Kindle Shopping

I have no idea what sparked my recent Kindle shopping expedition. It could have been influenced by Savidge Reads Sensation Season and all the talk of Wilkie Collins, Mary Elizabeth Braddon, and Susan Hill. OR...it could have been influenced by Carl's RIP IV challenge that I have taken to like a fish takes to water (who would have thought that I had such a dark side?!) But whatever the influence, I took out my Kindle today and visited the Kindle store - in the comfort of my own home (it was a nasty day today with cloudy skies and a high of 48 degrees --- I had no desire to get out in today's weather).

Now I am well aware that Kindle users can download hundreds, if not thousands, of free public domain classics from numerous sites (I tend to use manybks.net and freekindlebooks.org), but the primary problem with these free downloads is that it is somewhat cumbersome to navigate through large "chunksters" --- which is what I tend to read (you know -- the 500+ page books of Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins, and Alexander Dumas). When browsing through the Kindle store, however, I discovered the wonderful world of "Complete Works of......" by Mobile Reference. Not only do these very reasonably priced (ok -- CHEAP) ebooks provide great reading material for a nominal sum, but the table of contents is hyperlinked to each novel/short story, and then each novel has chapter hyperlinks as well. The text is VERY easy to read, and the dollar value makes this frugal blogger smile :)

Here is a run-down of what I purchased today (now granted, I still had Amazon gift certificates leftover from last Christmas - so in actuality, these downloads cost me absolutely nothing. If any of my family members are reading this post, however, I have completely depleted all gift certificates and would covet these as possible Birthday / Christmas gifts for 2009)

I purchased the Works of Charles Dickens --- over 200 --- for the nominal price of $4.79

I also purchased 50+ works of Wilkie Collins for $4.79 as well.

The works of Elizabeth Gaskell, including her biography of Charlotte Bronte for $3.99

The novels of Mary Elizabeth Braddon for $3.99

And then, for an amazing $1.00 EACH I received:

• the 7 novels of Jane Austen
• the major works of L. M. Montgomery
• the 8 major works of Henry James
• the Bronte Family Collection

Other collections that I have downloaded samples, but not yet committed to the purchase, include: Leo Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Louisa May Alcott, Alexander Dumas, and George Eliot.

I realize that the Kindle is not for everyone. And I am learning that the Kindle is not for ALL my reading needs. But as far as collecting the classics in a manageable format (I can take my entire classic collection with me at all times for under 2 pounds!) and at a fraction of the cost of traditional books, I simply cannot help but shout from the rooftops that I truly LOVE my Kindle!

In case you have not heard about the Kindle, you can read my initial review of this eReader here.

Now, if anyone knows how to add more hours to the day --- I will be all set!