Try your local library. Many of them are purchasing ebooks for their patron’s convenience–you may be able to check out a current title in ebook format. And if you want to buy books, there’s nothing like a library book sale to make that affordable–and it’s not junk they’re selling, lots of time it’s donations that they already have in the collection, or multiple copies of bestsellers. ---
**Author:** ![lauramarlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a5b964/32.png) [@lauramarlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lauramarlane)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2002, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-wanted-re-reading-ebooks/133423/5 "2002-10-23T15:49:14Z")
I have to second **Aro** on this one. Try your local library. Many of them are purchasing ebooks for their patron’s convenience–you may be able to check out a current title in ebook format. And if you want to buy books, there’s nothing like a library book sale to make that affordable–and it’s not junk they’re selling, lots of time it’s donations that they already have in the collection, or multiple copies of bestsellers. ---
**Author:** ![Politzania](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ab097/32.png) [@Politzania](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Politzania)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2002, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-wanted-re-reading-ebooks/133423/6 "2002-10-23T20:26:16Z")
I’ll second a visit to Fictionwise, as a satisfied user of their e-books system… [http://www.memoware.com/](http://www.memoware.com/) is another source of free/cheap e-books. I usually have a couple of stories on my Visor, which goes with me practically everywhere. I’ve been pretty happy with the e-book experience on my PDA. [Handspring](http://www.handspring.com/outlet/index.jhtml) has reconditioned Visors or you can check out The Palm Store’s [Factory Outlet](http://store.palm.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=1179667) section. And of course there’s always e-Bay and the like. If you still want analog 😉 - visit your library and/or used bookstores, either local stores or a chain like [Half-Price Books](http://www.halfpricebooks.com/). ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-wanted-re-reading-ebooks/133423/7 "2002-10-24T06:03:50Z")
I read books on my Palm V all the time, and I love it. Mainly because it means I _always_ have something to read on me.