All the single Kindles!

I got a new Kindle for Christmas (along with this awesome lighted kindle cover) and while it was a catalyst for my own increased literacy and the inspiration for recording The Library with my friends- I'm beginning to realize I've overlooked a lot of it's features.

Whenever I notice something awesome about my e-reader, I'll post about it here. This isn't a ploy to sell everyone on Nooks, Kindles, iPads, smartphones or whatever knock offs are sitting on the Walmart shelves these days- it's just a way to alert others to (usually free) awesomeness that comes with owning one of these devices.

This time?

Amazon Singles

I'll admit it. When I first noticed the section of the Kindle Store menu, I thought it was an online dating service for book lovers everywhere-- and that's why I clicked (there's an idea for a dating site in this) on the link.

The site didn't lead me to pictures of well-read, employed, mature, and handsome men who also love spending time in libraries smelling old print and binding- but it did send me to a place where you can browse and buy short stories, essays, articles, or even memoirs, like "Project Runway" ringmaster Tim Gunn's Shaken, Not Stirred (Kindle Single). For some reason, Clancy Martin and Hank Chilton's Scalper: Inside the World of a Professional Ticket Broker appealed, and I plunked down 1.99 for the pleasure of a short read.

The story itself was interesting, but even more compelling was the excellent business opportunity for essayists and short story writers. I can imagine joyfully paying 2 bucks to read a new essay by David Sedaris as soon as it is complete. If popular fanfic writers are looking to expand their reach, this could be a great tool as well.

As a consumer, the Amazon Singles are just plain convenient. Like the books, while some Singles are free, most are not- but when I don't have time to devour a whole book, and just want a light snack, I'll definitely tab over to the Singles.

Singles Serving Suggestion:

Oxford Girl (Kindle Single) by Plum Sykes- the author of Bergdorf Blondes writes a short story about her fun college years at Oxford. It's gossipy and posh, but that's kind of Sykes' thing- so go with it. Reviews say the 25 page e-book is a bit too short (but fun) for the $1.99 pricetag, so buyer beware.

Click here to browse Kindle Singles

8 Ways to Get Free Books

You're fabulous, you're literate, and you're poor.

So how do you get your book fix without being chased out of the Barnes and Noble cafe in the middle of the novel you've been "browsing"?

Free books. Free NEW Books.

I don't in any way condone stealing copyrighted works, so we're not going down that path- but I've compiled a list of ways anyone can read for free (or "cheap as free").


-First Reads: Free book giveaways: This combines the joy of reading the unknown with the adrenaline that comes from entering the lottery. That's right, you can join Goodreads.com, and then enter to win a pre-release book that's been listed by an author or publisher. The variety of books is extensive, and there's a big reading/discussion community on the site as well.

-BookCrossing: An awesome and incredibly unique book sharing experience that I can't wait to try! Step 1: Label a book from your collection with one of the special bookcrossing barcode. Step 2: "Share" the book by either giving it away to a stranger or friend, leaving it on the table at a coffee shop or on the train, or any other way you wish to release it into the wild. Step 3: Follow the book online to see where it's going and where it has been. According to the website, over 850k people registered nearly seven million books which are traveling around 130 countries. That's awesome, free, and fun. Try it!

-Kindle eBook Lending: For 14 days you can lend an ebook to another friend who has a Kindle, or has the Kindle app for PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Blackberry, or Android. Sounds awesome, yeah? Only drawback? Not all books are lendable, AND the lender can't read the book during the loan period. This leads us to...

-BookLending.com: If your friends don't have e-readers yet, or you're just looking for a wider variety of choices, BookLending.com is the place for all e-reading people to come together and loan out their books. The site matches borrowers with lenders at no cost.

-Free-Ebooks.net: It's the posting place for a lot of indie authors who just want to get their work out there, or booksellers who want to provide samples. You can read on your computer, iPad or iPhone.

-BooksFree: Despite the name, it isn't entirely free, but it is very inexpensive. For about $11 USD per month, you can check out two books at a time. The price is low, but the selection may not be the best if you're looking for mainstream, popular novels. I'll also point you to...

-Bookswim.com: It bills itself as "The Netflix for Books", and that's a pretty accurate title. The selection is good, but the pricing plans start at $23.95 a month for 3 books at a time OR 1-book-a-month for $9.95+3.99 shipping fee. Yeah, it's cheap-as-free over time, but there's always the totally free option, like...

-The Library: this is a big "duh" for some, but I've come across many people who don't realize their local library has an extensive New Release section. Most library systems in the US allow you to browse their catalog online, and reserve a book- so you can get in and out of the quickly. As long as you return the book on time and keep up with your library card-- it's the free-est and easiest option available.

Have other links or suggestions? Comment below, or send the cast an email at thelibraryshow@gmail.com!

Machine of Death

I wanted to pass along a book recommendation that doesn't really fit well for our book club discussions on the show, but is more than worth your trip to your local library(yay!):

Machine of Death: A collection of stories about people who know how they will die

(sounds morbid, right? It's good. Read on.)

The machine had been invented a few years ago: a machine that could tell, from just a sample of your blood, how you were going to die. No dates, no details. Just a slip of paper with a few words spelling out your ultimate fate -- at once all-too specific and maddeningly vague.

A top ten Amazon Customer Favorite in Science Fiction & Fantasy for 2010, The Machine of Death is an anthology of original stories bound together by a central premise. From the humorous to the adventurous to the mind-bending to the touching, the writers explore what the world would be like if a blood test could predict your death.

-Amazon.com description

It's a collection of crowdsourced short stories edited by Ryan North, David Malki, and Matthew Bennardo.

The idea: The guys solicited short stories from people online for four months, they chose the manuscripts they liked from the nearly 700 submissions, paid the writers of the submissions, and put everything together in a book.

Thanks to a clever internet campaign, the book jumped to #1 on Amazon, and beat out Glenn Beck's latest book for the top spot, prompting a wonderfully ill-informed tantrum from the right-wing pundit on his radio show.

If that's not a reason to read it, I don't know what could convince you, really.

I bought the book for my Kindle the other day, and it's been an incredibly fun, and rather refreshing read thus far. If you're reading Episode 3's book, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, you'll probably need a breather about halfway through... I recommend this for a small palette cleanser.

::Kim::

The Library #2: Looking for Alaska

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In this episode, we're reading and reviewing Looking for Alaska by John Green, and LA Candy by Lauren Conrad. 

Episode spoiler alert: we loved one book, and felt violated by the other.  Points for any correct guesses as to the titles.

Upcoming books are The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson and Kardashian Konfidential by um... the Kardashians.  

Call (646) 926-READ and leave us a voicemail with your reactions to Looking for Alaska, some feedback about the this show, or (as always) suggestions for books to read in the future!

Follow us on Twitter for updates! We're @thelibraryshow.

Music Credits: Alex East, The Twelves, and a very camp version of Carmina Burana

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